The course is about how well-being and health can be promoted, and possible barriers in society that can prevent this. Health promotion is understood here in line with the Ottawa Charter, as creating conditions for people to develop personal abilities and skills through a supportive environment, and strengthening the local community's opportunities for action.

The course provides an in-depth introduction to theories of well-being, with an emphasis on eudaimonic theories and the "capability" approach, developed by Sen and Nussbaum. Furthermore, a thorough introduction is given to relevant theories and approaches on how well-being can be promoted. Examples of theories and perspectives that will be presented are occupational science, Sense of coherence, as formulated by Antonovsky, positive psychology and environmental psychology. To shed light on barriers to health promotion at the societal level, theoretical perspectives from sociology and occupational science are used.

In positive psychology, the focus is on what creates good mental health and well-being, rather than on what creates illness. This is in line with occupational science, which emphasizes how participation in meaningful activity has an impact on people's opportunities to develop their potential. Activity is understood here as what people do in their everyday life, and which in various ways creates meaning and engagement. In occupational science, emphasis is also placed on understanding what can be an obstacle to meaningful activity, such as cultural, social and structural barriers in society. Environmental psychology is about how characteristics of the environment have an impact on well-being and health. Here, qualities of the natural environment will be emphasized.

After finalizing the course the students will have aquired the following learning outcomes: 

Knowledge:

- Have advanced knowledge of the phenomenon of well-being and how it can be understood

- Have advanced knowledge of theories and theoretical perspectives that are relevant to health promotion such as occupational science, sense of coherence, positive psychology and environmental psychology

- Have advanced knowledge of factors in society that can prevent health-promoting processes in the population, such as social, cultural and structural barriers.

Skills:

- Are able to analyze factors related to health promotion, and what can be an obstacle to this in society

- Are able to communicate key subject matter within well-being and health promotion through relevant professional terms

- Are able to use theories and theoretical concepts in health promotion and what can be an obstacle to this, in the development of practice

- Are able to contribute to new thinking and innovation processes within health-promoting public health work

Competence:

- Are able to analyze factors related to health promotion, and what can be obstacles to this, and further be able to apply knowledge about health-promoting processes that can be applied at different levels in society

- Have sufficient competence about barriers to health-promoting processes to be able to work to counteract these at different levels in society

- Understands and applies knowledge of ethical principles and rights in health promotion both locally and globally

- Be able to develop and disseminate knowledge about health-promoting processes

• FHV330
• FHV315