PhD Study : The lived-experience of Para-athletes and visual impairment classification: Towards an athlete-centred classification system.

Summary

To ensure the integrity of Paralympic competition a system of classification is used to ensure a level playing field between competitors.  For those with visual impairment (VI), individual sports federations are responsible for determining rules for classification, and historically, they have been based on the medical classification of visual impairment as identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO).   As such, visual measures for classification rely on clinical measurement of visual acuity and visual fields.  Medical approaches to VI sport classification creates a status quo where decision-making rests with medical staff with little input from athletes.  A further issue is that it widely is recognised that the role and nature of visual capacity on sports performance is very different across sports, and that traditional clinical measures of vision do not translate to ‘real world’ situations.

This PhD will investigate the athletes’ lived experience of classification in visually impaired (VI) sport. While the nondisabled athlete is concerned with loss of form or injury, the Para-athlete must also consider how changes in their level of impairment will affect their career. Therefore, an understanding of the athlete’s lived experience is required.  When examining this lived experience, a range of factors that influence classification’s impact on their careers will be discussed, with an aim to exploring how athlete-centred approaches could challenge the existing system.

This project will also compare existing visual classifications across relevant sports (E.g. football and track athletics) with VI athletes.  In addition to conventional visual function measurements, we will conduct comprehensive visual assessments. We plan to include dynamic visual acuity measures to reflect the vision-in-motion capability of athletes, explore both lighting variability and glare on performance, and conduct multiple-object tracking commensurate with the experiences of athletes with visual impairments when playing their sport.    We will collect information on the origins of an individual’s VI, in terms of their eye condition, whether congenital or acquired, and their VI progression.

This PhD will examine the experiences of blind and visually impaired athletes, both of the technical aspects of classification and the social implications of the procedure on their sporting careers. The aims of the project are;

*To investigate the lived-experience of VI athletes with regimes of classification.

*To explore the potential for athlete centred approaches to classification.

*To compare existing visual classifications across relevant sports, conduct comprehensive visual assessment on VI athletes and evaluate their visual strengths and weaknesses.

*To examine the acceptability and feasibility of novel visual assessment techniques, in order to better represent real-world visual performance with athletes with a VI.

This is an exciting opportunity for a PhD researcher to work with academics from the Optometry and Vision Science Research Group and the Sport & Exercise Science Research Institute at Ulster University.  They have the expertise, equipment and links with local and national associations to recruit an appropriate population for this PhD project across a range of sports.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• First Class Honours (1st) Degree
• Masters at 65%
• Research project completion within taught Masters degree or MRES
• Practice-based research experience and/or dissemination
• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Work experience relevant to the proposed project
• Publications - peer-reviewed
• Experience of presentation of research findings
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
• Relevant professional qualification and/or a Degree in a Health or Health related area

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

• Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
• Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
• Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living