For much of the 20th century, the question “What is wrong with people?” has guided the thinking of many psychologists. Founded over a decade ago by University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman, positive psychology instead asks, “What is right with people?” Human strengths such as courage and future-mindedness act as buffers against mental illness. Positive psychology, therefore, is devoted to understanding and learning how to build these positive qualities in order to improve people’s well-being and help promote the “good life”.

On an individual level, positive psychology embraces the capacity for love, courage, interpersonal skills, aesthetic sensibility, perseverance, forgiveness, originality, spirituality, high talent, and wisdom. In our time, such virtues are often viewed with skepticism. However, before dismissing positive psychology as “soft,” one needs to know that it is firmly rooted in hard science, and an evidence-based approach underpins the entire program. 

Upon completion, students will be able to design and evaluate a positive psychology research project and will have gained firsthand experience with various positive psychology intervention techniques.

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