Positive Psychology: The Science of Being Happy
Intensive Introduction (suitable for beginner to intermediate students)
Taught by Christine Forte.  Click here for Christine's profile.

The field of positive psychology is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play.  It is the scientific study of what goes right in life, from birth to death and everything in between.  It is a new and exciting approach within psychology that examines what makes life most worth living.  Everyone's life has peaks and valleys, and positive psychology does not deny the valleys.  Perhaps its most important premise is the following: what is good about life is as true and important as what is bad and, therefore, it deserves equal attention from psychologists.  Positive psychology is one the most-effective psychological approaches being utilized today.  This course will delve into positive experiences such as pleasure and flow, positive traits such as character strengths, values, and talents, the social institutions that enable us, and an exploration of recent discoveries in the field.  Every lesson contains a discussion of the concepts as well as exercises that illustrate them in thought-provoking ways.  The goal of positive psychology is to identify and enhance the human strengths and virtues that make up "The good life" and to enable individuals and communities to thrive.  In the last half-century, psychology has largely focused on decreasing maladaptive emotions and behaviors, while ignoring optimal functioning (e.g., happiness and life satisfaction).  Positive psychology seeks to balance the scales, and this course is designed to explore the research, concepts, techniques, and exercises that enhance well-being.  The format of the course will be a mixture of lecture and interactive activities.

Positive psychology is about positive emotions, positive traits or characteristics, and positive interactions.  Understanding positive emotions entails the study of contentment with the past, happiness in the present, and hope for the future.  Understanding positive individual traits consists of the study of strengths and virtues, such as the capacity for love and work, courage, compassion, resilience, creativity, curiosity, integrity, self-knowledge, moderation, self-control, and wisdom.  Understanding positive interactions entails the study of the strengths that foster better communities, such as justice, responsibility, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, purpose, and tolerance.  The overriding goals of positive psychology are families and schools that allow children to flourish, workplaces that foster satisfaction and high productivity, and communities that encourage civic engagement.

The following areas will be covered:

• Using positive language to improve communication.  Acquire insight into your own strengths and virtues and learn strategies to increase your happiness and overall quality of life.

• Identifying and developing personality strengths and utilizing them in achieving personal and professional goals.  Develop an understanding of the dimensions of subjective well-being and the application to your life.

• Using and maximizing positive emotions (gratitude, forgiveness, etc) to increase happiness and well-being.  Experience a stable increase in happiness, as a result of practicing the happiness-inducing techniques discussed in class and in the readings.

• Examining research about preventing depression and cognitive decline.  Comprehend research that supports the principles, strategies, and skills of positive psychology.

• Anger management and dealing with negative emotions.  Improve communication at work and in private life through learning methods of active, constructive communication.

• Develop a zest for living a virtuous, satisfying, and meaningful life!

Upon the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• use personal core strengths to enhance their work performance and life in general

• recognize strengths in others and become better team members or leaders

• improve relationships with family members

• have better communication with others

• understand and control their emotions

• improve mental and emotional health

• find better balance between professional and personal life

The experiential elements of the course will include group discussions, role plays, and student presentations.  Students will also be expected to be active outside of class in completing a personality strengths test, experiments with increasing positive emotion and communication exercises.  The course is based on the theories and research of psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania, including Dr. Martin Seligman, as well as Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Irvin Yalom.  The work of a number of philosophers including Nietzsche, Sartre, and Plato will be incorporated into the first week in which the foundations of the concept of happiness is explored.  Participants should be prepared that this course will change the way they think and interact!

Course Title: Positive Psychology
Tuition Fee: RMB 3200

Spring Session 2013: March 6th to May 11th

Section A: Wednesday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 6th to May 8th (Course Code: PO103)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section B: Wednesday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 6th to May 8th (Course Code: PO104)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section C: Wednesday evenings (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 6th to May 8th (Course Code: PO105)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section D: Saturday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 9th to May 11th (Course Code: PO106)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Fall Session 2013: October 9th to December 14th

Section A: Wednesday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 9th to December 11th (Course Code: PO103)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section B: Wednesday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 9th to December 11th (Course Code: PO104)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section C: Wednesday evenings (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)
10 weeks from October 9th to December 11th (Course Code: PO105)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section D: Saturday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 12th to December 14th (Course Code: PO106)
Location: ELC Learning Center

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS COURSE

Registration Procedure:
First register online to reserve your place.  You will receive a confirmation email with further details and instructions.  Payment must be made on site at the ELC Learning Center during the payment dates shown below (you can come in person or send someone).

Tuition fee payment for the Fall Session 2013 will take place Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, September 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th.  The payment hours are 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Payments will be received in the Registration Office at the ELC Learning Center.  Payment must be received on time to complete your enrollment and maintain your reservation in the class(es) for which you have registered.

Register early to reserve your place, as many classes fill up quickly.  If the course for which you are registered does not reach the minimum enrollment requirement, you will be notified of the cancellation before the payment dates.  As such, we receive payments only for courses which are proceeding as scheduled.  Please note, we do not offer trial lessons or discounts of any kind.  Refund Policy: No refunds will be issued after the start of the term.