Time: | TTh, 2:30 – 3:45pm |
Instructor: | Scott LaJoie |
Advisor: | Jessica Newton |
Librarian: | Lidiya Grote |
Location: | BAB410B |
Let’s face it: happiness and wellbeing are not words often used to describe the academic experience. College is filled with difficult assignments, boring lectures and readings, deadlines, negative feedback, and inter-personal challenges. Unfortunately, there is no promise that life after college will be better. In this class, we explore the world of Positive Psychology to learn how to improve our outlook, increase optimism and motivation, and find enjoyment in the little things of everyday life. Positive Psychology isn’t psycho-babble, self-help stuff you find in grocery store magazines; there is real science behind it, and we will study it. Key questions we’ll answer over the semester: Am I preventing myself from achieving my goals? How does one develop abilities to overcome challenges and obstacles in the future? Does happiness and wellbeing improve better intellectual performance, result from it, or both?
Questions that students’ might explore for inquiry projects include: How does the research on positive psychology help us to understand the challenges of being a college student? What are biological factors of positive psychology?