Course Title: Happiness and Positive Psychology

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Happiness and Positive Psychology

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BESC1479

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

150H Health Sciences

Internet

 Sem 2 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 2 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 2 2015,
Sem 1 2016,
Sem 2 2016

BESC1479

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Internet

 Sem 1 2017

Course Coordinator: Dr Lydia Ievleva

Course Coordinator Phone: 0402 012 813

Course Coordinator Email: lydia.ievleva@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Sydney

Course Coordinator Availability: Email is the best contact option.


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

There are no formal prerequisites. This course is fully online. You will need access to the internet, the ability to work online in myRMIT Studies, to organise your time, work online with others in small groups, and submit work on due dates.


Course Description

 

This course will provide you with a basic understanding of the science of happiness and positive psychology, and how it can impact health and wellbeing. You will examine the principles, underlying theory, research and historical antecedents of the science of happiness and positive psychology and distinguish between myth and fact for happiness and wellbeing factors based on research.

This course is fully online, there are no face to face classes.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

 

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for GD169 Graduate Diploma in Wellness:

  1. PLO 1. synthesise and integrate wellness principles and strategies into life, education and work place settings, thereby contributing to enhanced productivity, the prevention of chronic lifestyle disease, enjoyment of life, and personal fulfilment.
  2. PLO 2. will have the knowledge and skills essential to design, develop, implement and evaluate a range of specialised Wellness strategies.
  3. PLO 3. be able to communicate to peers and others in a manner that suits the context, audience and message, and demonstrate the ability to share complex knowledge and ideas.
  4. PLO 4.  be educated consumers of evidence-based practice in Wellness and related disciplines with the ability to integrate research findings into practice, and identify appropriate research methods for specific Wellness research questions.
  5. PLO 5. become holistic thinkers and lifelong learners who are able to integrate information across multiple disciplines and apply knowledge, skills, critical thinking and problem solving to real world situations.


 

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

 

  • CLO1: Critically explore principles, underlying theory and research and historical antecedents to the science of happiness and positive psychology; and distinguish between myth and fact for happiness and wellbeing factors based on research.
  • CLO2: Critically examine the role of positive emotions in psychological wellbeing (PWB) and health.
  • CLO3: Analyse how: generating optimal experiences and flow, identifying and implementing signature strengths, practicing mindfulness, gratitude and kindness, boosting optimism and hope, can enhance PWB in individuals.
  • CLO4: Discuss and explain factors and activities contributing to resilience, Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) and positive relationships.
  • CLO5: Discuss and explain factors the role of applying Positive Psychology to enhance engagement, morale and productivity within organizations and education.


Overview of Learning Activities

 

The learning activities and resources included in this course are:

  • Online lessons delivered through the Blackboard where syllabus material will be presented, explained and discussed.
  • Private study and activities, working through the course materials as presented in myRMIT Studies.
  • Online discussion groups and peer-reviewed online group activities and tasks.
  • To help you meet the assessment requirements, interactive online activities, tests and discussions will provide opportunities for self-assessment and feedback from staff and/or other students.

Teacher Guided Hours: 36 per semester (online)

 

Learner Directed Hours: 84 per semester

 


Overview of Learning Resources

 

Students will be able to access course information and learning materials through myRMIT. Lists of relevant reference texts, resources in the library and freely accessible Internet sites will be provided. Links are provided throughout the Learning Package so that you can directly access these readings. 

A Library Subject Guide is available at http://rmit.libguides.com/psychology


Overview of Assessment

 

This course has no hurdle requirements.

The assessments are designed to ensure that students have achieved the learning outcomes and will include a combination of practical exercises, discussions, research, and final short essay exam. To help you meet the assessment requirements there will be opportunities to monitor your progress throughout the course. Interactive online activities will be assessed and provide opportunities for self-assessment and feedback from staff and/or students on a regular basis.

Assessment Tasks

Early Assessment Task 1:  Peak Experience/Performance Recall and Flow Reflection and Discussion

Weighting:  10%

This assessment task supports CLOs 2 and 3.

  •       Part 1:  Students are to practice the Peak Experience/Performance Recall activity; reflect on the experience; link to factors associated with flow and optimal experience in the literature;
  •       To be submitted on group Discussion Board by end of Week 3.
  •       Part 2: engage in discussion with group members.
  •       To be submitted on group Discussion Board by end of Week 4.

 

Assessment Task 2:  Signature Strengths Reflection and Discussion

Weighting:  10%

This assessment task supports CLOs 2 and 3.

  •       Part 1: Students are to identify their Signature Strengths; reflect on questions related to their Signature Strengths in action; link their experience to the literature
  •       To be submitted by end of Week 4 on group Discussion Board.
  •       Part 2: engage in discussion with group members.
  •       To be submitted on group Discussion Board by end of Week 4.

 

Assessment Task 3:  Positive Psychology Interventions (x4) Reflection and Discussion

This assessment task supports CLOs 2 and 3.

Weighting:  40% (10% each).

  •       The Discussion Board submissions involve reflecting on Positive Psychology in practice and linking to current research:  Week 5 on Mindfulness; Week 6 on Gratitude; Week 7 on Kindness; and Week 9 on Optimism and Hope.
  •       To be submitted on group Discussion Board by end of week each assigned.
  •       Engagement in discussion with group members closes following week.

 

Assessment 4:  Short Essay Exam

Weighting:  40%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1-5.