Main Content
Syllabus
PSYCH 243: Introduction to Well-being and Positive Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: PSYCH 100
Overview
The goal of this course is to introduce you to central positive psychology concepts as well as ways to improve well-being more generally. Positive psychology is a subarea of psychology devoted to enhancing the positives in people’s lives such as increasing happiness, fostering positive relationships, and developing personal interests. Positive psychology is a shift away from the traditional psychological focus of alleviating emotional suffering and psychological dysfunction. Theories and research from this relatively new subarea are presented.
In addition to lessons that introduce concepts central to positive psychology, there are a few lessons designed to target well-being more generally and reduce negative emotions and thinking given that, sometimes, in order to allow an individual to focus on the positives, some of the negatives need to be addressed first.
While learning about the field, you will ideally also take the opportunity to do some self-reflection. Hopefully, you will find many of the lessons enjoyable and the concepts personally relevant. Several of the lesson activities are designed to give you the opportunity to apply the concepts to your own life and, ideally, to experience personal growth.
Objectives
The overall objective of this course is for you to learn how to make your life more satisfying and meaningful. You will become familiar with theories and research on ways to make life satisfying and meaningful and will try out some of these ideas by applying them to your own life. This general objective can be broken down into several specific objectives—namely, learning how to
- increase happiness and positive thinking;
- reduce negative emotions and negative thinking;
- improve general wellness and well-being;
- develop and foster character strengths, personal values, abilities, interests, and accomplishments;
- develop and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships
- increase meaning in life; and
- consider how culture affects concepts central to positive psychology
Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
For this course, we recommend the minimum Penn State World Campus technical requirements listed below.
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
IT Service Desk
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Grading
The point breakdown for graded assignments is as follows:
- There are 14 assignments (worth 15 points each) for a total of 210 points.
- There is a mid-course exam (42 multiple-choice questions and 1 short-answer question) worth a total of 45 points.
- There is a final exam (38 multiple-choice questions) worth a total of 45 points.
- There are 300 total points for course.
Grading Scale
A letter grade will be assigned as follows.
| Points |
Percentage of total points
|
Letter grade
|
|---|---|---|
| 279–300 |
93.0–100%
|
A
|
| 270–278 |
90.0–92.9%
|
A-
|
| 261–269 |
87.0–89.9%
|
B+
|
| 249–260 |
83.0–87.9%
|
B
|
| 240–248 |
80.0–82.9%
|
B-
|
| 231–239 |
77.0–79.9%
|
C+
|
| 210–230 |
70.0–76.9%
|
C
|
| 180–209 |
60.0–69.9%
|
D
|
| 0–179 |
below 60.0%
|
F
|
Additional Grading Policies
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Submission of Assignments
This is a semester-based course with deadlines. You are expected to complete work by posted deadlines. Please check the course schedule for the times and dates that assignments are due (times reflect North American eastern time). Please contact your instructor to discuss legitimate and unavoidable situations that may cause lateness (such as illness, injury, or family emergency). If you know that you are going to miss a deadline, please contact your instructor in advance of that deadline to discuss an extension (or, if you are not able to contact the instructor before the deadline, as soon as you are able). Decisions regarding extensions will be made at the instructor's discretion on a case-by-case basis.
In the absence of a legitimate and unavoidable situation, late work will be accepted at the instructor's discretion and will be penalized around five points (or roughly 10% of the total assignment points) for each day of lateness. Unless there is a legitimate and unavoidable situation that causes prolonged lateness, work more than one week late will not be accepted.
Course Schedule
Course length: 16 weeks (one week of no lessons for Spring Break or Fall Break)
Week 1:
| Lesson 1: | What is Positive Psychology? |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
Textbook
|
| Assignments: |
|
Week 2:
Week 3:
| Lesson 3: | Pleasure and Happiness |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
Textbook
|
| Assignments: |
|
Week 4:
Week 5:
| Lesson 5: | Positive Thinking: Self-Efficacy, Hope, and Optimism |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
Textbook
|
| Assignments: |
|
Week 6:
Week 7:
Week 8:
| Lesson 8: | Midterm Exam |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
Week 9:
| Lesson 9: | Character Strengths |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
Textbook
|
| Assignments: |
|
Week 10:
| Lesson 10: | Values |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
Textbook
|
| Assignments: |
|
Week 11:
| Lesson 11: | Interests, Abilities, and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
Textbook
|
| Assignments: |
|
Weeks 12 and 13:
Week 14:
Week 15:
| Lesson 14: | The Future of Positive Psychology |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
Textbook
|
| Assignments: |
|
| Lesson 15 | Final Exam |
|---|---|
| Readings: |
|
| Assignments: |
|
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Graduation
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Course Policies
The purpose of course communication tools is to provide students with a quick method for contacting faculty, teaching assistants, and other students of the class, in regards to course related questions, comments, and concerns. Please note that, according to University policy AD95/AD96, course communication tools may not be used as a method for emailing unauthorized content including but not limited to: solicitation for businesses, advertisements, selling or distributing personal or class materials, transmitting offensive, obscene, or harassing materials, chain letters, news posts, or other forms of “spam” email. Doing so will be considered a violation of course and/or University policies, and might also violate the student code of conduct and the expectations expressed in the Penn State Principles. Resulting penalties might include the suspension or termination of system access, as well as disciplinary or academic sanctions. When appropriate, information about violators will be passed on to University Police Services. If you have any questions in regards to whether or not a particular email you wish to send would violate University policies, please check with your instructor before sending messages to others through the University system.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Reporting BiasPenn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Counseling and Psychological ServicesIf you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.