Center Encourages People to Embrace Theory of Positive Thinking

Psychology has traditionally targeted mental illness, but Psychology professor Martin Seligman is trying to turn this focus to "mental wellness." Continue>

MAPP Grad Featured on NPR's "Talk of the Nation"

More and more Americans are putting their life's goals down on paper. On August 28, NPR's "Talk of the Nation" looked at this trend and featured Caroline Adams Miller, a member of the first class to graduate from Penn's Master of Applied Positive Psychology program. Listen>

Master of Applied Positive Psychology

Curriculum

Students are required to complete nine course units. Students enroll in four courses in the Fall, four courses in the Spring, and the Capstone course in the Summer. Full-time students enrolling in consecutive Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters finish the program in a single calendar year.

All students take the same courses throughout the program.

An introduction to the research, theory, and intellectual history of positive psychology

A methodology course exploring the valid and reliable assessment of positive emotions, character strengths, and meaning in life.

An investigation into the theoretical, empirical, and experiential nature of positive interventions.

An examination of four perspective on human flourishing.

An in-depth analysis of Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification.

A service-learning course in which students create positive psychology applications for non-profit organizations

An exploration of positive psychology applications in coaching, clinical and other relational settings.

An exploration of positive psychology applications in business, health, education and other organizational settings.

An independent project that integrates what the student has learned in the MAPP program and advances the application of positive psychology. This course is taken in the Summer and has no on-site course requirements