FREE COURSE

The Science of Happiness:
Theory & Practice

Start the Free Intro Course

Course Curriculum

Introduction to The Science of Happiness

Next Step: Proficiency Certificate Course

Start the FREE Intro Course

Includes 20% Off the Certificate Courses

Key Topics

Positive Psychology

Learn about leading theories and applications of Positive Psychology on personal happiness and well-being, by pioneers Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

The Science of Happiness

The Science of Happiness is accelerating. Explore the practical “habits of happy people” through new discoveries in the social and natural sciences.

Mental Health: New Discoveries

Learn about remarkable new discoveries in the science of mental health and well-being, including "food for mood," the power of goal-setting, and finding meaning.

What People Are Saying

I am a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur in the college admission counseling business. I enrolled in the Science of Happiness (Proficiency Tier) in January 2021. I was drawn in by the simplicity and logic of the course, which provided me with a clear, big picture of happiness. What I need is a better understanding of happiness so I can strive toward it in the right direction. That’s what sets the course apart from the others. Before taking the course, I was immersed in a wide variety of happiness research and knowledge. The course enabled me to build up a systemic structure.
Bailey Li
I love The Science of Happiness: Theory and Practice! The Mini-Course is an excellent introduction to the topic with well written, easy to follow content on an easy to use electronic format. I appreciated the background data on depression, diabetes (and more!) as much as I enjoyed learning about the pioneers of happiness psychology. The current recommendations for a happy life are thoughtful, as is the suggestion to concoct one’s own particular “happiness soup.” Thank you for such a user-friendly, info-packed introductory course that’s effortless to access online any time, anywhere!
Jo Becker
This House…welcomes the collaboration between the service and the Pursuit of Happiness project, based in New York, an initiative of a group of psychologists and educators dedicated to the advancement of scientific knowledge about happiness and depression prevention, with the volunteers being the first students from a university in Scotland to undertake (the Science of Happiness Course) training by the project.
UK House of Parliament (motion passed 3/21/2022)
I was recommended to do this course by a friend in Australia. I am usually very active but with the resections brought about by Covid -19 this gave me an interest. The Course was well structured and presented. Very clear and easy to understand. The content was interesting. At the end I wanted to continue learning. My only comment for improvement would be to have the last module on what we could study next and how to go about it. I am looking forward to learning more about happiness.
Glenys Simon

Key Benefits (Free Intro Course)

science of happiness course introduction

What you'll learn:

  • What Happened to Happiness?
  • Pioneers of Positive Psychology
  • The Science of Happiness
  • Habits of Happy People: An Introduction

What you'll earn:

  • 3 Mixed Media Videos
  • 20% Off Coupon to Certificate Course

About The Team

relationships

Narration & Production:

  • Mark K. Setton, D.Phil., Oxon.

Research Team:

  • Paul Desan, PhD, Harvard.
  • Anthony Arciero, PhD, George Mason
  • Saira Qureshi, MA, LMHC.
  • Miguel Toribio-Mateas, PhD, Middlesex

Video Editing:

  • Fahim Nirob

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the intro course really free?

Yes, no strings attached!

How long does the intro course take to complete?

As long as you like. Each of the three videos lasts about 10 minutes. The Introductory and Proficiency Courses are completely self-paced.

What's so special about this course?

  • Firstly, instead of following a particular school of thought, our educational programs follow the Science of Happiness as it unfolds. For example, major systematic reviews published from 2021-2 indicate that:
    • Regular, mixed physical exercise generates large quantities of the brain growth hormone BDNF, which protects against both depression and neurodegeneration.
    • Walking through rural or urban forested areas, for only 15 mins, alleviates both depression and anxiety.
    • Some fermented foods contain probiotic bacteria, called “psychobiotics,” that can relieve depression.
  • Secondly, our material is drawn from the natural sciences (including “food and mood,” sleeping habits, exercise, etc) as well as modern psychology, including Positive Psychology (positive emotions, signature strengths, etc).
  • Finally, through step-by-step outlines and practical exercises, we show how these new discoveries can be applied to daily life and exert a powerful impact on mood.

How can I benefit from this course?

  • 76% of students who practice only one of the “habits of happy people” described in the course, report feeling happier.
  • About 50% of our students take the Proficiency Course to improve their personal wellbeing and find relief from depression.
  • About 25% of our students are mental health professionals, including counselors, psychologists, nurses, and life coaches, seeking online training on wellbeing and depression prevention.
  • The provision of curricula and courses on mental health in schools is a top priority. About 25% of our students are K-12 and university educators.

As an educator, how can I teach my students about mental health?

  • Try taking our Proficiency Course, or if you would like to use teaching materials such as detailed lesson plans and slide decks that you can easily integrate into your classes, try out our Mental Health Toolkit.
Start the FREE Intro Course

Includes 20% Off the Certificate Course

Questions? Call 1 (631) 762-4506‬‬

Available Courses

Intro to Science of Happiness Course
Mental Health Toolkit

FREE

The Science of Happiness (Free Introductory Course)

Pass the Introductory Course & earn 20% off the Certificate Course!

  • What Happened to Happiness?
  • Birth of a New Science
  • Habits of Happy People
  • Introduction Quiz
  • 0% Off the Certificate Course

"I love The Science of Happiness: Theory and Practice! The Mini-Course is an excellent introduction to the topic with well written, easy to follow content on an easy to use electronic format. I appreciated the background data on depression, diabetes (and more!) as much as I enjoyed learning about the pioneers of happiness psychology. The current recommendations for a happy life are thoughtful, as is the suggestion to concoct one’s own particular “happiness soup.” Thank you for such a user-friendly, info-packed introductory course that’s effortless to access online any time, anywhere!"

– Jo Becker

"A great introduction to the science of happiness. I was surprised at the level of detailed information in the sections on the theory and practise. Often mini courses lack content but I found this very informative."

– Emma Brown

I am a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur in the college admission counseling business. I enrolled in the Science of Happiness (Proficiency Tier) in January 2021. I was drawn in by the simplicity and logic of the course, which provided me with a clear, big picture of happiness. What I need is a better understanding of happiness so I can strive toward it in the right direction. That’s what sets the course apart from the others. Before taking the course, I was immersed in a wide variety of happiness research and knowledge. The course enabled me to build up a systemic structure.
Bailey Li
Bailey Li
I love The Science of Happiness: Theory and Practice! The Mini-Course is an excellent introduction to the topic with well written, easy to follow content on an easy to use electronic format. I appreciated the background data on depression, diabetes (and more!) as much as I enjoyed learning about the pioneers of happiness psychology. The current recommendations for a happy life are thoughtful, as is the suggestion to concoct one’s own particular “happiness soup.” Thank you for such a user-friendly, info-packed introductory course that’s effortless to access online any time, anywhere!
Jo Becker
Jo Becker
This House…welcomes the collaboration between the service and the Pursuit of Happiness project, based in New York, an initiative of a group of psychologists and educators dedicated to the advancement of scientific knowledge about happiness and depression prevention, with the volunteers being the first students from a university in Scotland to undertake (the Science of Happiness Course) training by the project.
UK House of Parliament (motion passed 3/21/2022)
UK House of Parliament (motion passed 3/21/2022)
I was recommended to do this course by a friend in Australia. I am usually very active but with the resections brought about by Covid -19 this gave me an interest. The Course was well structured and presented. Very clear and easy to understand. The content was interesting. At the end I wanted to continue learning. My only comment for improvement would be to have the last module on what we could study next and how to go about it. I am looking forward to learning more about happiness.
Glenys Simon
Glenys Simon

"I was recommended to do this course by a friend in Australia. I am usually very active but with the resections brought about by Covid -19 this gave me an interest. The Course was well structured and presented. Very clear and easy to understand. The content was interesting. At the end I wanted to continue learning. My only comment for improvement would be to have the last module on what we could study next and how to go about it. I am looking forward to learning more about happiness."

– Glenys Simon