PROFICIENCY / PEER SUPPORT CERTIFICATE COURSE

The Science of Happiness: Theory & Practice

Be the change you want to see.
Empower your peers.
Impact lives for happiness.

Available Courses

11 Mixed Media Videos
7 Modules on the psychology and neuroscience of well-being
8 Challenge Modules with mood-boosting practical exercises
Detailed Lesson Plans
Downloadable PowerPoint Slide Presentations for class instruction.
Weekly Drop-in Q & A (optional)
Final Project (for Certificate)
Advanced Certificate of Completion

Course Curriculum

Module 1: Introduction to the Science of Happiness

Module 2: Close Relationships

Module 3: Acts of Kindness

Module 4: Physical Well-being

Module 5: Flow

Module 6: Strengths

Module 7: Positive Mindset

Module 8: Meaning

Module 9: Happiness Soup

Key Topics

What People Are Saying

Bailey Li

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.

Jo Becker

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!

UK House of Parliament (motion passed 3/21/2022)

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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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. This course provides you with in-depth information on specific life skills that can enhance your mood, based on recent scientific discoveries.

Can I use this course for peer support?

This course provides you with many tools that are useful for peer support training:

Mixed-media videos on the 7 “habits of happy people,” critical life skills that are scientifically proven to impact well being. Each video ends with a concise summary.
PDFs of the video content that you can review and share.
Quizzes to test your grasp of the key points.
Practical challenges on each of the 7 life skills covered in the videos. The best way to support your peers is to practice the “habits of happy people” and “be the change you want to see.”
A Certificate of Completion is awarded if you succeed in completing the videos, quizzes and exercises, to ensure that you can “walk the walk” as well as “talk the talk!”

What's so special about this course?

Firstly, instead of following a particular school of thought, our educational program follows 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.
- A sense of personal autonomy is very closely related to well-being.
- Certain kinds of food support the probiotic bacteria in our gut, which produce about 90% of the serotonin in our body, along with many neurotransmitters vital to our well-being.
Secondly, our material is drawn from the natural sciences (including “food and mood,” exercise, etc.) as well as modern psychology, including Positive Psychology.
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 do I know this course works?

A controlled, peer support based intervention at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland that used this course to provide training, reported significant improvement in student well-being, depression, and self-confidence.

Get Immediate Access

NOTE: The professional pricing enables us to provide non-professionals with an affordable option.

NOTE: The Learner pricing is significantly lower than production / maintenance costs, while including the full course.

About Us

Pursuit-of-Happiness.org is a volunteer-driven 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of well-being and depression prevention through education and peer support.

Recent scientific studies show that specific life skills can prevent depression, enhance well-being, and even slow down neurodegeneration. Pursuit-of-Happiness offers online courses on the new and rapidly unfolding Science of Happiness based on scientific research.