In this article:
- Put positive psychology to work
- Find your professional path forward
- Prepare for graduate coursework
- Improve your personal connections
The University of Pennsylvania is the home of positive psychology. Many of the founders and leading researchers of this transformative field have taught and studied at the University, and Penn’s Positive Psychology Center continues to further research and education in the discipline. Penn LPS Online’s Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology makes this internationally recognized research available in an accelerated program that can be accessed anywhere in the world. The certificate program can be completed in less than a year, but for many students, applied positive psychology coursework is the gateway to a lifetime of curiosity and practice.
Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Online courses in this subject can teach you the theoretical and empirical foundations of human flourishing, how well-being is measured, and what activities increase human flourishing in various contexts and settings. What makes the positive psychology courses applied, however, is an emphasis on practical interventions and applications that you can immediately put into action at work, at home, and in your community.
There are as many different reasons to pursue positive psychology as there are students. Our courses include students of all ages, logging on from all over the world. They include athletes, educators, traditional psychologists, first responders, and retirees. Some are Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences candidates working toward a degree concentration in Data Analytics and Psychological Sciences, Leadership and Communication, or Organizational Culture and Collaboration. Others have already completed undergraduate or graduate degrees but want to understand more about the science of well-being.
Meet a few of our certificate graduates and learn what they were able to accomplish with a Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology.
Put positive psychology to work
“I wish more people understood the profound impact of stepping back to see the bigger picture—how our work should serve both ourselves and others,” says Derrek Cooper (Certificate of Applied Positive Psychology ’24). “Prioritizing well-being is grossly undervalued, particularly in leadership, yet with the rate of change in the world, it’s critical to zoom out and get ahead of burnout. Resilience doesn’t just happen; it requires intentional strategies grounded in science and research.” As an engineering leader and former Vice-President of Cloud Data and Process Lifecycle Management at Autodesk, Derrek was drawn to the Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology to explore evidence-based approaches to leadership and well-being. He wanted to ensure that any interventions he applied to his teams were not just intuitive but scientifically validated. His goal was to integrate well-being practices into leadership in a way that fostered both high performance and sustainable success.
Derrek describes his certificate courses as engaging and thought-provoking, offering both rigorous academic groundwork as well as applications that he could put to work right away. “In my professional life, I’ve applied principles of strengths-based leadership, emotional regulation, and well-being science to help teams navigate challenges more effectively,” he explains. “One of the most impactful assignments was designing and implementing a positive intervention, which helped me see firsthand how small, intentional changes can create meaningful shifts in well-being.”
As the chief psychologist at a teaching and research hospital, Dr. Kelly Gilrain (Certificate in Positive Psychology ’24) works with hospital patients who are experiencing acute or chronic medical issues and also supports the hospital’s psychologists and mental health workers. “My clinical work is very focused on the here and now, and practice from a cognitive behavioral perspective, and positive psychology folds very nicely into that,” she explains. Although Kelly first encountered positive psychology during her graduate studies, the Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology gave her the opportunity to explore recent literature and update her knowledge of empirical research and in the field.
“Positive psychology is an area that's really close to my heart,” says Kelly. “Positive psychology is how we incorporate positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning making, and accomplishment, and I can bring those sort of ideas and interventions bedside when patients are really struggling.” Kelly’s patients may include people who are facing a cancer diagnosis or recovering from a serious accident or medical procedure; often, they are dealing with the uncertainty of awaiting a prognosis or next steps. When Kelly visits these patients, she can focus on meaningful relationships in their lives; if they don’t have as many familial or social connections, she might work with them to identify their own signature character strengths, which are qualities or virtues that they already possess and might leverage in difficult times. Signature strengths, such as a natural gift for humor or faith, and high quality connections can offer valuable support as they cope with trauma or pain. “Since completing the program, I definitely talk a lot more about positive psychology and the different aspects about it, particularly with my trainees,” says Kelly, referring to the interns and fellows of Cooper University Health Care’s psychology training program. “We will talk about how we could somehow bring in positive psychology principles to the conceptualization or interventions that might be most helpful.”
Find your professional path forward
As she prepared to retire from dancing ballet professionally, Fernanda Oliveira (Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences ’24) knew that she wanted to help support fellow dancers. “When I first joined the BAAS program, I was on a path to become a clinical psychologist. I wanted to work with dancers, artists, and athletes to help give them resources to cope with the pressures of their craft,” she explains. At Penn, she chose Data Analytics and Psychological Sciences as her degree concentration and began learning about well-being and human flourishing. “Some of the ideas I learned in my applied positive psychology courses allowed me to envision certain positive psychology interventions that would fit my colleagues very well,” she says. Putting her coursework into practice, Fernanda partnered with her ballet company manager to lay the groundwork for resilience training for dancers. “Something I really loved about this program is how easy it is to apply the information we learn in class,” she says. “All the classes are really focused on teaching us how to use the concepts we learn about every day, and how to think about the future, change, and progress.”
Fernanda completed enough positive psychology courses to earn an Advanced Certificate in Positive Psychology along with her degree—and gain new insight into her career options. “I started to think that my calling wasn't to provide psychological services, but rather to facilitate access to them,” she says. Concurrently, her engagement with the dancers' union—meeting labor lawyers, drafting contract language, and helping with negotiations—sparked an interest in the law. “Through all of that, I started to think that my path was to pursue a legal education.” Fernanda was accepted to New York University’s School of Law for fall 2024 and offered a full scholarship as an AnBryce Scholar. “The whole point of receiving an education is that you can then pay it forward and you can elevate other people with you,” she reflects. “And that's truly what I feel moving forward—a sense of responsibility that I need to not only open the door but keep it open for other people.”
Prepare for graduate coursework
Derrek Cooper was specifically drawn to the certificate as a potential stepping stone toward Penn’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP); “I started with Coursera and was hooked,” he says, “and my goal with MAPP is to bridge the gap between leadership effectiveness and well-being, helping individuals and organizations cultivate resilience, high-quality connections, and wise decision-making.” Derrek started the master’s degree program in fall 2024 and is currently pursuing a career pivot to leadership coaching, team facilitation, and organizational well-being. “The certificate program was a fantastic foundation for my continued studies in positive psychology,” he says. “It not only provided a strong theoretical grounding but also encouraged deep personal reflection and application. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to enhance both their professional and personal life with evidence-based well-being strategies.”
Kirsten Calloway (Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences ’21) also found that her Penn LPS Online coursework provided a bridge to advanced coursework: as she completed the Certificate of Applied Positive Psychology alongside her degree, she discovered that positive psychology research provided frameworks she could use to support her lifelong mission. “My goal is to support mixed-race individuals, interracial families, transracial adoptees, and the community, promoting resiliencies from strengths-based perspectives to improve self-esteem and social connectedness,” she says.” Kirsten started the Master of Applied Positive Psychology in fall 2022 and plans to continue to study strengths and resilience in response to adversity at the doctoral level.
Improve your personal connections
For many students, positive psychology coursework is a process of self-discovery: through class discussions, reflective writing, and tools like the VIA Character Strengths Survey, you become the subject of your own interventions and well-being boosters. One side effect is that your meaningful relationships can deepen and expand.
“Since having completed this certificate, I'm a lot more mindful of how I engage in relationships with others, how important relationships are with others,” reflects Kelly Gilrain. “I think that we all are searching for meaning, so I think it's really important that all of these aspects tie into not just my clinical role, but also my interactions with others in my world.”
Although it can be challenging to balance an intensive 8-week course with your family life and work responsibilities, Kirsten Calloway notes that the courses themselves helped her manage time and find a good balance. “Applied positive psychology is about learning how to thrive in all areas of your life, not just survive,” she summarizes. “I used positive psychology references in all my classes moving forward.”
Want to learn more? Read about positive psychology courses in Using positive psychology to improve your personal and professional well-being, and explore professional applications of positive psychology concepts in Positive psychology in the workplace.
