SEMESTER COURSES

3 credits
45 hours

Positive Psychology: The Science of Flourishing

Dr. Pulkit Khanna

There is a difference between struggling to face the world every morning and enthusiastically kick starting the day, between ‘existing’ and ‘living’. Most of us have wished to be happier and better versions of ourselves at some point or the other. If you have ever wanted to explore what is good about you and how to make it better, there is reason to rejoice. Positive psychology is the scientific study of what enables people to live ‘full’ lives. This course is centered on the science of thriving, addressing questions such as what it means to be ‘happy’. This course is designed to enable students to recognize the positive aspects of human life and understand psychological health and happiness beyond the mere absence of disease or infirmity. Students will be introduced to a brief historical background of the emergence and growth of positive psychology and its main goals, as we understand them today. The focus will be on exposing learners to a theoretical understanding as well as practical applications of fundamental concepts such as positive emotions, happiness, well-being, and character strengths. Contemporary trends from research and practice in this rapidly growing field will be included in classroom discussions. The underlying aim of this course shall be to familiarize learners with an appreciation of the science of happiness and flourishing, as also to acquire basic skills to boost individual and collective well-being.

3 credits
45 hours

Application of Psychology to Enhance Human Potential

Dr. Pulkit Khanna

While many of us excel at certain areas of life, we could do with some help in others. Ever come across people who are great at work but struggle with relationships; or vice versa? People who are academic achievers but still unhappy and dissatisfied? Or others who are very intelligent and yet make poor decisions? This course is designed to explore many such questions and delve into potential solutions by focusing on the principles of Psychology to better understand and enhance the human potential. This course is conceptualized as a balanced mix of theory and interactive, experiential learning. Learners will be exposed to different aspects of human life wherein Psychology may be applied towards attainment of greater good and enhancement of potential. The course will be divided into three modules (Personality, Emotional Intelligence, and Well-being); each module would include exposure to the following components - a theoretical overview of the concept, tools to assess the concept, and strategies to foster/enhance the chosen concept. Following is a brief description of the course modules: Personality: Learners will obtain a theoretical understanding of this rich concept – a stable yet dynamic pattern of thinking and behaving. The role of nature and nurture in shaping human personality shall be discussed, along with focus on different theoretical perspectives (Freud, Cattell, Eysenck, Big-5 among others) to conceptualize personality. Thereafter, some prominent tools and approaches of personality assessment will be introduced. Finally, concepts such as self-regulation, self-enhancement, and creativity would be discussed. Emotional Intelligence (EI): Recognizing the importance of EI as an essential competence for success in various intrapersonal and interpersonal domains of life, this module will focus on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making as the building blocks of EI. Learners will be familiarized with the widely acknowledged work of Daniel Goleman, Mayer and Salovey, as well as bodies such as CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). Subsequently, the application of skills and strategies to cultivate greater EI will be explored. Well-being: Well-being per se is a multi-dimensional construct and has been defined in diverse ways in psychological literature. In this course, learners shall be introduced to some key theoretical perspectives of well-being (including Keyes’ emotional, social, and psychological well-being, Seligman’s PERMA model, and Diener’s subjective well-being). Further, learners would be familiarized with some prominent assessment tools for these concepts. In the last segment, empirical evidence based strategies to enhance well-being (Positive Psychology Interventions) will be introduced.

3 credits
45 hours

Introduction to Positive Psychology

Dr. Pulkit Khanna

There is a difference between struggling to face the world every morning and enthusiastically kick starting the day, between ‘existing’ and ‘living’. Most of us have wished to be happier and better versions of ourselves at some point or the other. If you have ever wanted to explore what is good about you and how to make it better, there is reason to rejoice. There is a field of science dedicated to human strengths and virtues, with the fundamental goal of nurturing well-being in people. Positive Psychology is the scientific study of what enables people to live ‘full’ lives. This course is centered on the science of thriving, addressing questions such as what it means to be ‘happy’. This course is designed to enable students to recognize the positive aspects of human life and understand psychological health and happiness beyond the mere absence of disease or infirmity. Students will be introduced to a brief historical background of the emergence and growth of the field of Positive Psychology as we know it today. Further, the goals of this field towards establishment of flourishing individuals, communities and institutions will be explored. The course will also facilitate an understanding of this field in relation to other branches of Psychology. The focus will be on exposing learners to a theoretical understanding as well as practical applications of fundamental concepts such as positive emotions, happiness, well-being, and character strengths. Contemporary trends from research and practice in this rapidly growing field will be included in classroom discussions. The underlying aim of this course shall be to familiarize learners with an appreciation of the science of happiness and flourishing, as also to acquire basic skills to boost individual and collective well-being.

3 credits
45 hours

The Psychology of Subjective Well-Being

Dr. Tithi Bhatnagar

The Psychology of Subjective Well-Being focuses on the strengths and virtues, which enable individuals and communities to live fulfilling lives. On the individual level the focus is on subjective well-being (SWB), which is generally referred to as happiness. The term subjective well-being (SWB) refers to people's evaluations of their lives including cognitive judgments such as life satisfaction and affective evaluations (moods and emotions) such as positive and negative emotional feelings. People are said to have high SWB if they are satisfied with their life and experience frequent positive emotions and infrequent negative emotions. In this age of rapid transformation, Societies are changing and there is chaos. A person otherwise very efficient and capable can suffer a breakdown in the absence of handling himself or herself psychologically. It is about individual well-being. The understanding of this concept can be very beneficial for leading a rewarding life in every sphere of an individual's life both internal as well as external. This knowledge equips an individual about his/her well-being levels and helps them identify what is important for them to lead a good and meaningful life. It helps them realize their inner potential and the strength of their psychological treasure to mitigate life circumstances – how to develop the right approach to face and deal with adverse conditions. The course aims at equipping students with strategies to optimize their SWB. The course will be majorly taught using discussions, anecdotes, power points, books, articles, and practical exercises.

3 credits
45 hours

Psychological First Aid: Skills to help Self and Others

Dr. Pulkit Khanna & Shruti Dua

Psychological First Aid is an approach in helping people based on scientific evidence, and something which anyone can do. World Health Organisation (WHO) defines it is as a humane, supportive & practical assistance to our fellow people who are psychologically struggling. There is no prior psychological knowledge required. It is not a treatment but just like first-aid which is designed to get people stabilize. This 1.5 credits course will help the learners to offer psycho-social support to others especially in unprecedented times. A minor bruise on our skin catches our attention, but deep wounds of the mind go unnoticed. This course is relevant and useful to all the students aspiring to take on complex responsibilities and managing potentially stressful situations. Keeping our minds in the best shape and manage these responsibilities become paramount. Learners will also be trained to promote their own self-care. It will help them focus inwards and give them tools to tend their mind and take on challenges of tomorrow. Beyond giving the theoretical perspectives, it is going to expose the students to more practical strategies, real life examples, application based aspects that they can implement to their daily lives.