Celebrating Canadian excellence: from the Olympics to the academic study of human flourishing and well-being
CBC, 2024
As we find ourselves immersed in the excitement of the Olympics, I am filled with pride watching Canada’s athletes excel on the global stage. Their performances remind us of the dedication and spirit that define us as a nation, and it's wonderful to see Canada garnering international attention across various sectors.
Recently, a conversation with a colleague revealed some incredibly exciting news: she’s introducing the first-ever Masters of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) degree to Canada. This is a ground-breaking achievement and a significant win for our country. It’s also inspiring to see a woman leading this initiative in a field traditionally dominated by men.
Positive psychology has deepened my understanding of employee needs and inspired me to embrace human-centered leadership practices. This field challenges us to focus on helping people flourish and thrive, making it essential for the modern workplace experience.
Positive psychology represents a refreshing departure from traditional behavioral studies. It focuses on exploring what makes humans flourish and excel in our complex societies, rather than just addressing deficits. This field is all about understanding and enhancing what makes life worth living—focusing on strengths, growth, meaning, and resilience.
The MAPP program, originally founded by Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania, is renowned worldwide. While there's a similar program in the UK, Canada has lacked a rigorous, academic, graduate-level program until now. As a MAPP Associate Lecturer, Positive Psychology Coach, and Canadian champion, Kimberley Wakefield’s initiative to bring this program here is truly a game-changer.
Focused, yet practical is what students can expect
The Applied Positive Psychology program focuses on the scientific study of happiness, well-being, purpose, and personal strengths. It explores how different methods and techniques can improve performance and subjective experience across various settings—be it education, organizational development, or personal coaching. The program offers a comprehensive approach to enhancing well-being and performance, equipping graduates with practical skills that can be applied immediately in their professional and personal lives.
Students will learn to analyze and interpret data, apply research in real-world contexts, and have opportunities to explore their own interests through various modules. The core modules of study include:
Positive psychology of well-being and emotions
Positive psychology in practice
Applied research methods
Extended research project (Dissertation)
Strengths approaches & interventions in positive psychology
The psychology of hope and resilience
The journey of change
Positive education and other evidence-based interventions
Systemic and environmental approaches to positive psychology
Creativity and positive psychology of the arts
Positive psychology in coaching
The program also offers a placement opportunity, providing valuable real-world experience. This comprehensive curriculum not only supports professional development but also fosters personal growth and fulfillment. Organizations interested in welcoming placement students can reach out to Kimberley via email (Kimberley.Wakefield@bnu.ac.uk).
Embracing positive psychology: a path to human-centred leadership and growth
I would recommend positive psychology as a critical field to anyone. I'm glad I pivoted my career back in 2018 to learn more about this booming area of psychology, later helping me jump into strategic well-being and mental health work. Gaining insights from positive psychology and applying its theories has deepened my understanding of employee needs and highlighted the importance and impact of a strong employer brand experience.
Positive psychology has challenged me to sharpen my own leadership skills so that I can inspire other leaders. This field is inherently human-focused, and as we witness the workplace experience evolving, employees increasingly expect their organizations to take care of them. It goes beyond resources, tools, apps, and benefits. Positive psychology is crucial because it promotes human-centered leadership practices, making us more understanding and considerate individuals, and focuses on helping people flourish, evolve, and grow.
This is at the core of the modern workplace experience. People want to work—and expect to work—in environments that help them become better humans. Embracing positive psychology invites us to consider how we can help people draw on their strengths, find meaning and purpose, engage more deeply, and thrive.
It’s a rewarding field, and I hope all leaders, whether they pursue the MAPP or not, will explore some of the theories online or read books from this realm. We can all benefit from learning how to be better humans, and this program undoubtedly supports that journey.
Here's where you can apply and learn more about how the program works and fees: MSc Applied Positive Psychology at Bucks.
Go Canada!
