Psychological Science: Exploring Wellbeing

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Summer Academy Course; Dates: June 30-July 25 2025; Professional & Continuing Education Dept Permission only; Please contact 802-656-2085; Non-Residential High School students only; In-person on-campus from June 30-July 11 MTWR 9:00am3:30pm; Online only from July 12-July 25; Collocated with PSYS 1990 Z1 total enrollment 20; Special Topics courses cannot carry CC designations

The central theme of this course is to explore the main research topics guiding our understanding of the different ways in which well-being is conceptualized and pursued in different cultures and societies across the East and West. The human potential to develop an optimal social, physical, and psychological well-being is best understood when we can appreciate the strength of integrating the different perspectives on well-being across cultures and societies. We will explore several countries selected for their wellbeing practices. To understand why people in these countries show better health outcomes, we will explore the science of their practices.

The first two weeks of classes will be in-person. There are multiple in-class activities to help students understand the material discussed each day. Two weeks before classes start, you will receive a reading list and due dates for each reading to give you time to plan out your workload. The final two weeks are online. Students will spend this time completing two timed assessments and two assignments. I will be available on Teams to meet with students when they need help with the assignments.

Assessment 1 and assignment 1 are due at the end of week 3. Assessment 2 and assignment 2 are due at the end of week 4. Please e-mail (slekka@uvm.edu) me before classes start if you have questions about the course.