Overview
This unit will introduce you to the paradigm of positive psychology, and explore the development of this specialist area over the past 20 years. In this unit, you will explore the discipline's emphasis on flourishing and strengths-based approaches, and examine how these differ from traditional psychological frameworks. The unit examines conceptualisation and measurement of wellbeing and the application of positive psychology at the individual, group, community, and organisational level.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation responses and student emails.
Students appreciated the support provided by the Unit Coordinator, including prompt responses and informative communication.
The Unit Coordinator should continue to utilise this supportive communication approach.
Feedback from Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation responses and student emails.
Students appreciated the comprehensiveness and the diversity of the unit content and resources, indicating that the unit content was well-structured, clear, interesting, and up-to-date.
The Unit should continue to provide diverse and comprehensive unit content and maintain the currency and structure of the content.
Feedback from Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation responses
A number of students valued the autonomy to choose a context/setting to explore for their assessments that aligned with their interests, but a few students felt they needed further detail about assessments, with some ambiguity in the interlinked group assessment tasks 2 and 3.
The assessments pieces should continue to allow students to choose a context/setting to explore. The course team should evaluate assessments to see what further clarifications can be made to instructions and assessment criteria for Assessments 2 and 3, as well as to what extent additional assessment information could be provided in live tutorials or recorded videos.
Feedback from Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation responses.
A number of students praised the feedback provided on assessment pieces as thorough, constructive, and encouraging in a manner that supported future learning.
The Unit should continue to provide strengths-based, detailed, and constructive assessment feedback.
Feedback from Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation responses.
Many students indicated that they valued the connection and interaction in zoom tutorials, with a few students suggesting that the zoom tutorials be increased in length/frequency to allow for more group discussions.
The course team should consider additional opportunities to increase the online interaction between students, such as longer zoom tutorials with interactive small group discussions.
Feedback from Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation responses and student emails.
While many students valued the chance to work and learn collaboratively with fellow students in group assessments, some students found it frustrating due to unequal contributions, time-zone differences, and varied technology skill-levels, which they felt were exacerbated by the group-work spanning two assessments.
The Unit Coordinator should ensure that regular check-in with students is undertaken to help address any challenges that arise in groups during assessment preparation. The course team should also consider whether the group-work component is necessary in both Assessment 2 and Assessment 3, or whether the group-work could be consolidated into one assessment.
- Analyse the key theoretical and empirical developments in positive psychology
- Apply the major principles and theories of Positive Psychology in an applied context
- Identify and evaluate ways to measure wellbeing in an applied context.
N/A - no external accreditation requirement.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||
| 2 - Essay - 40% | |||
| 3 - Presentation - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||
| 2 - Communication | |||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||
| 4 - Research | |||
| 5 - Self-management | |||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||
| 7 - Leadership | |||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
| 2 - Essay - 40% | ||||||||
| 3 - Presentation - 40% | ||||||||
Textbooks
Positive Psychology: Theory, Research and Applications
Second Edition (2019)
Authors: Illona Boniwell and Aneta Tunariu
Open University Press. McGraw-Hill Education
London London , England
ISBN: ISBN: 033526218X ISBN: 9780335262182
Binding: Paperback
The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology
Second Edition (2009)
Authors: Shane J. Lopez and C.R. Snyder (editors)
Oxford University Press
New York New York , USA
ISBN: ISBN 9780199862160
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
There are no prescribed textbooks for this unit. However, the Graduate Certificate in Positive Psychology, the Graduate Diploma of Positive Psychology, and the Master of Applied Positive Psychology, will all draw heavily upon these recommended texts as we move through each of the units.
The "Positive Psychology: Theory, Research and Applications" textbook is an introductory text designed specifically for tertiary education. A version of this book (first or second edition) will also be available through the CQU Library as a paperback or e-book. This text is a good starting point for those who have not previously studied or worked within the positive psychology area. The "Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology" textbook is a more advanced text, focused on research and applications within the positive psychology space.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.miller-lewis@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Foundations of Positive Psychology
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial 1: Week 1 Wednesday (10 March 2021) 6:30-8pm AEDT
Module/Topic
Positive Mental Health and Flourishing
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Wellness, Emotions, and Motivation
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial 2: Week 3 Wednesday (24 March 2021) 6:30-8pm AEDT
Module/Topic
Happiness, Subjective Wellbeing, and Eudaimonic Wellbeing
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1:
Positive Psychology Foundations Written Assessment Due: Week 4 Monday (29 Mar 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Positive Health Psychology
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No module/topic this week
Chapter
No set readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Optimism, and Positive Coping
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Resilience and Psychological Growth
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial 3: Week 7 Wednesday (28 April 2021) 6:30-8pm AEST
Assessment 2:
Wellbeing Essay Due: Week 7 Tuesday (27 Apr 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Character Strengths and Positive Traits
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Positive Education
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial 4: Week 9 Wednesday (12 May 2021) 6:30-8pm AEST
Module/Topic
Positive Organisations
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Applying Positive Psychology
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Future of Positive Psychology
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3:
Virtual group presentations will occur over a series of consecutive evenings during Week 12 (31st May till 4th June 2021) commencing at 6:30 pm AEST using Zoom. Your group will submit the presentation slides into the Moodle portal by the end of Week 12. Students will also complete Self and Peer Assessment surveys.
Group Work and Presentation Due: Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
There are no examinations for this unit
Chapter
No set readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
There are no examinations for this unit
Chapter
No set readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
The purpose of this written assessment is to demonstrate your knowledge and critical understanding of foundational principles of positive psychology.
Your task is to describe three features of positive psychology that distinguish it from other approaches in psychology.
This short written piece should commence with a definition of positive psychology, and should include at least 5 references to support your comparative analysis. These references must use appropriate APA formatting in-text and in your reference list.
The maximum word count for this assessment task is 500 words (+/- 10%). This word limit includes in-text citations but excludes any reference section. Meeting the word count is included as a part of the marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document on Moodle for a rationale for using this type of word limit restriction.
Further information is provided in the Unit and Assessment Guide on the unit Moodle site.
Week 4 Monday (29 Mar 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
Vacation Week Monday (12 Apr 2021)
Marks and feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
You will be assessed on:
- The accuracy and appropriateness of the introductory definition of positive psychology
- The relevance of the positive psychology distinguishing features chosen, with theoretical and conceptual knowledge demonstrated
- The critical analysis and quality of the summaries provided for each of the chosen distinguishing features of positive psychology in comparison to other approaches in psychology
- The quality, clarity, and conciseness of written communication, including adherence to the word-limit
- Correct adherence to APA referencing style for in-text citations and the reference list.
Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and marking criteria for assessment can be found in the Unit and Assessment Guide on Moodle.
- Analyse the key theoretical and empirical developments in positive psychology
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Research
2 Essay
The overall aim of this assessment task is to explore the alignment between wellbeing theory, research, and practices, and the implications for improving wellbeing.
For Assessment 2, you will write a 2000 word essay (+/- 10%) using a theory of wellbeing to examine wellbeing issues faced in an applied setting, and strategies that can be used to improve and build wellbeing in that setting.
You will:
- Choose one applied setting as the focus of the essay (e.g., school, aged care, etc.)
- Research and then summarise the wellbeing considerations faced in the chosen setting.
- Describe a theory or approach to understanding wellbeing that can help explain the wellbeing issues identified in the chosen setting.
- Examine how researchers have previously attempted to influence (i.e., improve, build) wellbeing in the chosen setting, including what was done and what was found, and strengths and weaknesses of these attempts.
The essay should focus on integrating wellbeing theory and research from the published literature and how this could be usefully applied in a practical setting.
The maximum word count for this essay is 2000 words (+/- 10%). This word limit includes in-text citations but excludes any reference section. Meeting the word count is included as a part of the marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document on Moodle for a rationale for using this type of word limit restriction.
Further information is provided in the Unit and Assessment Guide on the unit Moodle site.
In order to pass the unit, you will need to score at least 50% in this assessment.
Week 7 Tuesday (27 Apr 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
Week 9 Tuesday (11 May 2021)
Marks and feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
You will be assessed on:
- Introduction (introduce the wellbeing context/setting and outline what will be covered in the essay)
- Discussion of wellbeing issues faced within an applied setting
- Rationale for chosen theory/theories of wellbeing and relevant application to the applied setting
- Evaluation of ways to improve wellbeing in the applied setting
- Conclusion (summing up of essay, and implications and recommendations for future work)
- The quality, clarity, and conciseness of written communication, including adherence to the word-limit
- Correct adherence to APA referencing style for in-text citations and the reference list.
Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria for assessment can be found in the Unit and Assessment Guide on Moodle.
In order to pass the unit, you will need to score at least 50% in this assessment.
- Analyse the key theoretical and empirical developments in positive psychology
- Apply the major principles and theories of Positive Psychology in an applied context
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
3 Presentation
For this Assessment, you will complete a series of group and individual tasks as detailed in the Unit and Assessment Guide on the Moodle site. These will include:
- Join a peer group and work with group members to explore different ways to measure/assess wellbeing in a particular context/setting.
- In consultation with the group, each group member will choose one wellbeing measurement tool to investigate in depth.
- Plan, prepare, and deliver a group presentation that describes the chosen setting and highlights the different assessment/measurement considerations for understanding wellbeing in the chosen setting (group delivery with group mark).
- You will also be assessed on the quality of your individual contribution to the presentation (e.g., your part describing your chosen wellbeing measurement tool) (individual mark).
- Assess your own and each of your group member's teamwork skills as they were demonstrated during the preparation of the presentation and the presentation delivery (individual submissions of Self and Peer Assessment surveys).
Further information is provided in the Unit and Assessment Guide on the unit Moodle site.
In order to pass the unit, you will need to score at least 50% in this assessment.
Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:00 pm AEST
Group presentations will occur over a series of consecutive evenings during Week 12 (31 May-4 June 2021) commencing at 6:30 pm AEST using Zoom. Your group will submit the presentation slides into the moodle portal by the end of Week 12. Students will also complete Self and Peer Assessment surveys.
Exam Week Friday (18 June 2021)
Marks and feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
As a group, you will be assessed on:
- Presentation opening and justification for context choice
- Presentation depth and accuracy of explanations of key concepts/theories
- Appropriate examination of relevant literature on the various tools to measure wellbeing
- Concluding recommendations on the use of the tools in the chosen context
- Presentation organisation and coherence
- Creativity utilised in the presentation
- Use of communication aids
- Adherence to APA referencing and copyright in presentation aids
- Length of presentation (as determined by group size)
Individually, you will be assessed on:
- Evidence and quality of individual contribution to the group presentation (Individual Mark)
- Demonstration of individual understanding of key concepts (Individual Mark)
- Individual presenting style (Individual Mark)
- Self and Peer Assessment reflections on teamwork (Individual Mark)
Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria for assessment can be found in the Unit and Assessment Guide on Moodle.
In order to pass the unit, you will need to score at least 50% in this assessment.
- Apply the major principles and theories of Positive Psychology in an applied context
- Identify and evaluate ways to measure wellbeing in an applied context.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
