Positive psychology is a rapidly growing and relatively new field of psychology that is gaining attention from psychology experts and aspiring students all over the world. This form focuses on emphasizing encouraging and optimistic forces in a person’s life to promote optimal functioning and mental health.
If you are interested in studying positive psychology, but only have time for online schooling, then look no further than the five best online positive psychology certification programs we have listed here. As you read, you’ll learn what each course entails regarding content, cost, resources, and other aspects.
The five best online positive psychology certifications include:
- School of Positive Transformation
- University of Pennsylvania
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Stanford University
- University of Pennsylvania College of Liberal and Professional Studies (Penn LPS)
Additionally, we’ve provided a more in-depth description of positive psychology and answered the question of how one goes about pursuing a career in this field.
How Do You Become a Positive Psychologist?
Before we delve too far into the list of our top five online positive psychology certifications, we’d like to discuss the steps individuals have to take the credentials they must obtain before they can officially claim the title of a Positive Psychologist and start using their skills and experience to foster the best in others.
The most common path to becoming a Positive Psychologist, is to obtain an accredited bachelor’s degree in general psychology and a doctoral degree in Psychology and/or Positive Psychology certification.
Typical courses and training at this level include:
- Introduction to Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Research methods
- Cognitive psychology
- Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Counseling
- Advanced Statistical Modeling
- Advances in Neuroscience
- Affective Science
- Attitudes and Social Judgement
- Developmental Psychology
- Foundations of Cognition
- Graduate Research Methods
- Perception and Reality
Once you have acquired a bachelor’s degree, an aspiring Positive Psychologist would then pursue a doctoral degree in psychology where they will enhance their undergraduate knowledge by studying theories of personality, motivation, and self-efficacy, amongst other courses.
In pursuit of their doctoral degree, students are often required to complete a set number of clinical hours and participate in an internship under the supervision of a licensed clinical supervisor in order to obtain relevant experience.
Is a Degree Required to Be a Positive Psychologist?
The quick answer to this question is:
- It’s complicated
- It depends on your career ambitions
While we stated previously that the “most common” path to this career is to obtain a bachelor’s and doctoral degree in pursuit of licensing, this isn’t technically the only option.
It is possible for students to stop at the bachelor’s degree level and forego a doctoral degree and solely pursue a Positive Psychology certification instead. The issue here is that, although each state has its own licensure requirements, most require an applicant to have a doctoral degree from an APA accredited source along with a specified number of supervised hours of practice in order to be eligible for licensing.
Board certification is another common credential seen amongst psychologists, which can be obtained from The American Board of Professional Psychology and generally requires applicants to have post-doctoral experience.
So, if you want to be a legitimate, licensed and/or Board-Certified Positive Psychologist, then a degree is most likely in your future, especially if you intend to start your own practice.
That being said, if you are content with seeing clients under the supervision of a licensed individual or you intend to use Positive Psychology for a career that does not require any degree, then simply completing an online Positive Psychology certification might suffice.
In the end, it all depends on the path you intend to take. Obtaining a doctoral degree is the lengthiest path, by far, but it provides you with the highest credentials that open the most doors of opportunity. On the other hand, if you know your intended positive psychology-related career doesn’t require that level of education, then it’s worth considering saving the time and money.
What Is a Positive Psychology Practitioner?
Positive psychology is a relatively new field of study that examines the links between human strengths, wellbeing and flourishing, and positive development.
This field of psychology is based on the work of Dr. Martin Seligman, who is known for his research on learned optimism. Seligman’s work focuses on the idea that humans are capable of improving not only their current situation, but also their future well-being.
This approach has promoted a wide range of new psychology-based careers, including a positive psychology practitioner.
A Positive Psychology Practitioner is a professional who has completed an accredited positive psychology certification program. This is referred to as a Positive Psychology Practitioner Certificate (PPPC) and entails the individual has the knowledge and experience necessary to work with clients, either individually or in group settings to achieve betterment goals through the methods and principles of Positive Psychology.
Some examples include:
- Discovering ways to help patients know themselves better
- Easing patients’ emotional pain and confusion
- Helping patients develop healthier ways to cope with behavioral problems
- Reducing a patient’s negative and unhealthy thoughts
- Teaching patients how to utilize their skills and abilities to help the wider community
- Helping patients build positive relationships at home and at work
- Encouraging patients to have a positive outlook and influence on society
A PPPC is one of the most common Positive Psychology certifications you can pursue and obtain. Because of this, you’ll find Positive Psychology practitioners come from all different backgrounds. Some are mental health professionals, such as counselors, therapists, and psychologists.
Others are life coaches, human resource managers, and other altruistic careers that focus heavily on working with people and improving their lives (usually with a particular focus on mental health).
The 5 Best Online Positive Psychology Certifications
Because Positive Psychology wasn’t founded until 1998 by APA President Martin E.P. Seligman, PhD, there aren’t as many online certificate options as some other Psychology specifications.
However, support of this new domain has only increased in the past two decades and will likely become one of the leading Psychology certifications of the future.
For this reason, many accredited resources, particularly colleges, have put exceptional care and effort into creating some of the most informative, comprehensive, and high quality online Positive Psychology certification programs currently in existence, and we’ve listed a select few here for you.
Below, we have provided a brief but detailed description of each program, so you know what to expect in terms of course length, content, cost, and various other factors that will play into how you decide which is best for you.
1. School of Positive Transformation Positive Psychology Practitioner Certificate
Starting off our list is our top budget-friendly program, the PPPC program offered by School of Positive Transformation.
Don’t be fooled by its name, this source went through a rigorous accreditation process and is now a highly reputable and accredited academic institution. So, if you were hoping to avoid formal colleges, even in the online form, when pursuing a Positive Psychology certificate, then this is the best option, as it is structured both for aspiring professionals and individuals seeking to incorporate Positive Psychology in their daily lives.
The program is offered completely online for $1450 and is taught over twelve modules, each focusing on crucial topics such as positive education, resilience and post-traumatic growth, integration of positive psychology and health, and more.
There are no prerequisites to enrolling in this course, as it is suitable for all levels, and the program length varies depending on your needs. The modules are accessible for 12 weeks, but you can complete the program in 6, 12, or 24 months.
2. University of Pennsylvania Foundations of Positive Psychology Specialization Certificate
Who better to teach a certification program on Positive Psychology than the founder and expert himself, Martin E.P. Seligman, Ph.D.!
In the Foundations of Positive Psychology Specialization Certificate program through the University of Pennsylvania, you’ll receive the opportunity of a lifetime to learn directly from the man known as the founder of Positive Psychology.
Here, Seligman and his esteemed colleagues have created one of the most in-depth and comprehensive Positive Psychology certificate programs currently in existence. Before you get nervous that you don’t have the prior knowledge to apply for such a program, know that this certificate is offered 100%, is deemed a beginner level program and there are no firm prerequisites. The only suggested prerequisites are the content covered in the previous course(s) (there being five courses in total).
These include:
- Positive Psychology: Martin E.P. Seligman’s Visionary Science with Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman
- Positive Psychology: Applications and Interventions with Dr. James Pawelski
- Positive Psychology: Character, Grit and Research Methods with Dr. Angela Duckworth & Dr. Claire Robertson-Kraft
- Positive Psychology: Resilience Skills with Dr. Karen Reivich
- Positive Psychology Specialization Project with Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman
You are free to enroll in as many or as few of the courses as you please to earn a shareable certificate. The program takes about 5 months on average to complete, assuming students spend around four hours a week on the material, and costs $79.00 per month.
This makes it another budget-friendly option, especially considering the faculty. However, it is important to keep in mind that these are non-degree certificates, so they do not offer any course credit.
3. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Positive Psychology Certificate
A very similar certification program to the one previously mentioned that you might enjoy is the Positive Psychology Certificate offered through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and taught by Dr. Barbara L. Fredrickson.
This is another shareable certificate program, which means you earn a certificate of completion, but unlike the previous program where you earn five certificates (one for each course) you will only receive one here for the entire program.
If you’re looking for a crash-course on Positive Psychology, then this is your ideal choice. Overall, the estimated certification completion time is 11 hours, as students spend about two hours total per week watching videos, completing readers, and taking quizzes.
In this relatively brief period, you’ll focus on four modules:
- Positive Emotions: The Tiny Engines of Positive Psychology
- The Mindscapes and Outcomes of Positivity
- The Delicate Art of Pursuing Happiness
- Positivity Resonance and Loving-Kindness
While this is by no means the most comprehensive program, it’s fantastic for getting you’re feet wet and understanding the basics of Positive Psychology and learn enough to determine if you want to pursue the field further. It is also helpful in boosting any current academic diplomas you might be pursuing in Psychology at the time.
4. Stanford University Positive Psychology and Well-Being
Discover a holistic approach to well-being in this positive psychology and Well-Being: The Psychological, Biological, and Social Aspects of Happiness course by Stanford University. Anyone interested in finding happiness in a personal or professional setting would find this course to be helpful.
This course incorporates:
- Latest research from the fields of positive psychology
- Well-being theory
- And the neuroscience of emotion
You’ll learn doable strategies for daily happiness enhancement over the course of six weeks. You’ll also look at frameworks for comprehending the function that relationships and group dynamics play in your life, as well as how the “state of flow,” mindfulness and meditation, and spirituality may positively affect your overall wellbeing.
Along with developing your capacity to write your own well-being journey by creating a customized approach for the future, you’ll discover what it takes to create resilience in the face of adversity under the guidance of renowned instructors and a wide spectrum of topic specialists.
You’ll leave with a set of useful skills for making decisions that will improve your personal and professional satisfaction as well as a certificate of completion from SCHE.
5. Penn LPS Applied Positive Psychology Certificate
Another college certificate program to consider for your Applied Positive Psychology Certificate is through Penn LPS.
The nice thing about this program is that its prerequisites aren’t as strict as those set by Colorado State University, but it still offers similar benefits.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the APOP 100: Introduction to Positive Psychology course before working to earn this certificate, but it is not required. Once those a student completes four of the courses listed below, they will earn a Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology and be eligible to pursue an Advanced Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology by taking two additional positive psychology courses.
- APOP 1000: Introduction to Positive Psychology
- APOP 1200: Human Flourishing: Strengths and Resilience
- APOP 2000: Positive Psychology at Work
- APOP 2200: Flourishing with Others: Building Thriving Relationships
- APOP 2900: Understanding the Science of Positive Psychology
- APOP 3200: Morality and the Good Life
Student will also receive four credits per course, the cost of which is $9,368 per every 4 course units plus $560 for the online general fee.
As a result, this is undoubtedly one of the most expensive options, but it also one of the most useful alongside Colorado State University and School of Positive Transformation’s certificates in that it supplies college credit along with a specialized certificate rather than a shareable certificate of completion.
Final Thoughts on Getting a Certificate in Positive Psychology Online
The road to becoming a Positive Psychologist isn’t always the straigtests, so if you’re interested in obtaining a PPPC online, make sure you have an idea of your future goals, as this will allow you to choose the option that suits you best. If you’re a student, Colorado State University or Penn LPS is best.
If you want to learn from the founder himself and/or don’t mind a less useful shareable certificate, then go with University of Pennsylvania or University of North Carolina. Finally, School of Positive Transformation is ideal for anyone who wants a PPPC without attending college or have already graduated with a diploma and don’t want to go back and pay the high tuition fees.
