Psychology

This program is designed for students of psychology.

The variety of courses enables you to both gain in-depth knowledge of specific schools of psychology and understand their applications in a Danish context. The core course and study tours allow you to explore contemporary positive psychology research, contextualize the ways that positive psychology is applied in practice and policy, and examine why Denmark is consistently rated one of the happiest countries in the world.

Core Course

• Positive Psychology

What does science reveal about happiness? What are the possible pitfalls of a psychology of happiness? This course is an examination of recent psychological research in the rapidly expanding field of positive psychology. Students will explore constructs of well-being and happiness and consider the ways that positive emotions influence cognition, health, wealth, and social relationships.

Prerequisites: A university-level psychology course.

Study Tours

• A short study tour in Denmark
• A longer European study tour to either Scotland, or Milan, Italy

The study tours, which are faculty-led and included in the DIS tuition, form an integral part of the core course. Students will explore the application of positive psychology in various institutions, organizations, and in research and will create a comparative approach between Denmark and Scotland/Italy.

In Scotland, students will learn how Positive Psychology is implemented at the policy level through a national mental health and well-being action plan and at the institutional level through various NGOs and independent organizations.

In Milan, which hosts some of Europe’s most advanced positive psychology research institutions, students will learn about cutting edge cross-cultural and cultural Positive Psychology research that examines the applicability of Positive Psychology in a non-Western context.

Elective Courses

In addition to the required core course, you are free to select any combination of courses from the DIS curriculum. Please click here for a full course overview. If you want to take some of your electives in the field of psychology, check out courses listed under Psychology. 

Psychology students interested in working at a childcare center and using it as the basis for a deeper understanding of positive psychology may take the 3-credit ‘Positive Psychology Practicum’ elective course.