Pursuing a PhD in Positive Psychology allows for an in-depth exploration of human flourishing, resilience & strengths-based approaches.
The program synthesizes research & practice, equipping students to contribute to academic, clinical & applied settings.
Graduates can drive societal change by applying positive psychology principles to enhance wellbeing & organizational culture.
Lately, we’ve been getting an increasing number of questions from people who want to pursue a PhD program in positive psychology.
Most often after having finished a MAPP program or one of the other courses in positive psychology, and are looking for a university or institution with specific positive psychology graduate programs for this.
In order to find a satisfactory answer to this question, we asked:
After putting all of their responses to this question together, we feel like we’re in a good position to give you a satisfactory answer to this question.
Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our five positive psychology tools for free. These ready-made tools are perfect for enhancing your teaching approach, making it easier to engage students in meaningful, student-centered learning.
If you’re looking to do a Ph.D. in positive psychology, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve done the research for you. Here are the four best program options we found.
Based on the legacy of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this program explores the developmental processes that contribute to flourishing across life. Students learn how individuals and communities flourish, gleaning from empirical research in positive psychology, developmental science, and applied statistics.
With an emphasis on improving both individual wellbeing and organizational effectiveness, this program prepares students to apply positive psychology in professional settings. Supported by rigorous research methodologies and close faculty mentoring, students investigate subjects like motivation, meaning, performance, and social responsibility.
The UEL School of Psychology offers an MPhil/PhD in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology.
Students become part of a dynamic research community with theoretical and applied concerns in positive and coaching psychology. Interdisciplinary backgrounds are welcomed, and the course is supervised by internationally eminent faculty members in the field.
PhD opportunities are available at Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Positive Psychology and Education (IPPE) in a variety of subjects related to positive psychology.
Competitive scholarships, strong supervisory support, and funding for conferences, data collection, and publication are all advantages for doctoral students. Research topics include wellbeing, motivation, mindfulness, social-emotional learning, and systemic educational reform.
Option 4: Get the PhD position in a field of your own choice
Lisa Sansom remarked that “at the PhD level, it’s more about your supervisor than the actual name of the program. Marty’s PhD students at Penn don’t, as far as I know, get a PhD in positive psychology but that is what they are studying effectively. Same with Barb and Sonja and most of the big names. Find the supervisor who is working and researching in the field you want to spend several years of your life and go there.”
Martin Seligman confirmed this by saying: “at most places you specialize in PP and work with a PP researcher. Not any real difference.”
This means that if you know which branch of positive psychology (e.g., subjective wellbeing, mindfulness, resilience, positive psychotherapy etc.) you like to do research into, you should find a positive psychology researcher who is active in that field by using this list and then contact him or her about the possibilities for doing a PhD under their guidance.
What is a PhD Exactly?
A PhD is a research degree while BSc and MSc (or BA and MA) are taught degrees. In a research degree, students learn through research and take full responsibility for their learning. In other words, a PhD is a relatively big research project that the research student conducts independently with only the supervision of a senior research professor at the university.
Such research projects lead to a thesis of publishable quality of roughly about 80,000 words. The research and hence the thesis should make an original scientific contribution to the field of its study.
What does a PhD in Psychology Look Like?
A PhD in psychology usually takes three years full-time, and up to six years when studied part-time. What you need to consider about a PhD in positive psychology is that at the PhD level, positive psychology merges with psychology in general.
So, you do not need to find a university specializing in positive psychology. In fact, even universities that do not teach positive psychology at BSc or MSc level conduct some research on various topics that are directly related to positive psychology.
However, before you make a final decision, think carefully about the topic of your research. It would be hard to spend three years researching a topic that you’re not truly passionate about.
Ask yourself: “Do I really want to spend at least three years, researching this particular topic?” Additionally, think about what you want to do with your PhD. What is your main motivation and what do you expect to achieve through that PhD?
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Choosing a University
Make sure that you choose a university that is suitable for you in all respects. Gather as much information as possible beforehand. Find out about their facilities, accommodation (if required) and most importantly about their research culture.
Also, learn about your potential supervisor (e.g., about his/her research experience, publications, and methods) and arrange to meet your supervisor (or at least contact him/her by email) even before applying for the course to see if they are willing to supervise your proposed topic. Be aware of miscalculating what is required of you.
How to get Funding or a Scholarship?
Securing the necessary funding for your PhD in positive psychology is another vital step in achieving your research ambitions, and there are various funding systems.
Obviously, one method is raising your own private funds (self-funding), but most people rely on studentships granted by the university or a research body (e.g., Medical Research Council in the UK) that supports the university. Your chosen university can provide details of such grants.
Make sure that you understand the available funding systems, the eligibility criteria for each scheme, and the extent of the support provided by each arrangement, before applying for the course.
An important point to remember is the fact that PhD’s supported by studentships, grants, or scholarships usually relate to a specific topic. Such subject matters could cover a wide spectrum or can be associated with a narrowly defined area. This will limit your choices, so you need to search far and wide to find the studentship that supports your favorite topic.
Top 17 Exercises for Positive Education
Use these 17 Positive Education Exercises [PDF] to enhance student engagement, resilience, and wellbeing while also equipping students with valuable life skills.
If you’re already in a teaching position and want to integrate the evidence-based principles of positive psychology into the classroom, consider this collection of 17 validated positive education exercises. Use them to enhance student engagement, resilience and wellbeing while also equipping students with valuable life skills.
That’s all there is to it!
We wish you the best of luck in finding a PhD position within the field of positive psychology! If there’s anything that we can help you with please don’t hesitate to ask.
What are the benefits of pursuing a Ph.D. in positive psychology?
Earning a Ph.D. in positive psychology allows for an in-depth exploration of human flourishing, resilience, and strengths-based approaches. It equips students to contribute to academic, clinical, and applied settings, driving societal change by applying positive psychology principles to enhance wellbeing and organizational culture.
How do I choose the right Ph.D. program in positive psychology?
When selecting a Ph.D. program, consider factors such as the program’s focus areas, faculty expertise, research opportunities, and alignment with your career goals. It’s advisable to contact potential supervisors whose research aligns with your interests to discuss potential mentorship.
What career opportunities are available with a Ph.D. in positive psychology?
Graduates with a Ph.D. in positive psychology can pursue careers in academia, research, clinical practice, organizational consulting, and program development. They can work in universities, research institutions, healthcare settings, corporations, and non-profit organizations, applying positive psychology principles to enhance individual and organizational wellbeing.
About the author
Seph Fontane Pennock is a seasoned entrepreneur and the business mind behind PositivePsychology.com. With his background in online marketing and a passion for helping therapists and coaches, he co-founded the new mental health application Quenza that helps practitioners better help their clients with digital support.
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What our readers think
Vernard Kennedy
on August 7, 2024 at 10:31
Would love to know more about Positive Psychology PHD
Julia Poernbacher, M.Sc.
on August 19, 2024 at 14:31
Hi Vernard,
The process for entry to PhD programs tends to differ between universities, but typically programs require that you have some prior experience conducting research, usually via an honors or masters program. I would get in touch with the admissions officers at some universities you might be interested in studying at to confirm these requirements — that’s probably a good first step. 🙂 If you find you need to do honors or masters research first, sometimes the focus of your PhD research can be a continuation of your work in one of these programs.
You’ll also need to find a supervisor who has experience conducting research in your area of interest. To do this, I would have a read of some papers in a topic of interest to you and check out the university affiliations of the authors to see who you might want to reach out to about supervision.
Lately, we’ve been getting an increasing number of questions from people who want to pursue a PhD program in positive psychology.
What our readers think
Would love to know more about Positive Psychology PHD
Hi Vernard,
The process for entry to PhD programs tends to differ between universities, but typically programs require that you have some prior experience conducting research, usually via an honors or masters program. I would get in touch with the admissions officers at some universities you might be interested in studying at to confirm these requirements — that’s probably a good first step. 🙂 If you find you need to do honors or masters research first, sometimes the focus of your PhD research can be a continuation of your work in one of these programs.
You’ll also need to find a supervisor who has experience conducting research in your area of interest. To do this, I would have a read of some papers in a topic of interest to you and check out the university affiliations of the authors to see who you might want to reach out to about supervision.
Hope this helps!
Warm regards,
Julia | Community Manager