Adult & Higher Education

Psychology isn't just about understanding what goes wrong – it's also about exploring what helps us flourish. This course brings together two complementary areas of psychology: positive psychology, which looks at human strengths and wellbeing, and emotional intelligence, which examines how we understand and manage emotions in ourselves and others.

This course is perfect if you're interested in the more optimistic side of psychology and want to understand what helps people lead fulfilling lives. It's particularly relevant if you're curious about personal development, work with others in any capacity, or simply want to deepen your understanding of emotions and wellbeing.

We'll look at the research and concepts that help us understand what contributes to a meaningful, fulfilling life and how emotional awareness shapes our relationships and success. We’ll consider:

• The foundations of positive psychology and what the research tells us about wellbeing
• Key concepts like flow, resilience, optimism and character strengths
• What emotional intelligence actually means and why it matters
• How we recognise, understand and manage our own emotions
• Reading and responding to emotions in others effectively
• The relationship between emotional intelligence and success in relationships, work and life
• Practical strategies for developing emotional awareness and regulation
• How gratitude, mindfulness and positive relationships contribute to wellbeing
• The science behind happiness and what actually makes people thrive
• Applying these concepts to everyday life in meaningful ways

None! This is a leisure course, so it's all about exploration and discussion rather than exams and essays. You don't need any background in psychology – just an interest in understanding human potential and the emotional aspects of being human that affect us all.

Just a pen and paper for note-taking. 

You could enrol onto onto one of our other Psychology or Criminology leisure courses.