Applied Positive Psychology MSc

This course is in clearing

Overview

Course modules

The MSc Applied Positive Psychology at UEL teaches you about the science of wellbeing and human flourishing. You'll learn how positive psychology can improve happiness, personal strengths and organisational effectiveness. The course begins with a thorough introduction to the field and ends with your own research project. You can choose to specialise in coaching, workplace applications, consultancy or relationship development. Throughout your studies, you'll build practical skills through hands-on learning and real-world practice while developing a critical understanding of how positive psychology creates meaningful change. Our graduates work in coaching, organisational development, training and wellbeing consultancy. If you find that your own module choices do not fit into any of the above specialisations, you may want to study this base MAPP option, in which you only have two core modules and are free to choose your own three modules from the rest on offer.

From the point of view of positive psychology, the course will have a strong foundation in cutting-edge theory and research relating to well-being. The coaching element will feature both foundational and advanced training in working with clients and groups in professional capacities.

You will learn about well-being and engagement in the workplace; processes for bringing groups together, such as appreciative inquiry, emotionally intelligent leadership, and how to build flourishing organisations, create resilient teams and ensure that business organisations contribute to a better world. At the heart of this programme are strengths-based approaches to organisational development, experiential case-study and mastery-based learning pedagogy.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

Entry requirements

MSc on campus:
MSc with distance learning:

What makes these courses different?

First University in the world to run this course

We are the first university in Europe to introduce the MAPP (2nd in the world); the first university in the world to introduce explicit integration between positive psychology and coaching; and the first university in the world to offer specialised pathways and named awards.

Responsive to student and industry needs

Choose what you study - select between specialised pathways and choose optional modules within them. Choose your passion project - will it be a capstone project or a research dissertation?

Flexible approach

Choose how you study - part-time, full-time, on campus or distance learning.

Accreditation

European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC)

Our MAPP CP is accredited at Master Practitioner level by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), which is a benchmark of excellence for coaches, mentors and supervisors. After graduating you will be able to apply for the Foundation, Practitioner, Senior Practitioner and, eventually, Master Practitioner level, according to your level of experience.

Course options

  • MSc in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP)

    • The MSc in Applied Positive Psychology is a pioneering programme that explores the science and practice of this discipline as applied to different domains of expertise: coaching psychology, consultancy and training and organisations. The course provides a strong foundation of the historical developments in the field, explores critical theories and perspectives, and introduces practical innovations through experiential learning and close collaboration with positive psychology and coaching psychology researchers and practitioners with decades of experience.

  • MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology (MAPP CP)

    • The MSc Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, one of the only courses of its kind in the world, fully integrates positive psychology and coaching psychology to create an innovative training programme for those promoting well-being. There is a growing recognition within the world's coaching and positive psychology community that such integration is an important step forward, providing clients with a more open-minded approach to their mental health. Whether you are a professional coach looking for a recognised qualification, or are only starting your coaching training, this course is for you!

  • MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, Organisations and Leadership (MAPP OL)

    • Here, you will learn about well-being and engagement in the workplace; processes for bringing groups together, such as appreciative inquiry, emotionally intelligent leadership, and how to build flourishing organisations, create resilient teams and ensure that business organisations contribute to a better world. At the heart of this programme are strengths-based approaches to organisational development, experiential case-study and mastery-based learning pedagogy.

Start date

MSc on campus

Applied Positive Psychology MSc, home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Full time, 1 year
  • Pound 12900 Per year

Applied Positive Psychology MSc, home applicant, part time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Part time, 3 years
  • Pound 2150 per 30 credit module

Applied Positive Psychology MSc, international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant ,
  • Full time
  • Pound 16980 per year

MSc with distance learning

Applied Positive Psychology MSc, home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Full time, 1 year
  • Pound 12900 Per year

Applied Positive Psychology MSc, home applicant, part time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Part time, 3 years
  • Pound 2150 per 30 credit module

Applied Positive Psychology MSc, international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant ,
  • Full time, 1 year
  • Pound 12900 per year

Applied Positive Psychology MSc, international applicant, part time

  • International Applicant ,
  • Part time, 3 years
  • Pound 2150 per 30 credit module

What we're researching

At the University of East London we are working on the some of the big issues that will define our future; from sustainable architecture and ethical AI, to health inequality and breaking down barriers in the creative industries.

Our students and academics are more critically engaged and socially conscious than ever before. Discover some of the positive changes our students, alumni and academics are making in the world.

Please visit our Research section to find out more.

Your future career

The International MSc Applied Positive Psychology provides the foundations, both theoretical and practical, for those wishing to carry on further in any professional domain where at least some aspects of applied positive psychology may be of use.

When you graduate from this course you will operate as a more flexible consultant or practitioner in a rapidly developing and increasingly sought-after field. You will be well versed in relevant scientific literature, with the confidence to apply it in your professional practice.

Graduate employers

There is a significant demand for the skills that this integrated course develops, thus the programme leads to a wide range of employment opportunities.

Self-employed coaches and trainers also form a large subgroup of MAPP students. The field of coaching psychology, for instance, is growing dramatically judging by the amount of research output and the degree of recognition it is now receiving from employers as well as educational and governmental institutions.

Skills and knowledge obtained can be usefully applied in the charity, voluntary and social enterprise sectors, as the programme educates for cooperative systems and sustainable well-being and development.

Job roles

The different pathways of our MSc in Applied Positive Psychology are useful for qualified clinical psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, nurses, and doctors who intend to use positive psychology theory, research and applications in their clinical work. Teachers too can use positive psychology expertise to inform their practice. The programme can be of benefit to other existing and aspiring youth workers and educators, from the primary school to the university level. Finally, an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology can offer a logical career progression from the undergraduate programme in psychology. The skills gained by undertaking the MAPP degree will place students in a strong position to pursue further postgraduate study (e.g., a PhD) and research.

Further study

After studying MSc Applied Positive Psychology, you could go on to further study with our postgraduate research course MPhil PhD Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology.

036 - Meriflor Toneatto
I am truly grateful for a rewarding experience. It has been the springboard to a fulfilling career in founding the Institute of Positive Psychology Coaching (IPPC), and forging life-long friendships and partnerships."
Meriflor Toneatto

MSc Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP)

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

  • Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
  • Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts
  • 1-2-1 career coaching services Careers workshops and employer events
  • Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

  • Enterprise and Entrepreneurship support
  • We are ranked 6th for graduate start-ups
  • Networking and visits to leading organisations
  • Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment
  • London on our doorstep

How you'll learn

There are multiple options to take this course: online, full-time or part-time; on campus or via distance learning.

Flexible study

The programme uses a flipped classroom approach, differentially adapted to both on-campus and distance learning provision. Each module is comprised of a number of hours of high-quality recorded teaching materials by specialist local, national and international experts in the field. Both on-campus and distance learning programmes will utilise all recorded materials (to be watched in preparation for the face-to-face or online synchronous sessions).

Timetable

If you study online, you will be requested to connect for a 2.5-hour webinar every two weeks (per module). We deliver the same webinar in the morning and evening to offer more flexibility for people joining us from all around the world. If you study on campus, teaching is delivered on Friday and Saturday twice per module (4 days per module in total), with 6.5 hours of teaching per day.

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.

Academic support

Our academic support team provides help in a range of areas - including learning and disability support. You'll learn from, and work with, staff who are both academics and professional actors with industry knowledge. 

How you'll be assessed

You will be assessed in a variety of ways, designed to capture the multidimensional skills and understanding that you will develop on the course. Depending on the modules you take, these include essays, a personal portfolio, a professional portfolio, a process report, a consultancy project for an external organisation, a report with practical recommendations, a structured literature review and a choice between a capstone project, theoretical or a research project resulting in a journal article.

If you are on the MAPP CP track, you'll also be asked to carry out a certain number of coaching sessions, submit a video and a transcription and write a critical coaching log and personal professional development plan to comply with EMCC requirements.

Campus and facilities

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by School of Childhood and Social Care

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.

Whilst all our staff have participated in the development of our online programme, many of the national and international leaders of the positive psychology and coaching psychology field have contributed to our recorded content, including Professor Jonathan Passmore, Professor Michael Steger, Dr Tim Lomas, Professor Carol Kaufmann, Professor Suzy Green, Sue Langley and many, many others.

What our students and staff say

Ruth Cooper-Dickson
I loved being taught by some of the most brilliant minds in the world, in the area of positive and coaching psychology. Since leaving UEL I have continued to be a part of a fantastic alumni network.”

Ruth Cooper-Dickson

MSc Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP)

Psychologist
We believe that positive psychology and coaching can be transformational in the lives of individuals, groups, and organisations. Our team has a strong wellbeing, strength, and evidence-based approach to our programme delivery. We are passionate about equipping individuals with applied skills that embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion within practise and research.

MAPP team