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Psychology of Wellbeing - PSY00021I

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  • Department: Psychology
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

This module seeks to introduce students to the complexity of the term ‘well-being’. It covers core well-being concepts such as the biopsychosocial model, differentiates wellbeing from resilience, and explores cross-cultural idiosyncrasies in how well-being is experienced. Students will also gain relevant insight into the real-world applications of well-being research as attention will be paid to what findings tell us about well-being within the university student population.

Module learning outcomes

  • Differentiate psychological wellbeing from resilience
  • Identify core factors related to psychological wellbeing and resilience
  • Evaluate how various factors interact to influence an individual's levels of wellbeing and their levels of resilience
  • Detail how wellbeing and resilience varies across different cultures
  • Apply psychological wellbeing and resilience research findings to the student population
  • Develop an understanding of how wellbeing and resilience can be researched

Module content

The course will cover 4 key topics:

1) Psychological well-being focus on the biopsychosocial model (biological e.g. temperament and genetics; psychological e.g. optimism, grit; growth mindset; social e.g. life events and social support)

2) Resilience - differentiating having good levels of wellbeing from having the capacity to maintain psychological integrity during adversity (stressors and buffering models; thinking patterns (including religious thinking patterns); coping mechanisms; hardiness)

3) Application to student wellbeing - Here we will lectures to apply what we have explored in the first four lectures to students. The focus will be on understanding the complexity of applying general findings to specific student groups (e.g. disabled students; LGBTQIA; international; BAME). For instance, we can look at how religion maybe more impactful for BAME, but that they also may experience different stressors (e.g. microaggressions)

4) Improving well-being - Here we will introduce students to non-traditional (e.g. gardening, exercise, travel (and the impact of weather), art, mindfulness, religion-based therapies, pet therapy (e.g. goat yoga), and music) as well as traditional methods (e.g. psychotherapy)

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) 50
Essay/coursework 50

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) 50
Essay/coursework 50

Module feedback

The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.

Indicative reading

None specified.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.