9 Best Positive Psychology and Happiness Courses for 2025

Who wants to be happy? I do!

That’s why I made this list of the best online courses on happiness and positive psychology. Thousands of learners around the world have rated them highly.
We all say we want to be happy. But sometimes, we make choices that don’t really help us feel that way. These courses teach you how to boost your happiness and well-being—both at work and in your personal life.

They also include practical activities that help you feel better as you learn—even if they sometimes take you out of your comfort zone.
Click on the shortcuts for more details:

Why You Should Trust Us and How I Chose These Courses

Class Central, a Tripadvisor for online education, has helped 100 million learners find their next course. We’ve been combing through online education for more than a decade to aggregate a catalog of 250,000 online courses and 250,000 reviews written by our users. And we’re online learners ourselves: combined, the Class Central team has completed over 400 online courses, including online degrees.

Trying to find “the best” can be daunting, even for those of us who live and breathe online courses. Here’s how I approached this task.
First, I combed through Class Central’s Catalog and the internet to find a variety of open courses. You don’t need to enroll in a university to learn at university level about positive psychology and lead a happier life.
When choosing courses, I considered these factors:

Instructor experience: I sought instructors with engaging presentation styles and extensive experience in positive psychology
Course content: I examined courses that covered a range of topics and presentation styles in a range of sub-fields. I watched some course videos to sample courses I hadn’t already taken
Learner reviews: I read learner reviews (when available) to get a sense of the quality of each course, leveraging the Class Central database with its thousands of course ratings and reviews written by our users as well as available course provider reviews. I also checked the numbers of enrollments and views to find popular courses.

Ultimately, I used a combination of data and my own judgment to make these picks. I’m confident these recommendations will be a reliable and enjoyable way to learn about positive psychology.

Here are our top picks

Click to skip to the course details:

Course Highlight	Workload
Best Course on Well-Being (Yale)	18 hours
Best Course on Happiness (Indian School of Business)	28 hours
Also Great Course on Happiness (University of California, Berkeley)	44-55 hours
Best Round-Table Format Course on Happiness (University of North Carolina)	11 hours
Best Course About Happiness at Work (University of Maryland)	10-15 hours
Also Great Course About Happiness at Work (Harvard)	12-18 hours
Best Course on Chinese Philosophy and Happiness (Harvard)	13 hours
Also Great Course on Developing Happiness Habits (Udemy)	3 hours
Best Course to Become a Certified Happiness Life Coach (Udemy)	5-6 hours
YouTube Educational Videos	Various

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What is Positive Psychology?

Positive psychology is a branch of psychology aimed at understanding and promoting the conditions, strengths, and processes that help us thrive and experience well-being. Unlike traditional psychology, which focuses on diagnosing and treating mental illness, positive psychology shifts the spotlight towards positive emotions, strengths, and fulfilling experiences to create a meaningful and satisfying life for individuals and communities.

Martin Seligman is considered to be the father of positive psychology. He developed influential theories including the PERMA model of happiness, which form the basis of positive psychology.

It’s not about ignoring life’s challenges or pretending to be happy all the time. Instead, positive psychology provides evidence-based strategies to help us navigate difficulties more effectively and build resilience, satisfaction, and fulfillment. The field is useful in various settings, including education, workplaces, healthcare, and community development, to help enhance our quality of life. And according to research, being happy leads to better health and improved success at work.

So, jump in and join a course or two!

Best Course on Well-Being (Yale/Coursera)

Workload: 18 hours
Enrollment: 4.9M
Rating: 4.9/ 5.0 (39.3K)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid

The Science of Well-Being was originally created by Laurie Santos to help Yale students cope with mental health issues. It guides you through evidence-based strategies to boost happiness and build better habits, beginning by exploring common misconceptions about what makes us happy and the mental biases that mislead us. You’ll learn how to apply research-backed techniques to improve well-being and commit to a “rewirement challenge”—a 4-week personal behavior change project—supported by practical strategies and reflection. The course has now become an internet sensation with its own podcast.

Why I Chose This Course

Number 3 on Class Central’s Most Popular Online Courses of All Time list
Also on the Best Online Courses of All Time list, with plenty of glowing reviews from learners who have transformed their lives after taking this course
Understand what really makes us happy
Learn how to put strategies into practice and build healthier habits.

You can read an in-depth review of the course. And for particular segments of the community, Laurie Santos has produced The Science of Well-Being for Teens and The Science of Well-Being for Parents.

“I just completed the Science of Well-Being course, and it was truly transformative!…Overall, I left with valuable tools for enhancing my well-being and a deeper understanding of what contributes to a fulfilling life. I highly recommend this course to anyone seeking greater happiness and fulfillment!” – Mohammad Rehan Samad, Class Central learner.

Best Course on Happiness (Indian School of Business/Coursera)

Workload: 31 hours
Enrollment: 491K
Rating: 4.8/ 5.0 (5.8K)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid

A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment teaches the “7 Deadly Happiness Sins”, and the “7 Habits of the Highly Happy”. It’s a feel-good course complete with silly jokes, and Professor Rajagopal Raghunathan (AKA Dr Happy-smarts) draws content from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral decision theory to offer a tested and practical recipe for leading a life of happiness and fulfillment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Class Central set up a study cohort for this course, read a review here.

Why I Chose This Course

Gain a deeper understanding of the science of happiness
Replace your own Deadly Happiness Sins with Happiness Habits
Learners have reported being significantly happier after practicing the exercises each week
It’s another course on Class Central’s Most Popular Online Courses and Best Online Courses lists.

“A beautiful course, it approached happiness from a scientific perspective, if you are skeptical of self help courses etc. this course will change your mind. Everyone has something to benefit from this course irrespective of age. Love it ” – Mervyn Medidi, Class Central learner.

Also Great Course on Happiness (University of California, Berkeley/edX)

Workload: 44-55 hours
Enrollment: 611.7K
Rating: 4.7/ 5.0 (49)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid

The Science of Happiness from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center that explores the evidence-based principles of positive psychology. With Emiliana Simon-Thomas and Dacher Keltner and contributions from leading researchers in the field, this course discusses the benefits of empathy, mindfulness, and gratitude.

Why I Chose This Course

Includes research from psychology, neuroscience, and biology
Explains how happiness is deeply tied to social connections and contributing to a greater purpose
It combines scientific insights with practical activities to help you boost your well-being
Another course on Class Central’s Most Popular Online Courses and Best Online Courses lists.

“An absolutely wonderful course that I highly recommend to those interested in gaining greater insight into positive psychology and the drivers (and barriers) to happiness…The course leaders are charismatic presenters and experts in their fields…” – Liv, Class Central learner.

Best Round-Table Format Course on Happiness (University of North Carolina/Coursera)

Workload: 11 hours
Enrollment: 310K
Rating: 4.7/ 5.0 (5.9K)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid

This is an older but still very popular course that presents the research in a less formal way. The discussion-style format of Positive Psychology by Barbara Fredrickson of the University of North Carolina really appeals to some learners because it feels more personal.

Why I Chose This Course

Features practical applications of positive psychology that you can immediately put to use
Discover techniques that best promote flourishing and avoid common pitfalls
Learn a lab-tested meditation honed over millennia
Find out about the health benefits nourished by loving-kindness
Your relationships and community benefit from your happiness and positive attitude.

“…The general setup of most of the videos (Dr. Fredrickson with 4 learners in a small group discussion format) is astonishingly effective for me, as I felt being a wanted part of the endeavor. ” – Aedrian Abrilla, Class Central learner.

Best Course About Happiness at Work (University of Maryland/edX)

Workload: 10-15 hours
Rating: 4.4/ 5.0 (28)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid

Let’s Get Happy: Happiness Drives Performance explores how happiness is essential to building a great workplace culture and becoming an effective leader. Jocelyn S. Davis teaches you how to assess your own happiness, understand its impact on work performance, and learn practical tools to increase well-being for yourself and your team.

The course is part of the Reimagining Leadership professional certificate and emphasizes the importance of soft (or “power”) skills in leadership, productivity, and career growth.

Why I Chose This Course

Key topics include the business value of happiness and building happiness at work
Discover happiness limitations and myths
Learn to foster environments where people and organizations thrive
PMI and APM research findings
Leadership Journey: experience, professional development, and building self-awareness through models, tools, goal-setting, and action planning.

“I truly love this course!! I think this course well introduces happiness as a strategy to the business table and gives you a tangible roadmap to achieve better leadership, better culture, and better outcomes! I learned a lot from this course and I believe that I can apply this knowledge into my career!” – Alan Liu, Class Central learner.

Also Great Course About Happiness at Work (Harvard/edX)

Workload: 12-18 hours
Enrollment: 185.7K
Rating: 4.7/ 5.0 (389)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid

Part of the Happiness in Leadership: Driving Team Success Professional Certificate, Managing Happiness is a comprehensive course that explores the science behind human well-being and provides practical strategies for building a happier, more fulfilling life. Led by Harvard professor and social scientist Arthur Brooks, this course goes beyond traditional happiness studies by teaching you not only how to improve your own well-being but also how to share these insights with others, creating a ripple effect of positivity in your community.

Why I Chose This Course

Understand what happiness is from psychological, neurological, and philosophical perspectives
Learn research findings from positive psychology, neuroscience, and social science
Master survey instruments and techniques to track happiness levels
Eliminate negative patterns while building sustainable positive habits
Develop skills to help others improve their well-being
Apply happiness principles to enhance leadership and workplace effectiveness
Gain actionable insights and routines to incorporate into your everyday life
Build a foundation for continuous improvement in personal well-being.

Other courses in the Professional Certificate are Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles and Building Personal Resilience: Managing Anxiety and Mental Health.

Best Course on Chinese Philosophy and Happiness (Harvard/edX)

Workload: 13 hours
Enrollment: 141.4K
Rating: 4.7/ 5.0 (63)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid

Explore ancient Chinese philosophy—especially Confucianism and Daoism—as a powerful alternative to modern ideas about happiness and self-discovery with Michael Puett’s The Path to Happiness: What Chinese Philosophy Teaches us about the Good Life. You will study readings from prominent Chinese philosophers and examine how actions, rituals, and sensory awareness can lead to a good life.

See Karen Carlson’s in-depth review of this course.

Why I Chose This Course

Gives an overview of ancient Chinese philosophy of happiness
Applies timeless philosophical insights to modern life through lectures, discussions, and reflection
No prior background needed.

“I’m a big fan of ancient Chinese philosophy, and a big fan fo Michael Puett…I greatly enjoyed this as a review of some “high points” of individual philosophers.” – Karen Carlson, Class Central learner.

Also Great Course on Developing Happiness Habits (Jonathan Levi and Linda Levine/Udemy)

Linda Levine and Jonathan Levi, instructors

Workload: 3 hours
Enrollment: 9.9K
Rating: 4.8/ 5.0 (1.8K)
Cost: Paid
Certificate: Paid

Creating a Meaningful Life & Developing Habits of Happiness is an intensive, hands-on course designed to help you define and attain a truly meaningful life. Drawing on over two decades of university-level teaching and top life coaching strategies, instructors Linda Levine and Jonathan Levi guide you through powerful exercises and frameworks to help you discover your passions and define your personal mission. This course provides the tools you need to take control.

This course is more than theory—it’s a practical, transformational journey designed to help you live deliberately and thrive.

Why I Chose This Course

Use proven, practical tools to create a life full of meaning, purpose, and joy
Develop deep self-knowledge and identify your passions, values, goals, and personal mission
Build a strong foundation for happiness and lasting fulfillment
Balance all 8 core areas of life for greater wellness
Harness change and turn challenges into growth opportunities
Reframe negativity and move past obstacles
Set and achieve SMART goals that support your dreams
Create a supportive environment.

“I’ve taken a lot of Udemy courses and this is by far my favourite – full of valuable content and lots of “Aha!” moments. The course with is filled with inspirational examples, hard facts, personal anecdotes, quizzes and tools to assist in creating the most meaningful and joyful life possible…” – LP W., Udemy learner.

Best Course to Become a Certified Happiness Life Coach (Joeel A. Rivera & Natalie Rae/Udemy)

Joeel A. Rivera & Natalie Rae, instructors

Workload: 5-6 hours
Enrollment: 29.1K
Rating: 4.6/ 5.0 (6.1K)
Cost: Paid
Certificate: Paid

Are you a life coach, counselor, workshop facilitator, speaker or other professional who loves empowering others? Help your clients find their happiness with the Happiness Life Coach Certification (Accredited) course and receive certification and CPD or CEU credits from Transformation Services, Inc.

Why I Chose This Course

It teaches techniques and tools to help others find their happiness
Understand the psychology of what creates long term change in people
Help people with a proven, step-by-step system with all the necessary materials
How to teach what you learn with confidence
Raise your credibility, add additional sources of revenue, and enhance your coaching business
Offer new services to current clients including workbook materials.

“It was a very interesting course. It really helped me understand my happiness better and help my clients in a more simplified way. Thanks for the amazing content.” – Sameeksha J., Udemy learner.

YouTube Educational Videos

As well as the complete courses in the above list, many educators have created YouTube videos about positive psychology, anxiety, and happiness at home and work. Here’s a selection: