Capstone in Positive Psychology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Pre-teaching period:

During the pre-teaching period students will be required to complete reading that will be provided via LMS.

340 hours

Admission to the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MC-APP)

Students who have not completed EDUC90789 Positive Psychology and Organisations as a prerequisite must complete it as a corequisite.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The capstone project draws on theory, knowledge, and skills gained throughout the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program. In this subject, students will design an intervention or study, grounded on the science of positive psychology, within a context of their choice. Students will be expected to critically review relevant literature, document planning decisions, and consider methods for evaluating intervention/study outcomes. The project will culminate with students presenting the project in a poster presentation and journal style paper.

• Design a research-based project
• Formulate feasible project questions
• Integrate theoretical and empirical knowledge into applied contexts
• Understand study design, including quantitative and qualitative methodologies
• Understand how data are collected, analysed and interpreted
• Demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues in positive psychology research and application
• Present project in written and verbal formats
• Identify and discuss the practical implications of the project

• 2000 word progress report and reflection, due Week 5 (20%)
• Poster presentation (2000 word equivalent), due at the end of the subject (20%)
• 6000 word journal-style paper, due at the end of the subject (60%)

Hurdle requirement: This subject has a minimum hurdle requirement of 80% attendance at all tutorials, seminars and workshops.

Gravetter, F. J., & Forzano, L. B. (2012). Research methods for the behavioral sciences (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Apply critical thinking skills
• Apply foundational research skills to address a research question
• Demonstrate planning and time management skills
• Undertake independent research
• Demonstrate a capacity to communicate research results clearly, comprehensively and persuasively for a range of different audiences (academic, policy and general public).