The science of happiness: The UK uni offering a course to help

A university in the UK has become the first in the world to offer a course in happiness for students.

Bristol University’s Professor Bruce Hood developed the 10-week ‘science of happiness’ course in response to a concerning trend he was seeing.

“There’s been a lot of problems with our studuents at Bristol, and we’ve had a lot of tragedies with suicide. It was starting to reach a crisis,” he said.

“I thought what we needed was more preventative measures.”

That’s when he discovered a course run by a former student at Yale University, with a focus on student wellbeing.

Professor Hood said they had the first lecture yesterday and it was “packed” with students.

It’s voluntary and he said there has been a huge response.

The university says one in four students have already enrolled.

Science of Happiness is a 10-week optional course which starts by asking students to measure their own happiness levels and discover personal strengths which will then be developed and reflected upon as the course plays out.

Professor Hood said he believed universities played a critical role in mental health.

“Every university has to recognise this is the number one problem. We are in the business of educating, but if people are not happy in that process, then it’s pointless.

“There’s no point turning out highly educated students who are miserable.”

It could be the most useful uni course you can do – Tom Elliott

Click PLAY to hear more