Psych class to feature elite instructors

It's the cr‚me-de-la-cr‚me. It's the class with the most star power. And it's being offered this spring.

University officials say that the Fox Leadership Program-sponsored Positive Psychology -- listed as Psychology 166 and Political Science 196 -- promises to be one of the most exciting courses this spring. It features three nationally renowned professors, 13 recitation instructors who are leading their respective fields and a cutting-edge topic.

"I don't remember a course at Penn... that involves so many star teachers from all over," said Psychology Professor Marty Seligman, who will be co-teaching the course along with Political Science guru John DiIulio and Psychology Professor Chris Peterson, who is coming in from the University of Michigan. "This is the first time that there's been a 100-level positive psychology course on a university campus, as far as I know."

DiIulio says that he too appreciates the uniqueness of the course.

"This is really a big moment for Penn and for the Fox Leadership Program because we've looked through all of American higher education... and there is no school in the country that has a course that is co-taught by several university-endowed, chaired professors and has a multifaceted approach," DiIulio said. "There isn't another course like this in the Ivy League."

Because of its trailblazing nature, Seligman says that he anticipates even some national coverage for the course.

"It's such a glamorous group of instructors," he said. "We've got [chief executive officers], university presidents, political scientists, journalist people, Wharton people."

This slew of qualified professionals -- who will replace the traditional role of graduate student as recitation leaders -- is one of the course's selling points. In their recitation sections, which are capped at 10, students will likely find themselves matched up with an instructor whose expertise coincides with their particular interest.

"We brought in some people who have a business background, public policy background, psych background and we're trying to match people with their interests," said Rebecca Kowal, who is the course's head teaching assistant. "For instance, a Wharton student would end up in recitation with venture capitalists."

The list of Thursday recitation instructors includes Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Jane Eisner, Wharton graduate and founder of seven companies Tony Jannetta, Weston Solutions CEO Bill Robertson and former Public/ Private Ventures public policy creator Joe Tierney. These instructors then receive one to two TAs, making for a low student-to-faculty ratio, says Kowal.

"Recitations are going to be small, which is great for students," she says. "What's great about this course is the hands-on aspect... just being able to hang out with your instructors."

But the celebrity status doesn't stop there, says Kowal. Take DiIulio and Seligman, for instance. Seligman is on the forefront of positive psychology, a discipline he conceived during his term as American Psychological Association president.

"I guess I'm the main cheerleader in the world on this field," he said. "I decided that what psychology had been doing for 50 years was working on the disabling conditions of life and trying to undo things that made life horrible and what psychology needed to do in addition was ask about the things that make life worth living and build those."

That's where his book, Authentic Happiness, comes in.

"I recently wrote a book in which I said there are three different roads to happiness... and in many ways that's what this course is about," Seligman said. "I'll be focusing on positive emotion and strength and virtue... and what we know scientifically about happiness and what we know about how to build it."

While Seligman will focus on the positive emotions part of the course, Peterson will teach the positive traits component and DiIulio will be responsible for positive institutions.

DiIulio says that, despite his impressive career, he has his work cut for him with this course.

"Doing this with even 100 students will require a lot of labor, a lot of coordination," he says. "But we have positive psychology, so we believe we can do it. We practice what we preach."

University President Judith Rodin said she believes that Penn may be the perfect testing ground for such as course, as it exemplifies an attitude of optimism.

"We like to think of Penn as an institution that looks at the glass half full rather than the glass half empty, and that's the beginning of positive psychology," Rodin said. "Positive psychology really reflects on how to enhance your experience, how to make things even better, and psychology for a long time has really focused on how to improve impairments, and we're very excited about being able to teach the students about the new research."

Because the course focuses around positive psychology, Seligman says he expects students and faculty alike to benefit.

"It turns out it's enormously fun to teach," he said. "This course will hopefully make it so that my students have more pleasant lives, more meaningful lives."

But an interest in psychology, says Kowal, is not a prerequisite.

The course "is titled Positive Psychology, but it's actually for anyone who wants to learn leadership skills," she says.

And leaders students will meet. Kowal says that another aspect of the course includes bringing in prominent guest lecturers. Though not complete, the list includes the likes of former Education Secretary William Bennett, Rodin and Big Brothers Big Sisters President Judy Vredenberg.

With only 130 spots and over 500 applicants anticipated, Kowal says that admission into the course -- held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. -- will be hard to come by.

Before a still undetermined December deadline, interested students must submit an essay which will be read by members of a Fox Leadership student committee.

But the application process, says DiIulio, is well worth the effort.

"If I could turn the clock back 25 years and could be an undergraduate at Penn, I would want to take this course," he said. "It's taught by the guy who, literally, wrote the book."

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