Career prospects Positive Psychology and Well-being
As a positive psychologist, you focus on positive outcomes, like well-being and happiness instead of abnormal behavior and psychopathology. You focus on people’s strengths and talents and their positive character traits to help people cope with adversity and use available resources. You are concerned with the prevention of future problems, instead of addressing past and present problems. Positive psychologists can be employed in the broad domain of mental health services, schools, and companies.
The field of positive psychology
- Positive Psychology is concerned with building and fostering positive characteristics, instead of merely repairing weakness or vulnerability.
- You focus on positive character traits like optimism, to help people cope with adversity and use available resources. Instead of just addressing past and present problems, you are concerned with the prevention or future problems. This forward-looking perspective places Positive Psychology inside the realm of coaching, education, and human resource management.
Domains where you can work
Graduates work as psychologists, coaches, researchers, or trainers at schools and universities, (non-)profit organizations (HR departments or training and consultancy firms), and mental health care institutions.
- Schools and universities are paying attention to talent, motivation, success, and strengths of pupils and teachers. This positive approach requires experts who can design and guide change processes on an individual, interpersonal, and organizational level (e.g., coaches, counselors, trainers, or consultants).
- Companies need to match the right people with the right positions, but they also need to foster the talents and strengths of their employees. Positive psychology experts can help by using a different and more positive approach to employees' talents and functioning.
- Mental health care institutions are also looking to broaden their scope. Psychologists are often disorder-oriented and ignore the fact that people with complaints, also have talents. A strength-oriented focus can complement a disorder-based approach, which requires experts who not only look at co-morbidities, but also at co-vitalities.
Recent placements include:
- Engagement, Talent & Performance Officer at Vanderlande Group
- Coaching and Training at Mentaal Beter and the School of Life Amsterdam
- Training & Development Coordinator at Tilburg University
After your Master's
Your transition to the labor market
We help you prepare for your transition to the labor market by offering a number of career services:
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Coaching, support and training courses offered by our Student Career Services to improve your employability and communication skills.
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Dedicated Career Services Officers who can give you individual career guidance or help you to find interesting and relevant internships.
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Familiarize yourself with the labor market and meet potential employers by participating in several career events, which are organized every year in collaboration with the study associations.
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To those who wish to discover and develop their entrepreneurial talent, we offer education and support services.
Working in the Netherlands after graduation
After obtaining a Master’s degree in the Netherlands, non-EEA students can apply for a residence permit under the Orientation Year for Highly Educated Persons’ scheme. This allows you to spend a period of up to twelve months in the Netherlands to find employment.
Interested in the MSc Positive Psychology and Well-being?
Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application