The Course

General Information

Every Hub student begins with HDFS 108N: Art and Science of Human Flourishing, our three-credit undergraduate course. It's open to all Penn State students and fulfills a General Education requirement.

About the Course

The heart of this course isn't abstract theory... it's you. Drawing from developmental science, contemplative practice, philosophy, and the humanities, we explore what it means to live a flourishing life and how to intentionally cultivate it.

Throughout the semester, you'll:

• Learn the science of attention, stress, relationships, and well-being.
• Practice mindfulness and other evidence-based contemplative practices
• Develop your own understanding of what a flourishing life looks like, and how you want to live it.

Wanna Dive Deeper?

We've been researching the program from all angles, effectiveness during COVID, different teaching styles, and how it impacts the students who take it. 

What's Next?

We're now co-designing the curriculum with high school educators and preparing to pilot the course in partner schools. Those pilots will lay the foundation for a
larger evaluation across several high schools in the Pittsburgh region.

Our Penn State Flourishing Teaching Team:

Blake Colaianne, Molly Countermine, Marly Doty, Sebrina Doyle Fosco, Laura Evans

Core Contributors to the Course Development and Research:

Robert Roeser, Mark Greenberg, Blake Colaianne, Gabriela Winqvist, Richard Davidson, Matthew Hirsberg, Abra Vigna. Karen Kurotsuchi Inkelas, David Germano. Brooke Lavelle