The Happiness PhD: 1-Week Course

"There’s no way to happiness. Happiness is the way." — Thích Nhất Hạnh

The Happiness PhD Project is an independent learning and education initiative dedicated to the art and science of happiness. Our mission is to advance happiness, for one and for all.

In this one-week course you’ll get practical, research-backed tools to increase and sustain your happiness. You’ll learn why happiness isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a competitive advantage. Happier people enjoy better health, higher productivity, and sharper cognitive performance.

We’ll cover how to build habits that actually stick and how to develop the key ingredients for a happier life: social connection, physical health, and psychological wellbeing.

The course is taught by Jackson Kerchis, a former Zen monk and happiness researcher. Jackson created the world’s first university major in happiness, launched the University of Alabama’s first happiness course, and has authored three books on the topic.