The Department of Happiness Sciences embraces the development of skills and competencies to fulfil the potential of human beings. The Department offers a range of courses aimed at providing the theoretical framework and practical experience of how to improve and develop potential, happiness, and wellbeing.
3 semester credits. This course is designed for students with a foundation in yoga practice and philosophy, anatomy and applications for health. "Everyone can do yoga" is an essential departure point for this course as students expand upon, apply, and adapt previous knowledge as they learn the essential elements of a wholesome, balanced and safe lifetime yoga practice. Through a hands-on approaches and lecture, students will learn best practices for pre and post natal yoga, kids yoga, over 60's yoga, as well as yoga for diversely abled persons. In addition, students will learn principles of ayurveda, the sophisticated ancient Indian mind-body health system, to enhance the lifetime benefits of yoga. Ayurvedic concepts will be explored in the light of achieving the maximum benefits from yoga practice and in relation to modern medicine. Upon completion of this course, students will have further cultivated their practice of yoga and awareness, and will have gained the tools to adapt yoga practice throughout the stages of life. Prerequisite: Two previous yoga courses (including one intermediate-level course, or equivalent.
3 semester credits. This course will introduce students to the ancient Chinese practices of Qi Gong and Tai Chi. Students will explore and develop meditative practices which can help improve health and wellbeing through movements which work with the body’s chi (qi), or vital energy. Qi Gong is an adaptive healing-based practice with its roots in Chinese medicine, from which Tai Chi grew as a meditative martial arts form. Students will learn about the historical origins, Chinese medicine principals, and underpinning philosophical values of both practices. They will also learn the techniques to develop a personal practice comprised of physical movements, breath techniques, posture, stretching, Tai Chi forms, and meditation to cultivate health and balance in the body.
3 semester credits. This course focuses on individual skills to succeed in social and personal life. It provides an introduction to the science of happiness, integrating findings from positive psychology, behavioural genetics, neuroscience, and behavioural economics. The course offers a set of tools and techniques to transform problems into learning opportunities and to develop and apply strategies and skills that promote overall progress in a person's psychological, physical, and social well-being.
3 semester credits. Work life requires a high degree of mental clarity and focus. Without effective tools to deal with pressure, the result is often emotional, mental, and physiological imbalance at work as well as at home. However, it is possible to live up to daily challenges with clarity, kindness, and happiness. This course presents approaches to acquiring these skills. Mindfulness training is an active observation and training of the neural networks of our brain. The course aims to offer students the opportunity to achieve previously inconceivable levels of concentration in order to unlock the power of a focused mind.
3 semester credits. In the 1900’s, fitness pioneer Joseph Pilates designed and refined a series of exercises to rehabilitate himself from poor health and physical conditions from which he suffered in the early part of his life. Students will explore the health benefits and the physical practice of Pilates, a form of low-impact, whole-body exercise adaptable to all fitness levels. Students will learn about alignment, breathing, strengthening, balance, flexibility, and awareness as they progress through Pilates exercises and learn how to intelligently move their body. Students will also identify and evaluate the characteristics of exercises which are optimal for modern lifestyles, long-term health and wellness, individual needs, as well as rehabilitation and injury prevention. Basic anatomy and physiology as related to Pilates as well as healthy diet principals will also be covered.
3 semester credits. This course focuses on individual skills and group competences needed in any successful working environment. It provides the tools and techniques that allow the creation of positive working relationships, encourage effective and helpful patterns of communication, and improve the well-being of both individuals and teams.
3 semester credits. This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.
3 semester credits. This course is a survey of the different religions and philosophical systems of India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, including Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana), Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. The course will examine a significant number of specific themes and concepts such as wisdom, virtue, liberation, enlightenment, yogic discipline, meditation, guru devotion, and ethical behaviour. Excerpts from important texts of covered traditions will be analyzed including The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching, The Dhammapada, and The Confucian Canon. The teachings and writings of influential contemporary spiritual leaders will also be discussed.
3 semester credits. This course focuses on power walking as a means to improve the capacities of both the body and mind. Starting with an assessment of muscular functions, posture, breathing, and healthy eating, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and techniques of aerobic walking, Ultimately they will be able to plan and take part in a successful workout comprised of stretching, exercise, and cool-down. The course is based on a series of intense power walks throughout the city, embracing Florence as an open-air gymnasium. The approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as an academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the course topic, and allows for an overall experience which contributes to students' academic and personal enrichment.
3 semester credits. Studies have shown that following the Mediterranean diet has many health benefits, especially when combined with exercise. This course includes lectures on various forms of physical and lifestyle activities and an overview of their respective health benefits. Lectures will also include visits to athletic centers within the local community and the nutritional aspects of the Mediterranean diet, and particularly the Italian culinary tradition. Food and wine tastings, and physical activity are integral components of the course and will result in the creation of a customized exercise and nutritional program by the student. This course also features a field learning component in relevant Italian locations to supplement and enrich academic topics.
3 semester credits. This course offers a comprehensive approach to wellness, nutrition, and fitness from a lifetime perspective. Course topics will examine how healthy lifestyles span across the continuum of lifespans and ages with a focus on how dietary and fitness needs evolve throughout the four main life-stages: childhood, youth, adulthood, and for the elderly. Theoretical core concepts of how dietary and fitness needs are correlated to mental health and adapt according to each life-stage will be addressed along with a comparative focus on the Italian and Mediterranean approach. In addition to in-class lectures, the course features hands-on field experiences in nutrition labs for healthy diets and physical activities held in local Italian fitness facilities. Students will implement course topics and to cultivate student motivation for incorporating them into their own daily lives.
3 semester credits. This course focuses on performance art, with particular emphasis on the role and use of one’s mind and body during performance. Students will learn about the history of the discipline and pioneers in the field. They will also be encouraged to engage in, produce, and critique their own performances. This course thus relies on an approach which merges theory and practice to generate awareness, mindfulness, and creativity. The mind and body are framed as interlinking components, which are to be comprehended and directed in order to create art. Students will gain knowledge about the roles that factors such as time, space, place, nature, and audience have on performances, and will ultimately work on the creation of an extended final performance, to be presented at the end of the course.
3 semester credits. This course will introduce students to the world of walking as an artistic, philosophical, political, literary, inspirational - as well as physical - experience. While exploring different types of walking, the concept of "wanderlust" will also be analyzed and discussed from both an anthropological and philosophical perspective, to provide students with a thorough overview of the traveling and walking experience both in natural and urban landscapes. Different types of walking activities will be an integral component of the course, allowing students to reflect upon walking as an act of desire, escape, imagination, freedom, rebellion, and well-being. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students' academic and personal enrichment.
3 semester credits. This course is aimed to offer students already possessing a solid foundation of yoga knowledge and practice the tools to use the therapeutic functions of Hatha yoga in overcoming physical, mental, and emotional distress. Students will become familiar with health, wellness, and stress management topics through yoga practice in a therapeutic context. Through the hands-on approach to asanas, pranayama breathing exercises, and meditation techniques, students understand how to integrate yoga as a complementary treatment to medicine and a vital role in maintaining a healthy body and mind. The constant practice of awareness and observation combined with an analysis of anatomy and physiology applied to common pains and distresses will development the application of yoga therapy in individual and group contexts throughout the duration of the course.