Dr. Arieahn Matamonasa-Bennett, Licensed Psychologist
DePaul University School for New Learning
Naperville Campus, Office #235
By appointment
We live in times of dramatic change and unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Changing demographics, emerging technologies, and a global economy shape the way we live and work in the 21st century. How do we manage personally and professionally in this world of chaos and confusion? How do we find happiness and meaning in this new world? Whether switching jobs or careers, returning to school or graduating, getting married or divorced, change brings both challenges and opportunities. Some people thrive on change while others struggle through such periods. Based on William Bridges’ classic book Transition and on University of California professor Sonja Lyubomirsky’s new book The How of Happiness, this class will show how to make successful transitions in personal as well as professional settings and how to increase happiness in our day-to-day lives-in the short term and over the long term.
A variety of instructional methods will be used in the course, including lectures/discussions, small group discussions, Ted-Talks, films, independent research and individual written presentations.
You will be asked to: 1) read the assigned readings for each module (including case studies and happiness strategies), locate additional material on your own, and submit in writing as required in the Assignments section of the syllabus; 2) participate in discussions online; 3) contribute to your team's discussions and presentations; 4) submit a written report on a personal or professional change you wish to make); 5) write a self-assessment of your learning and assess the contributions of your team members to the learning of your team and to the class.
To buy your books, go to http://depaul-loop.bncollege.com
Bridges, W. (2004). Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes,Revised 25th Anniversary Edition, Da Capo Press, Perseus Books Group
Bridges, W. (1994). Job Shift. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, pp. 76-99-(D.A.T.A)
Michael Beer, Big Shoes to Fill, Harvard Business Review, May 2006, pp. 43-54
Drucker, P. (2005). Managing Oneself. Harvard Business Review, 83 (1), 100-109
Lyubomirsky, Sonja (2007). The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want. Penguin Books, pp 20-26 (What Determines Happiness); pp 89-101 (Expressing Gratitude); pp 125-137 (Practicing Acts of Kindness); pp 169-180 (Learning to Forgive).
Meister J. and Willyerd K. (2010). The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop, and Keep Tomorrow's Employees Today. New York : Harper Business, pp 13-40 (Ten Forces Shaping the Future Workplace Now); and pp 236- 246 (Get Ready for the Future Workplace)
In this course, you will develop the following competencies:
Competence |
Competence Statement and Criteria |
|---|---|
H-3-X |
Can understand and apply psychological theories on change processes |
FX |
Can understand and apply theories of transition and change to one's profession |
Week Due |
Assignments |
Points |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
0.1 Turn and face the changes 1.1 Introductions 1.2 Change vs. Transitions |
10 pts 10 pts 20 pts |
Week 2 |
2.1 Obstacles to change 2.2 Readings Discussion 2.3 Written Assignment |
10 pts 10 pts 50 pts |
Week 3 |
3.1 Stages of Life discussion 3.2 Research Activity and discussion |
10 pts 50 pts |
Week 4 |
4.1 Life on one shoulder, Death... 4.2 Readings Discussion 4.3 Shwartz TED Talk Discussion 4.4 GRAD ONLY Hero's Journey Written Assignment |
20 pts 15 pts 10 pts 100 pts |
Week 5 |
5.1 Transition in work, career 5.2 GRAD and FX ONLY: Readings Discussion |
20 pts 100 pts |
Week 6 |
6.1 Endings Discussion 6.2 Honorable Closure Discussion 6.3 Research Topic Proposal 6.4 Reactions to film The Namesake |
30 pts 30 pts 150 pts 15 pts |
Week 7 |
7.1 The Neutral Zone Discussion 7.2 Summary and Reflections on Happiness |
10 pts 75 pts |
Week 8 |
8.1 Final Topic First Draft 8.2 Bridges New Beginnings 8.3 GRAD ONLY Topic Discussion |
100 pts 15 pts 50 pts |
Week 9 |
9.1 Post-course: "Turn and face the changes" 9.2 Turn and face the changes Discussion |
100 pts 20 pts |
Week 10 |
10.1 Final Reflections discussion 10.2 Final Topic Paper |
20 pts 200 pts |
A = 91 to 100 |
B = 81 to 90 |
C = 71 to 80 |
D = 61 to 70 |
F = 60 or below |
Exceptional (A): This designation applies to that which exceeds requirements as described within the course assignments. It is reserved for clearly excellent and exceptional work.
Solid (B): This designation applies to that which meets requirements as described within the course assignments. It is reserved for work that gives evidence of solid proficiency.
Satisfactory (C): This designation applies to that which minimally addresses requirements as described within the course assignments. It is reserved for work that gives evidence of basic/minimal satisfactory proficiency.
Unsatisfactory (D/F): This designation applies to that which is unsatisfactory and insufficient in terms of addressing course assignments. At the course level, a D/F requires that the course be retaken in order to qualify for graduate degree completion.
A = 95 to 100 |
A- = 91 to 94 |
B+ = 88 to 90 |
B = 85 to 87 |
B- = 81 to 84 |
C+ = 77 to 80 |
C = 73 to 76 |
C- = 69 to 72 |
D+ = 65 to 68 |
D = 61 to 64 |
F = 60 or below |
INC |
BAIFA Students: Grades below C- in SNL courses do not satisfy competence and are not counted toward graduation.
PASS/FAIL grades: Students may request a pass/fail grade by notifying the instructor in writing by the 2nd week of the course. PASS/FAIL grades are NOT offered in the graduate program.
Begin all assignments at the start of the week (e.g. Week 1/Module 1) and end prior to the start of the next module - Sunday at midnight.
Overview: Writing skills are heavily emphasized at SNL in both our undergraduate and graduate programs. There are many resources here to enable students to develop their academic writing skills including the writing center and SNL’s Writing Guide found on-line.
The writing center and resources are not for poor writers - they help all of us become more skilled. I encourage all students to take advantage of these resources during their programs.
Many students are skilled at creative or technical writing but challenged with writing for a academic audience. I view academic writing as a ‘language’ used by scholars and academics to communicate knowledge and ideas. During their SNL programs, students should learn to become ‘poly-lingual.’ I try to honor the student’s personal and cultural style and voice in writing while encouraging them to stretch their style and vocabulary and academic language skills. This takes openness to feedback and learning, time, patience, and most of all practice! Like learning any new language, reading materials written in a scholarly, academic style are also important to the process of becoming strong in academic style writing. Written assignments are designed to find a balance between honoring the students voice and style and helping them to be more effective academic writers.
Rather than assigning 1 ‘research paper’ due at the end of class, it is my preference to get students writing the very first week of class. In both my undergraduate and graduate classes writing assignments are spread throughout the quarter to allow for feedback and evidence of growth or movement towards more effective communication. Often the elements of what would be a typical 10-15 ‘research paper’ are assigned as separate writing assignments that are revised and build on one another to a final paper at the end of the term.
I assign personal essay assignments which allow students the freedom to express their ideas and feelings about particular topics in the voice they are most comfortable using.
The ‘topic’ papers are academic-style research papers which are expected to follow MLA (undergraduate) or APA 6th edition (graduate) format and have a minimum number of scholarly sources integrated into the paper.
All assignments are point-based. This allows for students to receive critique and feedback on all aspects of the written assignment expectations. As not to be punitive, but with the goal of development, students may edit and resubmit their papers for full points at any time until the end of the course.
This course includes and adheres to the college and university policies described in the links below:
Academic Integrity Policy (UGRAD)
Academic Integrity Policy (GRAD)
Course Withdrawal Timelines and Grade/Fee Consequences
Accommodations Based on the Impact of a Disability
Protection of Human Research Participants
APA citation format (GRAD)
University Center for Writing-based Learning
Arieahn Matamonasa-Bennett, Ph.D. is a graduate of DePaul University School for New Learning and completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Fielding Graduate University where her focus was in the area of cultural diversity issues and also the prevention of violence. She was awarded an APA Diversity Award in 2001 for her work on cultural competence in psychotherapy and in 2005 was awarded the Ethnic Minority Dissertation award for her dissertation on Native American men and Domestic Violence. She has published and is an internationally known speaker on issues relating to multicultural issues in psychology as well as the research, assessment and treatment of Native American populations, animal human bond and animal assisted therapies, She began teaching at DePaul as a visiting faculty member in 1998 and joined the full-time faculty in 2004 and is now an Associate Professor. She has taught in the graduate program since 2008 and is currently the graduate program Liberal Learning coordinator.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary. If a change occurs, it will be clearly communicated to students.