A London college is going to teach people how to be happy and contented as a study found that happier people live at least 10 years longer than others.
University of East London is to offer what is thought to be the UK's first degree in happiness and well-being.
The course, Positive Psychology, starts in February 2007. It will teach how people can achieve career and personal goals by being positive.
The degree aims to help people striving to achieve a work-life balance.
Achieving happiness
Students will be given real-life situations as case studies and will be taught to meet the challenges with a positive outlook.
Dr Ilona Boniwell, a senior lecturer on the new course, said: "A happier person is better not only because happiness feels nice but also because a happier person is likely to live longer, up to nine years longer.
"A happier person is able to help more people around them. A happier person is much more responsive to other people's needs," she said.
Anna O' Reilly, a student who signed up for the course, said: "It's changed me as an individual... I feel this is very empowering."
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