New doctoral program builds on the success of the University’s Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, which has enrolled hundreds of students from around the world. 

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ, July 7, 2025—Centenary University President Dale Caldwell, Ed.D., has announced the introduction of the world’s first Ph.D. in Happiness Studies, slated to launch in a fully virtual format for the University’s fall 2025 semester. The new Ph.D. program builds on the success of Centenary’s Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, which enrolled its first cohort in fall 2022. Since then, hundreds of students from across the United States and around the world have registered for the master’s program, which graduated its first class in May 2024.

Grounded in science and research, the new 66-credit Ph.D. presents an interdisciplinary approach to the field, incorporating aspects of diverse disciplines—psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, finance, business, literature, coaching, religion, music, and more—to explore the implications of happiness for individuals, the workplace, and our broader society. Applicants should have a Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, or a related field, but the University will offer opportunities for others to complete a series of prerequisite courses to be eligible for the Ph.D.

Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D., directs Centenary’s happiness studies programs. An internationally renowned expert in the field, he is a best-selling author and co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy. Dr. Ben-Shahar first achieved national recognition two decades ago when he taught two of the most popular classes in Harvard University’s history, Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership. Since then, he has also taught at Columbia University and has appeared on major media as an expert commentator.

Dr. Ben-Shahar predicts that the Ph.D. program will strengthen a growing movement toward introducing evidence-based interventions within a wide range of industries—including education, business, government, medicine, and law—that increasingly recognize the importance of mental health for individuals, teams, and organizations. “Centenary University is at the center of this revolution,” explained Dr. Ben-Shahar. “Organizations recognize the high economic and human costs associated with mental health difficulties, and the numerous benefits flourishing employees provide. Employees today are looking for more than a paycheck. They want meaning and purpose, quality of life, and a sense of connection within the workplace. Graduates of Centenary’s Master of Arts in Happiness Studies and the Ph.D. program will be the leaders who will bring this into the workplace and our society.”

In the spring of 2024, Centenary’s master’s program graduated its first class—the world’s first recipients of the Master of Arts in Happiness Studies. The class numbered 87 graduates from 13 countries, including the United States, Brazil, Canada, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, China, and Vietnam. Registration for subsequent cohorts has been strong, according to Robert Battistini, Ph.D., interim academic vice president at Centenary. “The master’s program has been far more successful than many people expected,” Dr. Battistini said. “In the beginning, there were a lot of skeptics. Yet, at Centenary we’re seeing a real hunger for deeply informed mindfulness. Dr. Ben-Shahar combines the latest research with ancient wisdom from around the world, making the content highly relevant to people today.”

Centenary’s happiness studies program is part of a broader emphasis on human flourishing that is central to Dr. Caldwell’s strategic goals for the University. When he assumed the presidency in 2023, Centenary already had respected undergraduate and master’s programs in psychology, and the Master of Arts in Happiness Studies was thriving. Dr. Caldwell’s vision calls for the University to add a Bachelor of Arts in Happiness Studies, as well as an affordable short course to introduce basic elements of the field. “Centenary University is the center of this growing worldwide movement, and it’s getting bigger every day,” Dr. Caldwell said. “We have become a role model for other institutions in the United States and other countries, and now our graduates will be the ambassadors who go out to spread this important intellectual, emotional, and psychological movement around the world.”

ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY

Centenary University offers extraordinary learning opportunities that empower students to develop intellectually, emotionally, and interculturally—keys to career and personal success. Under the leadership of President Dale Caldwell, Ed.D., the University aspires to advance its reputation as a world class institution offering innovative programs, including the world’s first Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, to lift the future for our students and local communities. 

NOTE: DR. CALDWELL AND DR. BEN-SHAHAR ARE AVAILABLE FOR MEDIA INTERVIEWS.