A meaningful and fulfilling life can be achieved through multiple factors, according to the science of happiness. University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) students can not only learn about this concept during their study abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica, but they can also put it into action.
The Psychology of Happiness class, taught by Danny González, M.A., is a pillar of the Health, Sport and Science courses available for students at the USAC Heredia program. Supported by scientific research, this class is designed to be a cultural exploration of the science of happiness. “What does it mean to be happy?” and “what does it take to be happy?” are the types of questions that students contemplate on an individual and global level. In a perpetually changing world, with profound challenges and tensions, it’s important to study these topics to learn how to create positive life changes, even at the smallest level.
Cori Cox, a New Mexico State University student, studied abroad in Heredia for 2025 Summer Session I. She expands on some of the themes they explored in class.
“We talked about how each country views happiness, what the happiest countries are, and how everybody’s view of happiness is different,” Cori said. “It was interesting to learn about different cultures and what being happy meant to them. We also worked a lot on gratitude and reflected on the things that made us happy. We kept a journal and had to write one entry each week; it had to connect to the concepts we learned and our experiences abroad. It showed how you evolved over time.”
For her, having a proficient educator was also a key factor in the quality of this class.
“I had an amazing professor. He was just a really great person overall which, I believe, led him into being a really great professor as well,” she said.
Students discovered some cultures put a high priority on selfless acts, which they put into practice by volunteering with a local nonprofit, For the City, a mobile feeding center for the homeless in downtown San José.
“We went from about 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. and drove to different spots. People would line up and we would serve them food and give them thermal blankets. Sometimes socks and jackets if they needed them. One homeless person had hot spots on his leg, so I cleaned them for him and gave him some cream,” Cori said.
Helping people in need was the evident goal of the field trip. It was also an opportunity for students to identify changes they can make in their own lives and their communities to increase happiness.
“I felt so fulfilled after that experience because it was unlike anything I’d ever done,” Cori said. “Even though this class doesn’t necessarily follow my curriculum in nursing, it helped me have different perspectives on how I can be a better nurse and a better person overall. It was just so eye-opening.”
Learn more about the USAC Heredia program and its variety of courses on our website and find out more about Cori’s study abroad experience on Instagram.
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- Heredia, Costa Rica
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