Accreditation Standards
There are twelve standards which define the essential competencies for high-quality education and training in Positive Psychology. Together, they provide a structured yet adaptable framework for evaluating the depth, integrity, and applied relevance of academic and professional programs across global contexts.
These standards are designed to guide curriculum development, instructional design, faculty development, program operations, and learner assessment. Their purpose is to ensure that graduates are equipped not only with deep knowledge of Positive Psychology but also with the applied skills, ethical grounding, and contextual sensitivity necessary for responsible and effective practice.
Importantly, the standards are intended to be applied with flexibility across diverse educational models. Programs are not expected to address each standard with identical emphasis, but must demonstrate how their overall structure and delivery prepare learners to meet the core competencies defined across these domains.
Standards Implementation Overview
This section outlines how IPPA’s 12 Accreditation Standards are applied across each of the five program levels—Foundational through Level 4 (Advanced Expertise). These standards serve as a benchmark for program quality, instructional integrity, and ethical accountability in Positive Psychology education and training.
Each table translates the universal standards into level-specific expectations aligned with the developmental purpose, learner profile, and learning outcomes of that tier. While the core domains—such as scientific literacy, inclusivity, application, and ethics—remain consistent, expectations progress in complexity, autonomy, and scope across levels.
This section includes:
An integrated matrix presenting all 12 standards across all five levels, clearly articulating what programs must know, do, and demonstrate to meet accreditation requirements.
Level-specific tables that follow the matrix, offering detailed expectations tailored to each accreditation tier, to guide program design, evaluation, and submission.
These tables are designed to help programs:
Align their curriculum with IPPA’s globally informed standards
Assess readiness for a particular accreditation level
Demonstrate learner outcomes with clarity and rigor
Embed culturally responsive, ethically grounded, and evidence-based practices
Together, these implementation standards serve as both a blueprint and a quality assurance tool, supporting excellence in Positive Psychology education across disciplines, sectors, and regions.