Delhi University to launch course on navigating modern love, red flags, and heartbreaks for Gen Z

Delhi University is introducing a new elective course titled “Negotiating Intimate Relationships” to guide Gen Z students through the complexities of modern romance, heartbreak, and emotional boundaries in a digital age shaped by Tinder and Instagram.

Scheduled to begin in the 2025–26 academic year, the course is open to undergraduates from all disciplines and will be offered by the Department of Psychology. It aims to spark essential conversations around intimacy, friendships, jealousy, and break-ups — topics that are often left unaddressed in traditional education but have become increasingly relevant, especially in the wake of rising incidents of emotionally charged crimes among youth.

The decision to launch the course comes amid growing concerns over the emotional volatility seen in young adults, often exacerbated by social media and the lack of early education around healthy relationship dynamics. Recent cases in Delhi have underscored this troubling trend — in just a few weeks between May and June 2025, three young women in their late teens and early twenties were brutally murdered by jealous partners.


While not all incidents involved students, experts say these tragedies reflect a wider crisis: many young people are unequipped to handle rejection, emotional distress, or conflict in relationships. “These aren’t isolated crimes,” noted a psychologist familiar with the situation. “They are manifestations of an emotional vacuum and poor regulation, worsened by online surveillance of romantic partners.”

The four-credit course, which includes three lectures and one tutorial weekly, is tailored for students with a foundational understanding of psychology. It offers a rare academic space to discuss relationships in a structured, judgment-free environment.

The syllabus is divided into four key units:
The Psychology of friendships and intimate relationships – exploring the formation of bonds, transitions from friendship to romantic relationships, and the nature of long-term partnerships.

Understanding love – covering love theories like Sternberg’s triangular theory and the two-factor theory, along with discussions on sexuality and emotional attachment.

Signs of relationships going sour – arguably the most vital segment, this unit will help students recognize early warning signs such as excessive jealousy, infidelity, emotional abuse, and partner violence.

Flourishing relationships – focusing on nurturing healthy connections through effective communication, empathy, and emotional support within relationships and families.

The course is designed to be interactive and engaging. Tutorials will involve social media analysis, self-awareness exercises, debates on digital dating dilemmas, and pop culture critiques — for instance, examining portrayals of toxic masculinity in Kabir Singh or the idealized romance in Titanic.

“Movies often glamorize toxic love, but in a classroom, they become opportunities to unpack harmful norms,” explained Latika Gupta, a DU faculty member. “We need to start conversations on emotional health early if we’re serious about preventing future harm.”

Gupta emphasized the need for this course by pointing out that emotional literacy — from setting boundaries to handling rejection — is rarely taught. “If young people had these tools, some of the tragedies we’re seeing might have been avoided,” she said.

[With TOI inputs]