UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLORGRADUATE COURSE SYLLABUS

PSCO6302 CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION SOURCES

COURSE DESCRIPTION

6302. Career Development and Information Sources. Three (3) semester hours. Study is made of the psychology of career choice and its effects upon human development as well as the psychological, sociological, and phenomenological factors affecting career/life plans. Systematic methods of career inquiry, job analysis, manpower trends, and futuristic jobs and forecasting are covered. This course will give students a comprehensive background in career development and career counseling concepts and issues. Students may have the “hands-on experience” of using career information and career counseling techniques through working in the University Career Center.

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION

This course meets the curriculum requirement for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor and for certification as a Public School Counselor. There is a lab fee for this course that is paid at the time of registration to cover costs of career testing materials.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Understand a variety of models and theories related to clinical mental health counseling and career development, including the methods, and models. (2009 CACREP PI G.4.a; CMHC A5).

2. Demonstrate a basic understanding of career, vocational, educational, occupational and labor market information resources, visual and print media, computer-based career information systems, and other electronic career information systems. (2009 CACREP PI G. 4.b).

3. Demonstrate proficiency using technology-based career development applications and strategies, including computer-assisted career guidance testing and other technology skills to include word processing and APA formatting. (2009 CACREP PI G.4.b).

4. Demonstrate an understanding of career development program planning, organization, implementation, and administration. (2009 CACREP PI G. 4.c)

5. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of assessment instruments and techniques that are relevant to career planning and decision making. (2009 CACREP PI G.4.f).

6. Demonstrate an understanding of career counseling processes, techniques, and resources, including those applicable to specific populations, In addition, students will be able to describes the principles of mental health, including prevention, intervention, consultation, education, and advocacy, as well as the operation of programs and networks that promote mental health in a multicultural society. (2009 CACREP PI G.4.g.)

7. Demonstrate an understanding of the legal and ethical considerations of the career counselor related to the practice of clinical mental health counseling. (2009 CACREP PI G.1.j; CMHC A2, B1).

8. Identify the interrelationships among and between work, family, and other life roles and factors including the role of diversity and gender in career development. (2009 CACREP PI G.4.d; CMHC C8).

9 Demonstrate knowledge of career and educational planning, placement, follow- up, and evaluation, especially in understanding the roles and functions of clinical mental health counselors in various practice settings and the importance of relationships between counselors and other professionals, including interdisciplinary treatment teams. (2009 CACREP PI G.4.e; CMHC A3).

10. Demonstrate knowledge of the history of counseling. In addition, understands the effects of racism, discrimination, sexism, power, privilege, and oppression on one’s own life and career and those of the client. (2009 CACREP, CMHC A.1, E2).

11. Understand strategies to promote client understanding of and access to community resources for employment and maintain information regarding these community resources that appropriate referrals can be made. (2009 CACREP, CMHC D.3, 4 and F.1).

TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE CONTENT includes, but is not limited to:

1) Theories of career choice and development, including but not limited to Trait and Factor Theory, Personality-Based Theories, Developmental Theories, Social Learning Theory, Economic and Sociological Theories and Decision Making Theories.

2) Career assessment and evaluations3) Internal and external factors that influence workers and their careers.4) Career and occupational resources, including but not limited to, The Dictionary

of Occupational titles, Occupational Outlook handbook, Symplicity, Dictionary of Holland Occupational Codes and unbound occupational materials.

5) Computer assisted career guidance systems.6) The Career resource Center7) Career development process and procedures8) Work, family diversity and gender

9) Ethics, trends, issues, and future possibilities in career information, career counseling and career development programming.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

This course will be taught through lecture and hands on experience. Students will practice career assessments and evaluations.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:

Assessment Report -- Career Portfolio (30%) a format will be handed out in class. You will take several career tests both in and out of class. When all of these tests are completed the students will write a formal evaluation of themselves. Each student will present the results of their individual career assessment to the class (Measures Objective 5).

Experiential Career Exploration (20% of grade): you will administrate one or two career test to an undergraduate student or a volunteer from your internship setting (or another approved setting). You are required to meet the person for three sessions. You will be asked to reflect upon the career counseling process and write a brief (2-3 page) summary of the experience. (Guidelines for the summary and for the format of the counseling sessions will be distributed in class.)

Career Counseling Activities: (15%) of the student’s course grade will come from the student’s interview and research on a selected career activity. Choose a career-related topic that pertains to your area of interest and prepare a creative, discussion-generating presentation for the class. Examples of topics include Career Counseling for Women, Dual Career Families, Occupational Stress and Burnout, Midlife Career Changes, Career Counseling for People with Disabilities, Employee Assistant Programs/Career Counseling, and Career Development in Elementary Schools (or Middle or High Schools). Other topics may be selected if approved by the instructor. Presentations should include handouts and a list of 10 professional references (APA format). You are encouraged to conduct an interview and utilize the interview information to enrich your presentation. Each student is required to do a one hour presentation in class. (Measures Objectives 3, 6, and 9). Exam: (30%) The exam will be multiple choice and short answers. In case of personal emergencies a makeup exam may be granted with a reduction of 25% of the grade (Measures Objectives 1,4,7,8,10, and 11).

Provide constructive feedbacks for each other: (5%) Students’ work will be posted on the course collaboration board. You are required to review each other’s work and provide constructive feedbacks.

Please read about Student Conduct on page 30 of the UMHB Graduate Catalog, 2009-2010, with respect to plagiarism, paraphrasing, and quotes in course assignments. 

With respect to plagiarism:  first offense, the student will earn the letter grade of "F" for the course assignment, and second offense, the student will earn the letter grade of "F" for the course, and further appropriate action involves referral of the matter (with documentation) to the appropriate university officials within the administration.  If the student is unclear about what constitutes plagiarism, please review the Publication Manual of the APA.

ATTENDANCE

Graduate students are expected to attend class on a regular basis. Please see the graduate catalog for attendance requirements.

TEXT(S)

Sharf, R.S. (2006) Applying Career Development Theory to counseling (5th ed). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

RECOMMENDED READINGS

Kapes, J.T., & Whitfield, E.A. (2000). A Counselor's Guide to Career AssessmentInstruments. Columbus, OH: National Career Development Association.

Miller, A.F. (1999). Why You Can't Be Anything You Want To Be. Grand Rapids, MI:Zondervan.

Figler, H., & Bolles, R.N. (1999). The Career Counselor's Handbook. Berkeley, CA:Ten Speed Press.

Holland, J.L., (1992). Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of VocationalPersonalities and Work Environments. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

Parsons, F., (1909). Choosing A Vocation. Garrett Park, MD: Garrett Park Press.U.S. Department of Labor (2003). Occupational Outlook Handbook. Washington D.C.:

Bureau of Labor Statistics.U.S. Department of Labor (2004). Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Indianapolis, IN:

Jist Works. www.ncda.org

All students are responsible for adhering to the professional performance standards as stated in the Graduate Counseling & Psychology Student Handbook through the Graduate Counseling and Psychology website at www.umhb.edu. Failure to meet the standards supersedes the student’s academic grade performance and will result in a grade of F for the course.

See UMHB Graduate Catalog for students with special needs and expectations and ethics.

SELECTED WEBSITESwww.monstertrak.comwww.headhunter.netwww.simplicity.comwww.rileyguide.comwww.wetfeet.comwww.texasonlinejobs.com

PROFESSOR AND OFFICE HOURS:

Wen-Mei Chou, Ph.D. LPC, LMFTAssistant Professor of Counseling and PsychologyOffice: Frazier # 113Tele: 254.295.5432; Email: wchou@umhb.eduGraduate hours posted and by appointment.

Tentative Schedule

Week Date Course Contents1 1/11 Introduction

Ch1 Interest Identification Draw a pig

2 1/18 Part I: Trait and Type TheoriesCh2, 3 – Personality and Labor Market

True Color3 1/25 Part I: Trait and Type Theories

Ch4 - Ability & Value Values Auction Motivators and work values

4 2/1 Part I: Trait and Type TheoriesCh5 – Holland’s Theory

SDS Personality Mosaic

5 2/8 Part I: Trait and Type TheoriesCh6 Myers-Briggs

Myers Briggs6 2/15 Part II: Life-Span Theory

Ch7 Super – childhood Focused question

7 2/22 Part II: Life-Span TheoryCh8, 9 – Adolescent and adult

Learning Channel Preference Personality Spectrum

8 3/2 Part II: Life-Span Theory

Ch10 – Adult Transferable Skills

9 3/8 Mid-Term Visiting UMHB Career Centers (Maybee 230 6:00pm)

10 3/15 Spring Break Life-Line

11 3/22 Part III – Special Focused TheoryCh11 Narrative (Life-Line)Presentation

12 3/29 Part III – Special Focused TheoryCh12 RelationalPresentation

13 4/5 Part III – Special Focused TheoryCh13 Social LearningPresentation

14 4/12 Part III – Special Focused TheoryCh14,15 Cognitive and decision makingPresentation

15 4/19 Part IV – IntegrationCh16 Theory in CombinationPresentation

16 4/26 Final Exam