This course will examine the career counseling process throughout the lifespan. Specific topics will include career development theories, career assessment instruments, professional resources, decision-making models, and other factors inherent to the career counseling process. Common occupational issues and problems will also be addressed as will the interrelationships between work and other life roles. Finally, this course will explore how evolving economic, political, social and technological conditions are precipitating a redefinition of work and career.

Why Pride Matters More Than Money: The Power of the World's Greatest Motivational Force
by Jon R. Katzenbach
Crown Publications, 2003

Specific Course Objectives:

To varying degrees of proficiency based on their individual abilities and needs, students should be able to demonstrate the following upon completion of this course:

Knowledge:

1. An understanding of the major career development theories and decision-making models.

2. A comprehensive understanding of the resources available for career, vocational, educational, and occupational counseling, including and labor market information sources (visual and print media, computer and Internet-based information systems, as well as other electronic career information systems).

3. An understanding of career development program planning, including the organization, implementation, administration and evaluation of comprehensive guidance programs.

4. An understanding of the interrelationships among and between work, family and other life roles and factors, including the role of diversity and gender in career development.

5. An understanding of career and educational planning, placement, follow-up, and evaluation.

6. An understanding of assessment instruments and techniques that are relevant to career planning and decision making.

7. An understanding of technology-based career development applications and strategies, including computer-assisted career guidance and information systems and appropriate Internet resources.

8. An understanding of career counseling processes, techniques, and resources, including those applicable to special populations.

9. An understanding of the ethical and legal considerations inherent to the career counseling process.

10. An understanding of the relationship of career counseling to the development, maintenance and evaluation of guidance programs in the public schools.

11. An understanding of the relationship of career counseling to student development in higher education.

Skills:

1. An ability to appropriately apply the major career development theories and decision-making models with clients.

2. An ability to use resources available for career, vocational, educational, and occupational counseling, including and labor market information sources (visual and print media, computer and Internet-based information systems, as well as other electronic career information systems).

3. An ability to facilitate career development program planning, including the organization, implementation, administration and evaluation of comprehensive guidance programs.

4. An ability to integrate the interrelationships among and between work, family and other life roles and factors, including the role of diversity and gender in career development, into the career counseling process.

5. An ability to facilitate career and educational planning, placement, follow-up, and evaluation.

6. An ability to appropriately apply assessment instruments and techniques that are relevant to career planning and decision making with clients.

7. An ability to use technology-based career development applications and strategies, including computer-assisted career guidance and information systems and appropriate Internet resources.

8. An ability to appropriately apply career counseling processes, techniques, and resources, including those applicable to special populations, with clients.

9. An ability to work within the ethical and legal constraints when facilitating the career counseling process.

10. An ability to appropriately apply career counseling principles and processes to the development, maintenance and evaluation of guidance programs in the public schools.

11. An ability to integrate career counseling into student development in higher education.

Dispositions:

1. A respect and appreciation for the major career development theories and decision-making models.

2. A respect and appreciation for the resources available for career, vocational, educational, and occupational counseling, including and labor market information sources (visual and print media, computer and Internet-based information systems, as well as other electronic career information systems).

3. A respect and appreciation for career development program planning, including the organization, implementation, administration and evaluation of comprehensive guidance programs.

4. A respect and appreciation for the interrelationships among and between work, family and other life roles and factors, including the role of diversity and gender in career development.

5. A respect and appreciation for career and educational planning, placement, follow-up, and evaluation.

6. A respect and appreciation for assessment instruments and techniques that are relevant to career planning and decision making.

7. A respect and appreciation for technology-based career development applications and strategies, including computer-assisted career guidance and information systems and appropriate Internet resources.

8. A respect and appreciation for career counseling processes, techniques, and resources, including those applicable to special populations.

9. A respect and appreciation for the ethical and legal considerations inherent to the career counseling process.

10. A respect and appreciation for the relationship of career counseling to the development, maintenance and evaluation of guidance programs in the public schools.

11. A respect and appreciation for the relationship of career counseling to student development in higher education.

Course Format/Relation to CACREP:

The course will be facilitated via a mixture of lecture, large and small group discussions, audiovisual presentations, structured experiences, group presentations, assessments, and journal articles/case studies. The Specific Course Objectives outlined above are measured by the Specific Course Requirements outlined below. Moreover, these Objectives/Requirements are purposefully designed to fully meet CACREP Standard 4 (Career Development).

Specific Course Requirements:

For a B:

(1) Class Presentations. Students will be placed in small groups for the purpose of developing a class presentation over topics assigned by the instructor. Presentations should be qualitatively oriented (as opposed to quantitatively), include some variety of class participation, and last approximately 45-50 minutes.

(2) Self-Analysis Paper. Each student will be responsible for writing a self-analysis paper based on the results of the assessment instruments provided by the instructor during the initial part of the course. In essence, each student is to analyze their current (or future) occupational and personal situation based on the results of these instruments. Students are free, of course, to agree or disagree with the assessment interpretations, but the precise reasons for any agreement or disagreement should be thoroughly explained. Finally, a brief critique should be included of each assessment instrument in terms of what you liked or disliked about it, how useful/ interesting you found it to be, and any deficiencies/limitations that you were able to discern.

(3) Counseling Exercise. Each student is to select a voluntary 'client' and counsel that individual on relevant career concerns. This exercise should be presented primarily as a learning experience on the part of the student; i.e., you are not to present this activity as an actual career counseling session -- unless you are professionally qualified to do so. As a part of this activity, you may want to administer a career inventory/assessment to the individual (preferably one we did not use in class) and interpret the results for them. You could also conduct a session in which you explore their attitudes and concerns in terms of one of the career counseling theories/models we discussed in class or is contained in the textbook. At the conclusion of this exercise, each student is to prepare a brief report (4-6 pages) in which you critique the experience.

(4) Final Examination. An in-class final examination will be administered during the final weekend of the course. This examination will be primarily essay/brief-answer in format and cover all material (lectures, videos, instruments, class presentations, etc.) presented during the course.

(5) Attendance/Participation. Each student is expected to attend all class sessions and be prepared to contribute meaningfully at those sessions. Moreover, each student is expected to complete any assignments and read all assigned material prior to the class period in which it will be discussed.

For an A:

Students pursuing an 'A' in the course will be expected to complete the following:

(5) Book Critique. Each student is responsible for preparing a chapter-by-chapter critique/response/evaluation of Why Pride Matters More Than Money: The Power of the World's Greatest Motivational Force by Jon R. Katzenbach (Crown Publications, 2003). Provide an honest reaction to the material presented by Katzenbach and elaborate as appropriate. [Suggested length: 9/10 pages minimum]

Grading:

For a B:
Class Presentation ........................... 15 points
Self-Analysis Paper ......................... 20 points
Counseling Exercise.......................... 20 points
Final Examination ............................. 25 points
Attendance/Participation .................. 10 points

For an A:
Book Critique .................................. 10 points

TOTAL ......................................... 100 points

Grading Scale:

90 - 100 points .............. A
80 - 89 points ................ B
70 - 79 points ................ C
60 - 69 points ................ D
Below 60 points ............. F

Disability Accommodations Statement:

Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustment and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Room 445, Potter Hall. The OFSDS telephone number is 270-745-5004 V/TDD. Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.