11/21/2024 2:30:16 AM	COUN 6 Course Outline as of Fall 2024	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  COUN 6	Title:  INTRO CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Full Title:  Introduction to Career Development
Last Reviewed:12/12/2023

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  COUN 62

Catalog Description:

Students in this class will learn the importance of developing a career plan and how it leads to a satisfying and healthy life. Emphasis is on interest and personality testing, values clarification, skills assessment, career information, research skills, decision making, and goal setting. Course also covers changing job trends and requirements, as well as factors related to the procurement and retention of employment.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Students in this class will learn the importance of developing a career plan and how it leads to a satisfying and healthy life. Emphasis is on interest and personality testing, values clarification, skills assessment, career information, research skills, decision making, and goal setting.  Course also covers changing job trends and requirements, as well as factors related to the procurement and retention of employment.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	E	Lifelong Learning and Self Development		Spring 2010
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Spring 2010	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2019	Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Develop a career plan.

2. Evaluate potential effects of career choices on physiological, social, and psychological wellbeing.

3. Conduct research on potential majors and careers.

4. Implement appropriate resume writing and interview techniques.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Explain the career development process and how career development theory is applied.

2. Describe how personal values affect lifestyles and career choices and analyze personality inventories and interest/skills assessments in the process of making career decisions.

3. Assess the influence of individual psychological and biological traits on career choice and development.

4. Examine biological and environmental influences on personality and their relationship to career development.

5. Examine personality theory and values clarification in relation to gender, culture, and ethnicity.

6. Research career pathways utilizing various resources and methods, including informational interviewing, and assess compatibility with self-assessment data.

7. Apply the analytical decision-making process to career alternatives as well as the process of developing short and long-term goals.

8. Evaluate the relationship between majors and careers.

9. Develop a career/life action plan for the implementation of career decisions.

10. Identify the components of a successful job search, fill out job applications, write a resume and cover letter, and practice job interview techniques.

Topics and Scope

I. Self and Career Awareness      

    A. Origins of career beliefs

    B. Personal beliefs assessment and obstacles that may interfere with career exploration

    C. Overview of human development and life stages across the lifespan

    D. Theories of career development such as:

         1. Donald Super

         2. John Holland

         3. John Krumboltz

         4. Anne Roe

         5. Eli Ginzberg

    E. Factors influencing career development over the lifespan including aging, health, disability, family, lifestyle, stress, and support systems

    F. Identification and integration of social and psychological roles in life

    G. Influence of personal beliefs, social and cultural conditioning, economic and workplace trends on career choice

    H. Values Analysis

         1. Values as they relate to career choice

         2. Influences on individual values (family, culture, and religion)

         3. Role of values in contributing to a satisfying life and work environment  

          4. Personal values and philosophies assessment

    I. Career interests

         1. Origins of career interests

         2. Social and cultural influences in the development of career interests

         3. Interest inventories, evaluation, and interpretation

         4. Educational opportunities to develop interests

    J. Personality assessment

         1. Carl Jung's psychological types theory

         2. Biological and cultural influences on personality

    K. Skills assessment

         1. Personal skill sets

         2. Transferable skill sets

         3. Occupational skill sets

         4. Skill sets required for selected careers

         5. Acquiring desired skill sets

    L. Influence of career choice on lifestyle (quality of life, health, retirement, and economic well-being)

    M. Creating a healthy work/life balance

    N. Physiological, psychological, and behavioral aspects of positive and negative stress in the workplace

    O. Diversity in the workplace

    P. How to synthesize information from self-assessment of beliefs, values, skills, personality, and interests as it relates to career planning

    Q. How to construct a tentative career action plan reflecting identified values, beliefs, skills, personality traits and interests

    R. Methods to develop psychosocial support for career selection and/or transition

    S. Techniques to maintain psychosocial support throughout the career selection and/or transition process

II. Occupational Information

    A. Career literature and web resources.

    B. Labor market

     C. Economic Trends and their effects on career choice and mental/emotional health and well-being

    D. Research methods and evaluation criteria

     E. Informational interviewing techniques as a resource for gathering career information

    F. Relationship of majors to career planning

    G. Education and training needed for potential careers

    H. Educational planning

III. Career Planning and Decision Making

    A. How to analyze career data in relation to personal values, interests, personality, and skills compatibility

    B. Analytical decision-making process

    C. Psychological barriers and stressors related to decision making

    D. Socioeconomic and cultural influences in the decision-making process and on life/career choices

    E. Role of internships, volunteer experiences

     F. Networking

    G. Development of short- and long-term goals

IV. Employment Readiness Skills

    A. Job search strategies

    B. Job applications

    C. Functional, chronological, and electronic resumes

    D. Cover letters

    E. Pre-interview preparation and research

    F. Job interview techniques

V. Workplace Behavior

Assignments:

1. Weekly reading assignments (10-50 pages)

2. Written assignments based on readings in text (4-8)

3. Papers or Written Reports (5-8, at least 2 pages each), such as:

    A. Written summary of values clarification exercises assessing the influence of gender, family, culture, religion, health, and stress on personal values.

    B. Projected lifestyle.

    C. Introspective paper examining individual psychological and biological influences on personality.

    D. Analysis of personality type, interest inventory results, and skill sets.

    E. Examination of decision-making process including potential barriers.

4. Development of a personal resume, cover letter, and interviewing techniques

5. Reaction papers to class discussions and videos (2-4)

6. Summarize results of informational interviews and evaluate in relationship to the career action plan

7. Career research report that integrates the student's assessment results and the relationship to potential careers based on research gathered via the Career Development Center resources (4-5 pages)

8. Midterm or final exam

9. Quiz(zes) (0-17)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 60 - 80%
Written assignments; papers or written reports; resume, cover letter, and interviewing techniques; reaction papers; informational interview summary
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 30%
Midterm or final exam; quiz(zes)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 30%
Career reseach report; attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Career Development and Planning: A comprehensive Approach. 7th ed. Reardon, Robert and Lenz, Janet and Peterson, Gary and Sampson, James. Kendall Hunt. 2022.

Career Achievement: Growing Your Goals. 4th ed. Blackett, Karine. McGraw Hill. 2024.

The Career Fitness Program: Exercising Your Options. 11th ed. Sukiennik, Diane and Raufman, Lisa. Pearson. 2016 (classic).

Print PDF