Pittsburg State University
College of Education
Department of Psychology & Counseling
Spring 2010
Psych 748.01 Career Development Th 4:00 to 6:00pm
Instructor: Harriet Bachner, Ph.D.
Office: 205F Whitesitt Hall Office phone: 620 235-4633
Office Hours: M 1-3pm, T 11am-12:30pm, W 11am-2pm, Th 1-3:30pm, F 10am-12N & by appointment
Course Description: This course is a study of the concept of career development & of sources of information related to the world of work. Emphasis is placed on an in-depth exploration of the theories & practice of career counseling with the primary goal of the clinical application to real-world situations.
Course Outcomes: After completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Describe their own level of career development as that relates to the various theories of career development & counseling.
2. Identify & describe the basic elements of the theories & stages of career development & counseling.
3. Describe various aspects of these theories & stages as they relate to success, mid-life changes, life expectancy, stress and burn out, & other issues of interest to the class members.
4. Discuss the historical aspects related to concepts & research about career guidance & development.
5. Apply theory & research about career development to various clinical issues affecting diverse individuals, their career & personal development throughout the lifespan.
CACREP Competencies: CACREP Standard 4. Studies that provide an understanding of career development and related life factors, including all of the following:
a. Using career development theories and decision-making models
b. Identifying career, avocational, educational, occupational and labor market information
resources, and career information systems
c. Career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and
evaluation
d. Distinguishing interrelationships among and between work, family, and other life roles and
factors, including the role of multicultural issues in career development
e. Providing career and educational planning, placement, follow-up, and evaluation with
students & clients.
f. Using assessment instruments and techniques relevant to career planning and decision
making
g. Identifying career counseling processes, techniques, and resources, including those
applicable to specific populations in a global economy
Eligibility requirements & prerequisites: Psych 748 may be taken by either graduate students or by upper division undergraduates who wish to gain a basic understanding of the career development & counseling. The prerequisite is 9 credits of education &/or psychology.
Required text:
Sharf, R.S. (2010). Applying career development theory to counseling, 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson.
Selected readings & resources are also posted on ANGEL
To assess your learning style, go to the following site: http://www.ldpride.net/learning_style.html
Instructional procedures & activities: The instruction involves a combination of lecture, discussion of readings & media, & activities in which students are encouraged to be active participants. Some of these activities use small group format, video, student presentations, guest speakers, & a field trip to the career center.
Since this course is about career development, this is your opportunity to gain insight into yourself & your career. Class discussion is vital to the enjoyment of the class. Your participation & sharing of anecdotal examples help make this class lively & memorable. Come to class prepared to be active in discussing the readings, your ideas, & experiences that are relevant to the readings & the lecture.
Incomplete policy: The grade of incomplete is not given if students are unable to attend a substantial portion of the class meetings or to complete most of the assignments & tests. An incomplete grade is considered only if some urgent unforeseen event prevents the student from completing one of the assignments or the final exam & the student notifies the instructor before the final exam. See the PSU Catalog for additional explanation of the incomplete policy.
Check the PSU course schedule & catalog for information on withdrawals, incompletes, & academic honesty. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, collusion, & falsifying academic records. See the PSU catalog for more information regarding academic honesty.
Regarding citation of sources: A direct quote is the use of 5 or more words in sequence from the source. When quoting or paraphrasing one must give credit (reference) to the source using APA style. Otherwise, it is considered plagiarism. Use APA style in all of the assignments, particularly when using sources. You are expected to use correct grammar, spelling, & to proof read your assignments before you submit them. The writing center is available to help you with your writing style.
Attendance policy: You are expected to attend class regularly & participate in class discussions & activities, to notify the instructor if you will have an extended absence, to make arrangements to complete any missed work, & obtain class notes. So if you are absent, I assume that you have a good reason for not attending class, otherwise you would be in class. Therefore, do not bring me any written excuse. I do not evaluate the quality of your absence: an absence is an absence, no matter what the reason. Attendance is considered in the calculation of the final grade. 3 or more absences result in your grade being lowered by one (1) letter grade. Thus, the calculation of the grade begins at the total points for a B. It is recommended that you drop the course if you miss 4 or more classes. The last day to drop a course is April 9 & the last day to withdraw from the university is May 6.
Although there are some class activities completed in class & these cannot be made-up, it is each student’s responsibility to do the required work for this course in a timely & thoughtful manner.
Students with disabilities/ADA compliance: Students with specific needs/accommodations or diagnosed disability should let the instructor know as soon as possible. If additional arrangements are needed, the student may also check with the Kelly Heiskell, Learning Center Director.
Evaluation of student performance & achievement:
A pupil from whom nothing is ever demanded which he cannot do, never does all he can.
John Stuart Mill
1. Class participation: You are expected to participate in class activities, including group activities & discussions. Your attendance & participation also are considered in the final calculation of your grade. For example, if you are just 2 points (not percentage points) away from an A, you have excellent attendance (0 absence), & you have participated in discussion & class activities, you will receive an A.
2. There are 2 tests throughout the semester and a final. This fulfills CACREP competencies a, b, c, d, e, and g.
3. Class activity assignment: See attachments at the end of the syllabus. This fulfills CACREP competencies d, e, and f.
4. Develop your own personal resume or vita or career assessment report. This partially fulfills CACREP competencies d and e. See attachment at the end of this syllabus.
5. Class presentation: By the 2nd class you are to select one of the theories of career development & models (see text chapters) that you would like to investigate further. This fulfills CACREP competencies a, b, d, e, f, and g. See attachment that follows this syllabus.
a. You will work with 1 other student who also has selected that theory.
b. Together, the 2 of you will present information to the class that each of you have gathered.
c. The entire presentation should be approximately 1 hour.
d. Please be creative & use a variety of methods to convey the information through role-play, film, use of assessments applicable to the model, case study, or an intake interview.
e. Select & show a segment of one of the identified video selections from the IRC or others on the list of video & films relevant to career development. See list on Angel.
f. Rather than submitting a report, prepare examples of the assessments & a copy of your presentation slides (if you use power point) to distribute to class members.
g. In addition to the above, select a client/student case & develop your own response to that case.
h. You will then present that case to the class & facilitate a staffing of that case including handouts with sufficient copies for the class.
There is additional information in course information on ANGEL.
6. Assignments submitted after the due date are NOT accepted.
Student evaluation is determined by the accumulation of points from the above
described assignments & tests with the following point values:
Assignment or quiz Total points possible Points earned
2 tests which amount to 90 ______
Personal resume or assessment report 25 ______
Class activity assignment 25 ______
Presentation with partner 70 ______
Final test 40 ______
Total 250 ______
A = 250 - 225 B = 224 - 200 C = 199-175
Please note that the point value of the tests may vary slightly depending upon the extent to which information is covered at the time of the test.
Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning. Maya Angelou
Course schedule: Please note that this course schedule is an optimistic projection of what I would like to cover during the semester. Because we may spend more or less time on a particular topic, this schedule & the assignments may be changed to fit the needs & interests of the class members & time constraints.
Date Topic Assignment due
1/14 Introductions & overview of the course Enthusiastic attitude
Career development introduction Chap. 1
1/21 Visit PSU career services
Complete assessments offered by career services Topic for project
Theories & models overview presentation due
1/28 Trait & factor theory Chap. 2 Ethical issues in career counseling Bring ethics codes
2/04 Work adjustment theory Chap. 4
Career counseling intake interview
2/11 Holland’s type theory Chap. 5
Informal assessments & technology
Student presentation
2/18 Myers-Briggs type theory Chap. 6
Complete test 1 on Angel
2/25 Rhonda White from PHS speaks
Career development in childhood Chap. 7
Adolescent career development Chap. 8
Career counseling in school settings
3/04 Mindy Cloninger speaks from Career Services
Young adult & adult career development Chap. 9
Adult career transitions Chap. 10
Family issues & dual career
Student presentation
3/11 Constructivist, narrative, & Chap. 11 & 12
relational approaches
Student presentation
3/18 Spring Break (Hooray!) Relax & catch up
3/25 Work/career life issues: stress & burnout Notes on Angel
Student presentation Complete test 2 on Angel
4/01 Krumboltz’s social learning theory Chap. 13
Gender issues & career development Resume due
Student presentation
4/8 Social cognitive career theory Chap. 14
Student presentation Class activity assignment due
4/15 Career decision-making models Chap. 15
Socio-economic perspectives on the labor market Chap. 3
Student presentation
4/22 Diversity issues in career counseling
Career counseling & disabilities
Student presentation
4/29 Summary of theories with video of case example Chap. 16
Review &/or catch up
5/6 Final exam
We will be really moving fast if we actually cover all of these topics. So please realize that I am being optimistic in this course schedule. What is most important is that we spend time on those issues that are of interest & most relevant to the class members.
Class notes & announcements are posted on ANGEL & emails about various class activities are sent through ANGEL. So therefore it is necessary to log on to ANGEL & set your email address in personal information. Otherwise, the emails that I send to you will go to your PSU email address.
If you are experiencing some unexpected event that may interfere with you turning in an assignment on time, or you have any questions or concerns regarding the course content or evaluation, PLEASE come to my office in WH 205F, email me at , or call me at 620 235-4633 to discuss the matter.
Second Semester / Spring 2010
· January 2010
o Jan 14 Classwork begins
o Jan 18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
o Jan 21 Last day for full tuition and fee refund
o Jan 21 Tuition and fees due by 3:30 p.m.
o Jan 21 Last day to enroll or add classes without instructor permission
o Jan 22 On-line enrollment no longer available
o Jan 28 Final day for dropping course without transcript notation
o Jan 29 Grade of W recorded for dropped courses
· February 2010
o Feb 11 Last day for one-half tuition and fee refund
· March 2010
o Mar 04 Commemoration Day
o Mar 15-19 Spring Break
o Mar 15 Last day to apply for Fall 2010 Professional Education Semester
o Mar 15 Midsemester D and F grades due from faculty
o Mar 22 Classwork resumes
o Mar 23 Grad Finale
o Mar 24 Grad Finale
o Mar 26 Final day for first draft of thesis and Ed.S. project
o Mar 26 Final day to apply for degrees/Spring or Summer graduation
· April 2010
o Apr 09 Final day for dropping course unless student withdraws from entire term
o Apr 12-16 Early Enrollment for summer and fall 2010 for current PSU students
o Apr 23 Final day for submission of thesis and Ed.S. project
· May 2010
o May 06 Final day to withdraw from entire term
o May 10-14 Final examinations
o May 14 Commencement 7:30 p.m. College of Education and College of Technology
o May 15 Commencement 10:00 a.m. College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business
Attachments
Class activity assignment: There are several suggestions from which to select one to complete. See attachment that follows this syllabus. Related materials are distributed during the 1st 3 weeks of the semester.
Career Development Activities for Class Assignment
You can select any one of these for your class assignment. Your report should be typed, 3 to 4 pages in length, not including a title page.
1. Attend a career fair at PSU & write a summary of your experience there & what you saw that was useful to those attending.
- You can include some examples of employers, agencies that were there & the quality of information that they conveyed to the attendees.
2. Go PSU career services & complete the Do What You Are assessment & have one of the career counselors there go over the report with you.