International Career Development
Spring Semester, 2015
International Business School, Sun-Yat-Sen University
Dr. Jingbo Huang
Email:
QQ: 2073435530
Virtual Office Hours: Chat on QQ - by appointment only
(Please note that I'm in New York - 12 or 13 hours behind you).
Min Wang
Email:
QQ: 17600925
Office Hours: Thursday lunch time, by appointment
1. Course Description
While some of you are busy preparing for GRE and TOEFL exams, have you thought about why you want to study abroad?
Do you actually know how instructors teach and how students learn in universities outside of China?
Are you clear about your professional interests and your values, and how they interact with your career decision-making?
How is it like working outside of China?
Is career plan-able? How can you prepare for the unexpected?
The course of International Career Development is designed to help you find individual answers to the questions above. During this course, you will further discover your own interests, values and preferences, and explore possible career choices at a global level. Such learning will contribute to your career decision making.
2. Objectives
This course will help
• expose you to an authentic learning experience as if you were studying in an American university;
• open your eyes and minds to the study and work life at a global level;
• gain deeper self-awareness about your interests, preferences and values, and learn to integrate these into your career decision making;
• explore career possibilities;
• increase your abilities of career self-management; and
• improve your analytical, critical thinking and reflective skills.
3. What to Expect in the Course?
This is an asynchronous ONLINE course, which may be different from the traditional classes you have taken in the past. But it is an authentic learning approach in American and European universities, and this is your opportunity to experience it LIVE! There are a few face-to-face lectures, and the majority of the course participation is online. Specifically, you will learn by
• carrying out conversations and discussions with your classmates
• watching authentic video career stories of SYSU alumni overseas, and reflect on your own careers
• reading relevant book chapters and articles, and reflect on your own situations.
• conducting individual and group projects
• simulating job application process
• "meeting" (online) with experienced professionals, who will share their career insights with you
• presenting your career plan and defending it in front of a panel, and
• having fun!!
4. Course Schedule
The first three weeks are face-to-face, and the rest of the course will most likely take place online. You will have some tasks to complete every week. You will receive instructions and deadlines every week. Please make sure that you check your emails regularly, and log in to Canvas (this course system) regularly.
5.Weekly Topics (subject to changes based on your learning needs)
Online sessions (March-June)
Topic 1: Self-introduction and initial career plans.
Topic 2: Discovering yourself - interests and values.
Topic 3: Exploring possibilities through video stories - How far is it from a career dream to reality?
Topic 4: Exploring possibilities through video stories - Is career path going to be a straight line?
Topic 5: Exploring possibilities through video stories - Can I combine my interests/passion with my career?
Topic 6: Exploring possibilities through video stories - What skills would I need at work place?
Topic 7: Exploring possibilities through video stories - What should I do when facing an opportunity?
Topic 8: Exploring possibilities through video stories - What if I fail? What is success anyway?
Topic 9: Study abroad - How to study in American graduate school?
Topic 10: Internship application simulation
Topic 11: Guest speaker session - What does the real professional world look like?
Final presentations: Group project presentation, career plan presentation and defense in front of a panel
6. Grading Scheme
Online participation (60%): You are expected to publish original posts and comment on other people’s posts. Each week’s participation counts for 10 points. Also, we will select our favorite post of the week, and that student gets 1 additional bonus point. Please respect deadlines, otherwise your points will be deducted automatically by Canvas system, and there is no way to make up for the posts.
Projects (20%): You will complete some individual and group projects. Your projects will count for 20% of your total grade.
Final presentation and defense (20%): There is no final exam, but final presentations.You are expected to prepare for a career plan presentation, which has to reflect all the learning you have gained from the previous sessions of the class. Also, it has to be coming from your heart, well-thought-through, realistic and feasible. A panel consisting of instructors and work professionals will work with you and help you shape your plan. The panel will grade your presentation and defense, and that score will count as 20% of your course score.
Deadlines: Watch out for your emails, and you will be given deadlines on a weekly basis.
Again, no late homework, project, posts or papers will be accepted.
7. Ground Rules
• Working language: The working language of the course is English, which applies to discussions, homework, readings, papers, and presentations.
• Learning platform: The online portion will take place on Canvas.
• Take full charge of your own learning.
• Take advantage of discussions with your classmates and instructors, and contribute to the posts as much as you want.
• There are no right or wrong answers in this course, as long as you can justify your answers.
• CHECK YOUR EMAILS, as I will send out weekly instructions and deadlines through emails.
Ready? fasten your seat belt, let’s take off!
How to join the course:
Register the course in your course system and send your application for the course to Ms. Min Wang with your English resume before 4am Monday (). Use the email you are going to register in Canvas (http://canvas.instructure.com), and I suggest you start to use your SYSU email
Add Min’s Wechat: 17600925