Career Information and Exploration (Fall 2014)

CLED 605.Section 901(3 credit hours) Class Location: 1111 Hibbs Hall W 4:00 6:40 PM Shajuana Isom-Payne Office: Hibbs Hall, R.165 Office Hours: TW 1:30 3:30 or By Appointment sipayne@vcu.edu or 827-8648

COURSE DESCRIPTION Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: CLED 600 and 601. Designed to provide the potential counselor with an understanding of theoretical approaches to career development in grades Kadult. Emphasis will be given to the relationship between counselor and student(s) in the career development process. A review of occupational, educational and personal/social information resources will be made. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students will demonstrate knowledge of: Objective career development theories and decisionmaking models assessment instruments and techniques relevant to career planning and decision making career counseling processes, techniques, and resources, including those applicable to specific populations in a global economy career, avocational, educational, occupational and labor market information resources, and career information systems interrelationships among and between work, family, and other life roles and factors, including the role of multicultural issues in career development career and educational planning, placement, follow-up, and evaluation career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation REQUIRED TEXTS CACREP Standard II.G.4.a II.G.4.f

II.G.4.g

II.G.4.b

II.G.4.d

II.G.4.e II.G.4.c

Brown, D. (2011). Career information, career counseling, and career development. (10th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Note: There may be other additional readings, case studies, and/or in handouts. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1. Lecture and class discussions: Student should read assigned material prior to class. Class discussion will be devoted to applying the readings to class material. 2. Experiential exercises: For each career theory studied students will participate in selected activities that demonstrate career counseling techniques and/or interventions to help them apply the career theory to client issues. 3. Counseling Role Plays: Throughout the semester students will role play client-counselor situations utilizing particular career counseling theories and/or interventions. 4. Written assignments: Students will write an in depth paper applying the material they learned in class to the career development of a selected individual. 5. Oral Presentations: Students will research the career counseling issues and needs of a particular population and develop a career counseling program appropriate for this population to be presented to the class. 6. Completion and interpretation of assessment instruments: In order to learn how to administer and interpret career assessment instruments students will complete the following: Self-Directed Search ($10) Strong Interest Inventory ($15) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ($25) Students will purchase assessment inventories through VCU University Career Center by Class #3. Class Participation: Class attendance and active participation are required. This class is both process-oriented and content-based. Readings, class presentations and case study analyses will provide the foundation for class discussion. Students should be prepared to discuss the readings and personal experiences, to ask and answer questions, process information and respond to case studies and text materials. The factors used to assess your grade include participation in class exercises and discussions, mastery of the techniques presented in class, and staying current with assigned readings. Weekly Reading Quiz: Students will complete a multiple choice quiz weekly based on assigned reading from texts or journal articles. The quizzes will cover material from assigned readings, consisting of 5 multiple choice and True/False questions. And, there will be one extra credit question per quiz. The quizzes are to assess students understanding of the assigned readings. The quizzes will be given at the beginning of each class and students will be able to drop their lowest quiz grade. If a student is tardy or absent from class, he or she will be unable to make-up the quiz.

Examinations: Students will take two (2) written non-cumulative examinations on the dates assigned. The first exam will consist of 50 multiple choice questions, and the second exam will consist of 50 multiple choice and one essay question. Career Assessment Portfolio: Complete career assessments and submit reflections for results and findings of each completed assessment. Reflections should be 1-2 pages, double spaced. Additional details will be presented in class. Informational Interview: Students are asked to schedule an informational interview to examine and learn more of the career decision making process for someone of your choice. The interview must be conducted in-person. General interview questions will be provided and will be discussed in class. You will hand in a one-page synopsis of the interview with a one-page personal reaction of the experience (two pages total). Due to the personal nature of this assignment, students grade on assignment will be final as one of the following: 100%, for having comprehensively completed the assignment; 85%, for adequately completing the assignment; 75%, for having minimally completed the assignment; and 0, for not completing the assignment. Multicultural Career Counseling Center Project: Students will be assigned to work in groups of three (3) to develop and design a career counseling center for a specific group (elementary, middle/junior high, high school, college, or private practice), using a multicultural/diversity approach. Each group will be asked to give a 30minute presentation in class on the date assigned. Your paper is due on the date of your presentation. The format for the project is attached. Paper should present career counseling theory and outline of career counseling center design. Assignment due: ______.

ALL PAPERS ARE TO BE WRITTEN IN AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) STYLE. Please see the APA Manual 6th edition. Be thorough, and answer completely all the questions in the assignments. Class Grading: Career Center Project 20% Career Assessment Portfolio 20% Weekly Reading Quiz 10% Exams (15% each exam) 30% Informational Interview 15% Class Participation 5% (attendance, attitude, discussions and feedback) ___________________________________ TOTAL 100%

RECOMMENDED READINGS Professional Journals: ASCA School Counselor The Career Development Quarterly The Journal of Career Development The Journal of Career Assessment Journal of Vocational Behavior

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE Note: This syllabus is a guide that may be amended as needed, including the schedule, subjects covered in class, and course requirements.

Week 1 Course Syllabus; Introduction to Career Counseling and Development (ch.1) Week 2 Career Theories (ch.2 & 3) Week 3 Multicultural Approach to Career Counseling (ch.4) Self-Directed Search (SDS) instrument Week 4 Clients with Special Needs (ch.5) Strong Interest Inventory Week 5 Testing and Assessments (ch.6); case study Week 6 Finding, Organizing and Using Occupational Info. (ch.7) Using Technology in Career Counseling (ch.8) Week 7 Preparing for Work (ch.9) Week 8 Exam I (Chapters 1 9) Week 9 Job Placement, Outplacement, Job Search Process (ch.10) Personality inventory instrument (MBTI) Week 10 Career Development Programs in K-12 settings (ch.11) (Case Study) Career Development Programs in Community and 4-year Colleges (ch.12) Values Scale instrument Week 11 Career Counseling Center Project Paper and Presentation due Trends in Labor Market (ch.13); Occupational Classification Systems (ch.14). Week 12 Career Counseling Center Project Paper and Presentation due Career Development in Business (ch.15) Week 13 Career Counseling Center Project Paper and Presentations due Career Counseling in Private Practice (ch.16) Week 14 Ethical, Legal & Competencies issues for career counselors (ch.17); Week 15 Career Assessment Portfolio & Reflection Papers due Trends and Issues in Career Counseling (ch.18). Week 16 FINAL Exam II (ch.11-18) Additional Information The professor reserves the right to modify the schedule to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.

All written work must be typed and should follow APA format. All papers become the property of the instructor; therefore, it is recommended that the student retain a copy of each paper before submission. No data should reveal the actual identity of the clients. Additional Thoughts on Safety and Confidentiality Together we will create a safe environment to facilitate the goal of self-exploration. Because of the trust, vulnerability, and openness needed to explore our beliefs, values, and biases, it is essential that we respect each others confidences. Revealing personal information about others outside of this class is a breach of confidence. If you wish to share with others outside the classroom, please reveal only your own reactions and understandings. Avoid using any names or identifying features of your classmates. Because we may often leave our comfort zones, a support system outside of class and excellent self-care are essential. If your reactions to the class begin to interfere with your functioning in and/or out of class, please do not hesitate to speak to the instructor.