COUC-522 Career Development and Counseling

School of Behavioral Sciences - Counselor Education & Family Studies

Course Description

This course provides students with an understanding of career development and the interrelated life factors. Students explore career development theory, decision-making models, effective job search strategies, assessment instruments, and techniques relevant to career planning. The course places a strong emphasis on understanding the interrelationships between career development and career decision-making and factors such as faith, values, personality, family, socioeconomic status, leisure, individual interests and abilities, and other life roles.

Requisites

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

The rationale behind this course is grounded in the reality that most individuals spend a significant portion of their lives in work-related roles. Career counseling becomes essential as clients navigate career development through different stages of their lives. The course equips counselors to assist clients in exploring self and the world of work, values and life roles, and the interaction of these factors with their career identity.

Method of Instruction

This 8-week course is delivered digitally in an asynchronous format using Canvas as the primary instructional method. Students are expected to complete one module per week.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, students will be able to:

1. Describe and apply various career development theories and decision-making models to career counseling with diverse populations.
2. Analyze and utilize resources for career, educational, occupational, and labor market information in career counseling.
3. Explain and demonstrate the career development planning and counseling processes, including implementation, evaluation, and follow-up for specific populations in a global economy.
4. Identify and apply the interrelationships among work, family, and other life roles, including multicultural issues in career development.
5. Evaluate and use assessment instruments and techniques relevant to career planning and decision-making in a culturally sensitive manner.
6. Describe and apply career counseling processes, techniques, and resources, particularly for specific populations in a global economy.
7. Articulate career counseling from a Christian perspective, integrating Biblical principles in a professional and ethical manner.

Key Performance Indicator Matrix Assignments

1. KPI 4 (2.F.4): Apply career theory, assessment resources, social and cultural factors, and planning principles to client career development.
2. KPI 7 (2.F.7): Demonstrate appropriate use of assessment relevant to academic, educational, career, personal, and social development, identifying ethical, social, and cultural factors related to assessment.
3. KPI 8 (2.F.8): Articulate the importance of using research to inform counseling practice, evaluate and apply research using best practices, and identify social and cultural implications for interpreting and reporting results.

Course Resources

• Liberty University Online Bookstore
• Computer with basic audio/video output equipment.
• Internet access (broadband recommended).
• Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
• Canvas recommended browsers.

Course Assignments

• Textbook Readings and Lecture Presentations: Various resources provided to understand the theoretical and practical aspects of career counseling.
• Course Requirements Checklist: To be completed after reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations.
• Discussions: Four discussions designed to develop critical thinking and communication skills.
• Career Inventory Activity: A non-graded activity involving various career assessments.
• Benchmark Assignments: Including Career Self-Assessment & Exploration and Career Development Program Proposal.
• Quizzes: Eight quizzes covering the material in each module.

Course Grading

• Course Requirements Checklist: 10 points
• Discussions (4 @ 80 points each): 320 points
• Benchmark: Career Self-Assessment & Exploration Assignment: 200 points
• Career Services Visit, Résumé, and Critique Assignment: 70 points
• Benchmark: Career Development Program Proposal Assignment: 200 points
• Quizzes (8 @ 25 points each): 200 points
• Quiz: Dispositions Reflection: 10 points
• Total: 1010 points

Course Policies

Includes details on late assignments, disability assistance, course attendance, grading scale, add/drop policy, honor code, and more. Specific policies ensure that students maintain academic integrity and comply with administrative requirements.

Schedule

Module 1: Week 1

• Learn: Read 3 items, watch 2 items.
• Apply: Quiz on Career Introduction and Theory.

Module 2: Week 2

• Learn: Read 2 items, watch 4 items.
• Apply: Discussion on Career Counseling Skills and Interventions; Career Inventory Activity Assignment; Quiz on Career Development Theories, Counseling Strategies, and Interventions.

Module 3: Week 3

• Learn: Read 1 item, watch 3 items, explore 1 item.
• Apply: Discussion on Happenstance Theory Application; Quiz on Recent/Postmodern Theories and Assessment.

Module 4: Week 4

• Learn: Read 1 item, watch 1 item, explore 1 item.
• Apply: Discussion on Culturally Competent Career Development; Quiz on Culturally Competent Career Development.

Module 5: Week 5

• Learn: Read 1 item, watch 2 items, explore 2 items.
• Apply: Benchmark: Career Self-Assessment & Exploration Assignment; Quiz on Career Technology, Resources, and Information Uses.

Module 6: Week 6

• Learn: Read 1 item, watch 3 items.
• Apply: Discussion on Counseling Children; Career Services Visit, Résumé, and Critique Assignment; Quiz on Counseling Children.

Module 7: Week 7

• Learn: Read 1 item, watch 1 item.
• Apply: Benchmark: Career Development Program Proposal Assignment; Quiz on Career Development: Higher Education, and Community Settings.

Module 8: Week 8

• Learn: Read 3 items, watch 2 items, explore 1 item.
• Apply: Quiz on Ethical Career Planning; Quiz: Dispositions Reflection.

This schedule details weekly learning themes, reading materials, discussion topics, and the specific quizzes and assignments planned for each week. It is structured to ensure comprehensive coverage of the course content, aiming to foster in-depth understanding and application of career development theories and practices.