COUN 514 Career Counseling and Testing

Study of theories of career development and the use of career information and testing in career counseling. This course provides students an understanding of career development and related life factors. Students study career development theory and decision-making models, procedures for planning and conducting effective job searches, assessment instruments and techniques relevant to career planning and decision-making and the use of career information. Emphasis is placed on understanding the inter-relationships between career development and career decision-making, family, socio-economic status, leisure, individual interests, and abilities.

Credits

3

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will develop an understanding of the major theories of career development, occupational choice, and career decision-making.
2. Students will understand career and lifestyle choices made throughout an individual’s lifespan and the processes involved in making these choices.
3. Students will gain an understanding of and experience with assessment tools useful in career decision-making and how to integrate assessment results into career counseling interventions.
4. Students will gain an understanding of how personality, skills, values, and interests influence career development.
5. Students will develop an understanding of how contextual factors (intersections of individual and cultural differences) influence the pursuit and experience of work.
6. Students will learn about their own career and lifestyle development to assist them in their own career decision-making.
7. Students will gain experience providing career counseling through case studies.
8. Students will gain knowledge of how to evaluate the efficacy of interventions and programs as they will likely be required to engage in program development and/or evaluation at some point in their career and the impact of spiritual beliefs on clients’ and counselors’ worldviews.