Course Syllabus Counselor Education 840 Career Development and Counseling Instructor: Molly Mistretta, Ph.D. mistrema@westminster.edu Adult and Graduate Studies Westminster College Office Hours: 724-946-7182 Available by appointments call or email 302 Old Main Catalog Description: Course Description: A study of the theories of career development, assessment, decision-making, counseling and program development with regular and exceptional student populations. Practical utilization of electronic and conventional career resources will be highlighted. This course provides theoretical and experiential base for the practice of career counseling. Emphasis is placed upon the theories that explain career development, the research that supports these theories and the ways in which the school counselor may provide relevant K 12 career development services that are grounded in research and theory. The exploration of personal career development will assist the student to expand and deepen the understanding of various theories studied. Traditional and electronic occupational information and assessment techniques will be utilized. Textbooks: Curry, J. & Milsom, A. (2013)., Career Counseling in P-12 Schools. Springer Publishing Company: New York Rationale: The purpose of the course is to provide the student with the necessary theoretical knowledge and experience bases to prepare them for counseling students and clients in the areas of career choice, career planning and career adjustment. A concomitant purpose of the course is to assist students in understanding the central role of work in life-style and in one s developmental processes. **Class attendance is mandatory. After one (1) absence the instructor has the right to lower the final grade one-letter grade for each additional absence. 1
*The instructor reserves the right to alter/adjust the syllabus as necessary Requirements 1. Class attendance and participation As this class will incorporate important experiential group work in addition to didactic experiences, your attendance, promptness and participation are vital. Absences or tardiness not due to contractual obligations, physical illness or personal emergency will result in a grade reduction. Inform the instructor regarding any issues that may affect attendance and participation. 2. Quizzes covering assigned readings, lectures, and videos. 3. Review of literature geared for use with K-12 audiences. 4. Online reflection pieces asking students to critically analyze course material with application to practice. 5. Students will be asked to create a career counseling case. Students will identify and document a need within the career domain. Using theoretical concepts and covered in class, students will design and demonstrate an intervention focused on responding to the identified need within the career domain. Program Statement The Counselor Education program prepares counselors to serve students, school staff, families and the community at large. To be prepared to work with these constituents effectively, students must be able to perform adequately in academic work, conduct themselves in an appropriate interpersonal manner and be open to opportunities for personal exploration and growth. A student s continuation in the program may be delayed if his or her academic performance, interpersonal or emotional well-being interferes with learning or the operation of the program. Students have the right and personal responsibility to only share or disclose issues and information with which they feel comfortable. If at any time during the group process you feel discomfort or unable to continue, you can request to stop any group activity. This applies for the class groups and the Titan Traverse. However, if you find yourself very uncomfortable with the nature and activities required by this course as well as the counseling practice and issues one must face, you may prefer to drop this course. Academic Integrity Students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity. Plagiarism, cheating and class disruptiveness is not permitted. Students should be intimately familiar with Westminster College s Academic Integrity Policy. The Westminster Policy 2
provides a detailed description of what is considered academic integrity, behaviors which are viewed as breaches of the policy, the procedures that will be followed in every case of violation of the policy and the consequences of violating the policy. Students are also required to follow the Pennsylvania Code for Professional Practice and Conduct. Failure to access and to become familiar with either code is not justifiable excuses. All written work will be electronically submitted to Turnitin.com, a plagiarism detection service. Details about this service will be described in class. Cheating on exams or assignments, plagiarism, or class disruptiveness may result in penalties ranging from an F on an assignment or the course to expulsion, depending on the seriousness of the offense. Unless specifically described, all assignments are to be done individually and not in groups. Electronic Devices and Class Disruption The operation of cell phones, pagers, text messaging, etc., are not permitted unless advanced permission is given by the instructor for emergency situations. The Academic Integrity Policy will serve as a guide for instructor response. Disability Policy Students who desire some form of accommodation for a diagnosed learning disability or physical problem must inform their instructors at the beginning of each semester (within two weeks) as to the nature of the disability and type of accommodation requested. If the disability or physical problem is diagnosed during the semester, students should inform their instructors immediately of the problem and accommodations needed. Student with disabilities should also inform the Disabilities Coordinator in the Office of Student Affairs, who is available to assist in evaluating the disability and to facilitate communication between the College and the student in considering special accommodations. The type of accommodation provided will depend on the needs of the student, the circumstances of the student s classes, and the resources of the College. Grading 96-100 Of all possible points= A+ 94-95 = A 92-93 = A- 90-91 = B+ 84-89 = B 82-83 = B- 80-81 = C+ 74-79 = C 72-73 = C- 65-71 Of all possible points= D Below 65= Failure of course 3
Career Development Dates October 21 Introduction Ch. 1 & 2 Topics Due October 28 October 28 Due November 4 November 4 Due November 11 November 11 Due November 18 November 18 Due November November 25 December 2 Due December 9 December 9 Research and select book for book review Career Genogram Cultural Considerations in P-12 Career Development (Read Ch. 3) Career Assessment and Evaluation (Read Ch. 4) Career Curriculum and Development (Read Ch. 5) Local School Assessment Activity Grades P-1: Career Exposure (Read Ch. 6) Grades 2 & 3: Career Play and Exploration (Read Ch. 7) Grades 4 & 5: Preparing for the Middle School Transition (Read Ch. 8) Online Quiz #1 Grades 6 & 7: Career and Self-Awareness (Read Ch. 9) Grade 8: High School Transition Planning (Read Ch. 10) Book Review Due Online Quiz #2 Grade 9: Focus on Academic and Work Habits (Read Ch. 11) Grade 10: Career and College Planning (Read Ch. 12) Online Quiz #3 Grade 11: Career and College Preparation (Read Ch. 13) Grade 12: Postsecondary Transitions (Read Ch. 14) Online Quiz #4 Final Presentations on Career Counseling Case Career Counseling Case Paper/Lesson Plans Due 4
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