WESTERN
SEMINARY -
3 credit hours
Norman Thiesen, Ph.D., Professor
503 517-1864
Summer Semester 2004
This course is an introduction to theories of career development/counseling and an analysis of the world of work. Processes are identified through which occupational/educational and personal/social information may be integrated for career/life planning.
*Identify a theology of work and the value it has for a person’s life experience.
*Conceptualize and discuss the process of vocational decision making.
*Identify values, interests, abilities, needs and other self characteristics as they relate to
the self-dimension of vocational choice.
*Describe a variety of career developmental theories.
*Able to explain and utilize career tools for assessment.
*Design a career assessment protocol.
*Utilize counseling skills in assisting others with vocational decision making.
*State the relationship between work, family, leisure, hobbies and other life roles as
related to career development
*Discuss issues of cultural diversity and the workplace.
· Gain understanding of career counseling
· Gain understanding of basic career counseling skills
· Gain understanding of career counseling resources
· Recognize and gain confidence of own career development and decisions
· Recognize and gain confidence of own values, talents, interests
· Recognize and accept own style of career counseling
· Experience various aspects of career counseling
Textbooks
Sweet, Leonard. (1999) SoulTsunami.
Professor Handouts
Free
& Inexpensive Career Materials: A Resource Directory. 3rd Ed.
(2001)
Liptak, John. (2001). Treatment
Planning in Career Counseling,
1. Read texts at mastery level at assigned times and come to class prepared to discuss.
2. Read reading packet at mastery level. Write about a paragraph (½ page)
reaction/interaction to each article.
Familiarity level. This level assumes knowledge of the material assigned and leads to accountability in class. (45 pages per hour).
Mastery level. Reading at this level will average about 20 pages per hour and assumes careful reflective interaction with the ideas, note taking, and will lead to accountability in class, and papers at a mastery level (1000 pages = 50 hours).
These are intended to serve as flexible guidelines or rules of thumb; they are not thought to be rigid. It is certainly understood that books are printed with varying numbers of words per page and written to varying reading levels.
Library/Web Research
1. Create a resource of Internet addresses concerning career assessment and
placement. You may work with your classmates in exchanging information
and ideas, but each will hand in a separate binder of information. The
Internet Directory shall have at least the following categories:
· Resumes
· Job interview skills
· Career testing
· Job search
· Special populations (minorities, disabilities, etc.)
· Ministry jobs
· Miscellaneous
-this is a broad guideline you may create more categories and subcategories
2. Take at least 3 career assessments on yourself. Write a 1 page paper for each
assessment analyzing the results. Is this assessment helpful or not, in what way,
who would you use it with? etc. Also analyze the instrument as to the benefits (or
lack there of) for career counseling.
Written Work
1. What is your theology of work? What role should work play in your life and ministry? Reflect on how (or how desire) your spiritual and vocational life intersect. Read any 100 pages from Soul Tsunami and integrate that material into your observations. This paper should be 3-4 pages in length.
2. Write a short narrative of your work history. Begin with your earliest childhood memories of what you wanted to do when you grew up. Describe any work experience you had while growing up. Include all education and training you gained throughout the years. Address your career decision-making process throughout your life. What people or events influenced your career path? What lead you to choose a career in counseling? This must be a graduate level reflection on your career development from childhood to today. The paper should be 3-4 pages in length.
3. Create a cover letter and personal resume as if applying for a job. The ad in the
paper stated there was an opening for a counselor at the ABC clinic (license not
required).
4 Interview someone concerning their career goals, development, aspirations, etc. The
goal of this assignment is to gather information and identify some of the issues
an individual may be going through in relation to their career development process.
Write the paper as if you were completing a formal career in-take assessment/report.
Include in your paper any assessments you would want to use, assignments you
might give, etc. Conclude with recommendations for the individual to consider if
further career counseling were considered. The paper should be about 4-5 pages in
length.
5. Prepare a presentation with your assigned group on one of the following topics.
Provide the class with handouts and a bibliography. Be as comprehensive as possible with the time allowed.
Suggested format
-literature/research review
-what are the issues
-what is this population
-what is the research or activities in this area
-program implementation
-what do programs that work look like
-who is doing what and where
-conclusions
-what are the implications
-what further suggestions do you have
-where do we go from here
-class discussion
Topic areas: Emotional intelligence in the work place
Vocational guidance for refugees and/or non-English speaking
immigrants
Vocational guidance in the inner city or urban areas
The churches role or opportunities in vocational, job search and
placement
International vocations (missions perspective)
Retirement/leisure counseling
Vocational guidance for single mothers
Vocational guidance for ex-criminals
Creative approaches to vocational guidance for home schoolers
Contemporary HR issues
Papers must be written to a near-thesis standard. That is, minimum format standards must be met, as defined below. English grammar, idiom and spelling must be up to graduate level. Always include a strong introduction paragraph-declare what you intend to show the reader-and conclusion paragraph. Qualities valued include clarity, succinctness, and precision.
· 1” margins top, bottom and sides
· Double-space (= 3 vertical lines per inch, 27 lines per page)
· 12-point standard.
· Indent paragraphs 5 spaces or 0.6 inch (Western’s Thesis standard is 5/8 inch)
· No extra line-feed between paragraphs (Format-Paragraph-Space After)
· Underline section headings
· Staple; no paperclips, folders, or fanfold
· Page numbers
· Title page is preferred. Any paper sent by email must include a title page.
10% of the grades on the typed papers will be Form, that is, conformity to the above standards. (Our purpose is to motivate all Western Seminary students to present work that consistently looks as good as its content is.)
All work must reflect Master’s Level use of the English Language. Plagiarism will result in failure of the first assignment so discovered. A second instance will result in failure in the course. Attendance: Attendance and active participation in class is expected.
Attendance/participation 100 points
Theology of work 50 points
Career narrative 100 points
Group presentation 150 points
Resume 50 points
Assessment 50 points
Intake 50 points
Internet 100 points
Texts/handouts 100 points
Total 750 points
*Points will be deducted for lateness.
*Grade will be determined by accumulated points and curved according to class
standing.
*Any student with a diagnosed learning disability is encouraged to talk to the professor
as soon as possible concerning alternative methods of fulfilling course requirements.
Texts and handouts 30 hrs.
Internet 5 hrs.
Presentation 20 hrs.
Theology of work 5 hrs.
Career narrative 5 hrs.
Resume 5 hrs.
Intake 5 hrs.
Assessments 5 hrs.
90 hours
|
Dates |
Topics |
Assignments Text Written Work |
|
July 13 |
Class Introduction Theology of work Resumes/Job interviews |
|
|
July 15 |
History Counseling skills Treatment planning
|
Figler/Bolles 1-6
|
|
July 20 |
Assessment
|
Figler/Bolles 7-11 Theology of Work Resume
|
|
July 22 |
Theories Procedures |
Figler/Bolles 12-22
|
|
July 27 |
Theories Values
|
Figler/Bolles 23-31 Narrative of Work Assessments |
|
July 29 |
Special populations Future directions
|
Figler/Bolles 32-36 Handouts |
|
Aug 3 |
Reports |
Class presentations
|
|
Aug 5 |
Reports |
Class presentations Internet
|
|
Aug 10 |
Reports
|
Intake
|
Presentation Format/Flow ____ 25 points
Creativity ____ 25 points
Presentation Content/Information ____ 50 points
Quality of Resources/Handouts ____ 50 points
Total Points for Project ____ 150 points