Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 College Catalog 
    
2022-2023 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

STU 109 - Making Career Choices

2 Credits, 2 Contact Hours
2 lecture periods 0 lab periods

Development of skills and knowledge necessary to make a career selection. Includes career exploration and self-assessments, choosing an occupational area or specific career, and researching potential career opportunities. Also includes degrees and programs of study, goal setting, and job seeking skills.

Information: STU 109 is a 2 credit hour version of STU 106  that expands the career exploration process to include skills and strategies necessary to secure employment in the future.


Course Learning Outcomes
  1. Use self-assessments to identify work and personal values, skills, personality and interest preferences as they apply to various careers and the career decision making process 
  2. Employ various career research strategies (including experiential learning) to assist in the career exploration process.
  3. Identify appropriate programs of study and degree requirements for potential career choices.
  4. Create an educational plan that aligns with chosen educational and career goals and associated steps.
  5. Define stages of adult career development and their impact on career decision making.
  6. Gain knowledge of and develop career skills in resume and cover letter writing, interviewing techniques, and workplace culture and attire.

Outline:
  1. Self-Assessments
    1. Work and personal values
    2. Skills identification and development
    3. Interest and personality preference inventories
    4. Career clusters
    5. Potential career satisfaction through inventory application
  2. Researching Specific Careers
    1. Career information resources
    2. Information literacy and electronic career sources
    3. Experiential learning such as informational interviews, internships, job shadowing, and volunteer work
    4. Use of research to modify and further refine the career choice process
  3. Educational Planning
    1. Identifying courses required for a degree
    2. Level of education required for potential career choices
    3. Path to achieving educational requirements necessary for potential career options
  4. Goal Setting and Action Planning
    1. Personal biases and internal barriers
    2. Setting and attaining goals
  5. Adult Career Development
    1. Adult transitions and career fit
    2. Life stages and career change
  6. Professional Career Skills
    1. Résumé and cover letter development
    2. Letters of recommendation
    3. Interviewing strategies and practices
    4. Professional attire
    5. Workplace culture