Summer, 2015

FT546

Furrow

FT546 LIFE DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER COUNSELING James L. Furrow.

DESCRIPTION:

This course provides an overview of the theory and practice of adult development and career counseling including a focus on its relevance in mental health practice. This course examines the unique issues of career direction and development common in emerging and later adulthood. Special attention is given to exploring the role of vocational calling in adulthood and the role of spirituality in shaping an understanding of career purpose and vocation.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Students will apply theories of adult development to the practice of career counseling.

2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of career decision making across adulthood.

3. Students will evaluate the application of self-help resources to personal and career development.

4. Students will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of a specific career counseling topic including its relevance to the study of life development and practice of career counseling.

RELATIONSHIP TO SCHOOL AND SEMINARY LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Demonstrate the ability to provide excellent preventative and or transformational mental health services to church and community.

2. Graduates, in their scholarly and clinical work will be equipped to apply the insights of Christian theology along with the knowledge and techniques of the social and behavioral sciences.

3. Graduates will demonstrate the ability to identify critical issues of diversity and make appropriate responses.

COURSE FORMAT:

This is an online course involving 10 weeks of instruction online via moodle. The course includes a limited face to face contact with the instructor that will be scheduled during the quarter. Online instruction includes lecture and discussion for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students have an option of taking the course for 4 or 5 units.

REQUIRED READING:

Arnett, J. (2004). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from late teens through the twenties. Oxford University Press.

Buckingham, M. & Clifton, D. O. (2001). Now discover your strengths. New York: The Free Press.

Capuzzi, D. & Stauffer, M D. (2012). Career counseling: Foundations, Perspectives and Applications. 2^nd Edition. Routledge Press.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballentine Books.

Labberton, M. (2014). Called. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press.

Loehr, J. & Schwartz, T. (2003). The power of full engagement. New York: Free Press.

Palmer, P. (2000). Let your life speak: Listening for the voice of vocation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Sharf, R. S. (2009). Applying career development to counseling, 5^th Edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks Cole Publishing.

Smith, Gordon T. (1999). Courage and calling: Embracing your god given potential. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Vocation Journal and Summary. Student will maintain a vocation journal to record their personal reflections and experiences in response to the readings for the course. After completing course readings the student will write a synthesis response paper that identifies key influences, themes, resources, and decisions that have and continue to influence a personal understanding of vocation.

2. Moodle Reflections. Students will respond to four 250-word personal reflection posts focusing on their personal understanding of career, vocation, and calling.

3. Case study and Synthesis Paper. The student will interview 3 adults about their process of career choice and development. Interviews should include examples of early career, mid-career, and late career development. Findings from each case study should be summarized in a 3 – 5 page summary documenting the personal and career development issues identified in the interview.

4. Summary Paper. This paper should integrate the reading and interviews conducted in the directed study. The student should address the following concerns: vocational assessment, counseling interventions, and potential career resources that one might use if counseling an individual through stages of career transition and adjustment. The paper will integrate findings from the key issues raised across these three phases of career development. This paper should be 2500 – 3000 words.

5. Annotated Bibliography. (Required for 5 units) Student will identify a topic or issue related to life development or career counseling to explore in greater depth. The bibliographic should annotate 10 articles focused on this topic that have been published within the past 10 years.

PREREQUISITES:

FS500 and FS505.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:

MSMFT Elective

FINAL EXAMINATION:

None.