CCMH/540 - Career and Vocational Counseling

Course Description

This course provides the student with a comprehensive overview of vocational theory and career counseling. It includes the historical foundations of vocational theory and the relationship of these to skills and techniques utilized in career counseling and vocational development practices. Vocational and career counseling is examined as an integral component of the overall assessment and treatment of clients representing diverse populations found within the scope of community, mental health, and marriage and family counseling. Emphasis is placed on the examination of adults in transition and the nature of work in a changing world. Students develop competencies necessary to provide career and vocational counseling to clients across the lifespan.

This graduate course is 6 weeks.

This course has a prerequisite. Please see details in the Prerequisite section below. Students may complete a maximum of four (4) graduate level courses from the available counseling course selection.

Students residing in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, or North Carolina and individuals who live outside the United States are not eligible to enroll in this course.

PLEASE NOTE:
Attendance and participation are mandatory in all university courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

Course Objectives

Week 1

• Examine the evolving nature of work and attitudes toward work.
• Explain the influence of work in people’s lives.
• Identify current, appropriate labor market information for your state.
• Analyze work roles in relationship to diversity and global perspectives that affect the perceptions and values of individuals.
• Evaluate your personal values regarding work and changing work roles in relationship to your counseling style.
• Describe approaches for assessing the conditions of the work environment on client’s life experiences.
• Describe the need for career development services.

Week 2

• Examine major theories of vocational development as a basis for career counseling.
• Identify common resources related to determining career choice and career development.
• Identify approaches for conceptualizing the interrelationships among and between work, mental well-being, relationships, and other life roles and factors.

Week 3

• Analyze the relevance of career and vocational education and counseling in relationship to the overall mental health and well-being of individuals.
• Examine the appropriate use of assessment measures for career planning and decision making in career counseling.
• Determine appropriate decision-making processes from various theoretical frameworks.
• Demonstrate theory-based career counseling skills to facilitate client development of career, educational, and life–work planning and management skills.

Week 4

• Describe the differences between vocational guidance and career counseling practices across the developmental stages of clients through the lifespan.
• Describe special considerations in the career counseling of children, adolescents, and adults.
• Describe career guidance programs in institutions of higher learning.
• Identify career development options for adults in transition.
• Explain the role of technology resources in career counseling.

Week 5

• Examine special issues related to career counseling for men, women, and families.
• Differentiate between the special needs associated with multicultural groups in regard to career development.
• Identify issues related to career counseling for clients with disabilities.
• Examine strategies for advocating for diverse clients’ career and educational development and employment opportunities in a global economy.
• Analyze the various legal issues related to fair employment practices and worker rights and responsibilities.
• Demonstrate strategies for career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation.

Week 6

• Determine the levels of career and vocational counseling when developing a comprehensive treatment plan.
• Demonstrate skills and techniques necessary to provide career and vocational counseling to clients in a variety of settings.
• Integrate career and vocational guidance processes into comprehensive professional counseling competencies appropriate as a treatment resource for a broad and diverse client base.
• Explain the importance of professional counselor identity and ethical standards for the practice of vocational guidance and career counseling interventions.

Notes

A prerequisite is required for this course. The purpose of a prerequisite is to ensure students have the knowledge and/or skills needed to be successful in the course. Students are required to provide proof of prerequisite during the enrollment/registration process. To meet to a course prerequisite requirement, a student must have successfully completed the prerequisite course at University of Phoenix, provide proof via transcript of completing a comparable course (at least 75% match) or higher level course with at least a grade of C at another institution or have a University of Phoenix approved Student Appeal on file with the University.

This course requires the prerequisite below. Click on the prerequisite course to review the course topics and objectives.

Disclaimers

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.

While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with an Enrollment Representative.

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.