Overview
This course reviews the history of career counselling and discusses a sampling of career development theories, the general process of career counselling, the career concerns of diverse client populations, and different settings in which career counsellors work. This course alone will not prepare students to be practicing career counsellors, but it will provide familiarity with the field of career counselling.
Outline
Psychology 200 consists of eight units. Units 1 and 2 introduce some of the background information that you will need to understand career counselling, Units 3 through 6 focus on the generic stages in the career-counselling process, and Units 7 and 8 discuss factors that mediate the career-counselling process (that is, diverse client needs and various settings in which career counsellors work).
- Unit 1: Introduction to Career Counselling
- Unit 2: Introduction to Career-Development Theories
- Unit 3: Developing the Relationship and Defining the Career Concern
- Unit 4: Exploring the Problem—Understanding the Self
- Unit 5: Exploring the Problem—Contextual and Labour Market Options
- Unit 6: Action Planning and Evaluation
- Unit 7: Career Development and Diverse Populations
- Unit 8: Career Counselling in Different Settings
Evaluation
To receive credit for this course, students must complete all of the assessments and achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) for the entire course. The final grade is determined by the weighted average of the grades received on the assessment activities.
| Activity | Weight |
| Career Questionnaire | 5% |
| Four Application Papers: 12.5% x 4 | 50% |
| Quiz 1 | 7.5% |
| Quiz 2 | 10% |
| Quiz 3 | 7.5% |
| Research Project | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Amundson, N. E., Harris-Bowlsbey, J., & Niles, S. G. (2014). Essential elements of career counseling: Processes and techniques (3rd ed.). Pearson Education Inc.
Niles, S. G., & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. (2017). Career development interventions (5th ed.). Pearson Education Inc.
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Greenwood, A., Amundson, N. E., & Niles, S. G. (2006). Career counseling: Work in progress, Parts 1 and 2. [DVD]. Pearson.
Other Materials
All of your Athabasca University materials will be found at your online course site. Key course materials include the Course Information, the Study Guide, and assignments and quizzes.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the PSYC 200 challenge registration, you must achieve D (50 percent) on the invigilated exam.
Challenge for credit course registration form