University of British Columbia

Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education

CNPS 363, Section 921 – Career Counselling
May – June 2010

Instructor: Laura Klubben, M.A.

E-mail: [email protected]
Office hours: By appointment only
Class Time & Location: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:30 – 7:30 PM, Scarfe 1005

Course Description

Career counselling is a collaborative process that helps clients to clarify, specify,

implement, and adjust to work-related decisions with the aim of assisting individuals in locating
a career that is meaningful, productive, and fulfilling. This course will critically survey career
development theories, issues, and practices that have specific applications to career counselling.
This course will review: (a) established and emergent theories of career development across the
life span; (b) issues and techniques of particular relevance to career assessment and career
counselling in schools, communities, and business practices; (c) career counselling with special
populations; and (d) developmental issues, transition points and counselling strategies associated
with the theories and career counselling. In order to facilitate practical understanding and
integrate theory and practice, this course emphasizes experiential exercises in addition to class
discussions and readings.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, the student will:

(1) Understand the major theoretical approaches that have guided the practice of career
counselling and research.

(2) Be familiar with different models of career counselling and interventions, and their
application to different client situations.

(3) Be aware of intake and assessment techniques in career counselling including the
incorporation of standardized assessment information into practice.

(4) Be able to review pertinent research and issues regarding career counselling with
particular groups (e.g., women, men, gay/lesbian/bisexual clients, people with
disabilities, etc.).

(5) Incorporate knowledge of diversity issues into career counselling practice.

CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 2

Required Texts & Readings

Amundson, N.E., Harris-Bowlsbey, J. & Niles, S.G. (2005). Essential elements of career
counseling: Processes and techniques. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Amundson, N.E., & Poehnell, G. R. (2003). Career Pathways (3rd ed.). Richmond, BC; Ergon
Communications.

Holland’s Self-Directed Search Form R (3 items): Package available at the UBC Bookstore.

CNPS 363 (003) Custom Course Materials: Reading package available at the UBC Bookstore.

Course Requirements & Assignments

Students are expected to attend all classes, complete assigned readings prior to class, participate
in discussions and exercises, and complete all tests and the take-home assignment on time. Late
submission of assignments will be reduced 10% each day after deadline.

Participation: 10%

Students are expected to attend all classes, complete all assigned reading, and participate in class
discussion and activities.

Mid-term In-class Exam: 30% May 27, 2010

For this exam students will be asked to demonstrate their knowledge through a case study
analysis and short-answer questions. Students will be given a case study and will be asked to
explain how various theorists would approach this case. Short answer questions related to
material covered in class and assigned readings will also be incorporated into this exercise.
Questions will be based on lectures and the assigned readings, whether or not material in the
readings has been explicitly covered in class.

Group Presentation: 25% June 10, 15, and 17 2010

Specific presentation dates will be assigned in class

Group presentations will focus on career theory and application as it relates to special
populations and special topics. The intent of this exercise is to create awareness around various
components that need to be taken into consideration when addressing the special career
counselling needs of particular populations. Each group will present information using a variety
of theoretical approaches to examine the unique needs of that given population.

Each presentation (in groups of 4-5) will be a total of 45 minutes and will consist of the
following:
CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 3

1. A 20 minute presentation in which all group members participate. You should focus your
“lecture” in the following areas:
• Unique needs of the particular population with regards to career
• Unique challenges of that particular population with regards to career, and career
counselling
• Review of theoretical approaches working with this population, paying particular
attention to specific assessment strategies and interventions.
• Brief review of the supporting literature
• Resources available to support working with this population
2. A 15-20 minute interactive discussion of the topic based on a case presentation.

3. Time for Q & A

4. Handout should be developed for instructor with presentation outline and key points in
each section (max 2 pages)

5. At least one week before the presentation group should recommend one reading (book
chapter or article) that is relevant to this presentation.

Special Populations:

1) Career counselling with youth/adolescents

2) Career counselling with young adults (i.e. 20-35ish)
3) Career counselling addressing Adult career transition
4) Career counselling with seniors/retirement
5) Career counselling with gay/lesbian/bi-sexual
6) Career counselling with clients who have disabilities
7) Career counselling multi-cultural/ESL groups/immigrants
8) Career counselling for men
9) Career counselling for women

Career Case Study Paper 35% June 17, 2010

This assignment is intended to demonstrate how theory is related to practice by guiding you
through your own career exploration process. Throughout this term we will review different
career development theories, and you will be asked to complete different interventions and
exercises that would normally be used in career counselling. You will use this information to
help you identify/refine your own career pathway. This paper should include the following
sections:

1. Background history
a. Provide a brief case history
b. Define the client’s career concern
2. Career development theory
a. Identify a theory that you will use to conceptualize this case
CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 4

b. Provide a brief review on the assumption and key components of this theory
c. Provide reflection on how this theory has helped you to understand this case
3. Assessment
a. Briefly review the literature and offer your own insights regarding the role of
assessment in career counselling
b. Discuss your experience with two different assessment protocols
i. Complete Holland’s Self-Directed Search (SDS)--. Test protocol and scoring
can be obtained at the PRTC (Scarfe 1100 )
ii. Engage in a process of career related self exploration by completing the
reading and exercises in Career Pathways on pages 15-33.
iii. Critical reflect on this experience by addressing the following questions: (1)
What was your experience of doing these two different activity (i.e. what did
you get out of it, what did you find helpful or hindering etc.)? (2) What do
you see as the strengths and weaknesses of each approach? (3) Which
approach do you think would be more useful to a client? Why or why not?
c. Identify assessment procedures you would use with this case
d. Summarize the information gathered and identify some hypothesis that you may want
to test
4. Interventions
a. Outline interventions used with this case
b. Discuss the impact that some of these interventions had on the career counselling
process
5. Decision making, Action Planning, and Follow-up
a. Briefly review the literature on decision making approaches used in career
counselling
b. Outline an action plan that can be implemented
c. Discuss the follow-up process you will use with this client
6. Personal Reflections
a. Upon the completion of this exercise discuss your personal reflections on this
experience (i.e. what did you learn, what did you find helpful/hindering to this
process, what personal/environmental barriers made career planning more
challenging etc.)

Please Note: You must include a stamped self-addressed envelope when you hand in your
paper so it can be mailed to you after it has been marked.

Websites of Interest:

University of Waterloo’s Online Career Development Manual:

www.cdm.uwaterloo.ca

BC-based Career Development Information:

www.workinfonet.bc.ca

BC-based Labour Market and Occupational Information

CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 5

workfutures.bc.ca

National Occupational Classification (NOC) (Canadian)

www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/generic/welcome.shtml

Richard Bolles’ (What Color is your Parachute?) Job Hunter’s Site:

www.jobhuntersbible.com

National Career Development Association (click on “Internet Resources”)

www.ncda.org

Online Occupational Classification System

http://onlineonetcenter.org/skills
 CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 6

Class Schedule

Note: The assigned readings must be completed prior to the day of the class, and will form the
basis of lecture, discussion, and activities.

Class Date Topic/ Activities Readings/

Assignments
1 May - Introductions to each other & to the - Ch. 1, 3 – Essential Elements
11 course - Ch. 1 – Career Pathways
- Review of course requirements - Herr (2001)
- Introduction to and history of career
counselling
2 May - Theories of Career Counselling - Ch. 2 p. 12-20 – Essential Elements
13  Holland (Trait & Factor) - Ch. 2 p. 15-23 – Career Pathways
 Super (Developmental) - Sharf (2002a)
 Positive Uncertainty - Super, Savickas, & Super (1996)
Creating groups for presentations - Gelatt & Gelatt (2003)
- Gelatt (1989)
3 May - Theories of Career Counselling - Ch. 2 p. 21-24 – Essential Elements
18  Social Learning & - Ch. 2 p. 24-26 – Career Pathways
Cognitive - Sharf (2002b)
 Planned Happenstance - Mitchell, Levin, & Krumboltz (1999)
- Guest speaker – Dr. Norm - Krumboltz (2009)
Amundson
4 May - Theories of Career Counselling - Ch. 2 p. 24-27 – Essential Elements
20  Constructivist Theory - Ch. 2 p. 27-29 – Career Pathways
- Campbell & Ungar (2004a)
- Campbell & Ungar (2004b)
5 May - Problem identification & self- - Ch. 4, 5, 6, 7 – Essential Elements
25 exploration - Ch. 2 p. 30-33 – Career Pathways
- The career counselling relationship - Niles (1996)
6 May - Midterm Exam - MIDTERM EXAM
27
7 June 1 - Multicultural career counselling - Ch. 2 p. 34-37 – Career Pathways
In-class work on group presentations - Schmidt, & Nilsson (2006)
- Shea, Winnie Ma, & Yeh (2007)
8 June 3 - Assessment in career counselling - Ch. 2 p. 38-44 – Career Pathways
- Gysbers (2006)
- McMahonn & Patton (2002)
- PRTC – Holland’s Self-Directed Search
& attendant materials
9 June 8 - Consolidation, decision making and - Ch. 2 p. 45-49 – Career Pathways
action planning - Ch. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 – Essential Elements
- Ending the career counselling
relationship
- Guest speaker – Dr. Richard
 CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 7

Class Date Topic/ Activities Readings/

Assignments
Young
10 June - Group Presentations: - Presentations
10 - Readings assigned in class
11 June - Group Presentations: - Presentations
15 - Readings assigned in class
12 June - Group Presentations: - Presentations
17 - Summary and Review - Readings assigned in class
- Final Paper Due - Final Paper Due
 Recommended Reading

Amundson, N.E. (1998). Active engagement: Enhancing the career counselling process.
Richmond, B.C.: Ergon Communications.
Amundson, N.E. & Borgen, W.A. (1987). Coping with unemployment: What helps and what
hinders? Journal of Employment Counseling, 24(3), 97-106.
Amundson, N.E. & Poehnell, G.R. (1996). Career Pathways (2nd ed.). Richmond, B.C.: Ergon
Communications
Amundson, N.E., Poehnell, G., & Smithson, S. (1996). Employment counselling theory and
strategies: A book of readings. Richmond, B.C.: Ergon Communications.
Arthur, M.B., Inkson, K., & Pringle, J.K. (1999). The new careers: Individual action and
economic change. London: Sage.
Bolles, R.N. (2002). A practical manual for job-hunters and career changers: What color is
your parachute 2003? Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed.
Boldt, L.G. (1999). Zen and the art of making a living: A practical guide to creative career
design. New York: Penguin/Compass.
Borgen, W.A. (1997). People caught in changing career opportunities: A counselling process.
Journal of Employment Counseling, 34, 133-143.
Bridges, W. (1994). JobShift: How to prosper in a workplace without jobs. New York:
Addison-Wesley.
Brown, D., & Brooks, L. (Eds). (1996). Career choice and development: Applying
contemporary theories to practice. (3rd ed.). San Francisco: JosseyBass
Brown, D. & Srebalus, D.J. (1996). Introduction to the counseling profession. (2nd Ed.).
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Carlsen, M.B. (1988). Meaning-making: Therapeutic processes in adult development.
New York: W.W. Norton.
Cochran, L. (1997). Career counselling: A narrative approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Collin, A. & Young, R.A. (2000). The future of career. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge
University Press.
Counselling Foundation of Canada (2002). The future of career. London: Cambridge
University Press
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding flow in everyday life. New York: Basic Books.
Gelatt, H.B. (1989). Positive uncertainty: A new decision-making framework for counseling.
Journal of Counseling Psychology, 33, 252-256.
CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 9

Gysbers, N.C., Heppner, M.J., & Johnston, J.A. (2003). Career counseling: Process, issues
and techniques (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Hampden-Turner, C.M. & Trompenaars, F. (2000). Building cross-cultural competence. New
York: John Wiley & Sons.
Herr, E.L. (1999). Counseling in a dynamic society. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling
Association.
Herr, E.L. (1996). Toward convergence of career theory and practice: Mythology, issues and
possibilities. In M.L Savickas & W.B. Walsh (Eds.), Handbook of career counseling
theory and practice (pp. 70-85). Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black.
Herr, E.L., Cramer, S.H., & Niles, S.G. (2004). Career guidance and counseling through the
life span (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.
Inkson, K. & Amundson, N.E. (2002). Career metaphors and their application in theory and
counseling practice. Journal of Employment Counseling, 39, 98-108.
Isaacson, L.E. & Brown, D. (2000). Career information, career counseling, and career
development. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Lee, F.K. & Johnston, J.A. (2001). Innovations in career counseling. Journal of Career
Development, 27, 177-184.
Lewin, R. & Regine, B. (2000). Soul at work. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Mitchell, K.E., Levin, A.S., & Krumboltz, J.D. (1999). Planned happenstance: Constructing
unexpected career opportunities. Journal of Counseling and Development, 77, 115-124.
Niles, S., Goodman, J., & Pope, M. (Eds.). (2002). The career counseling casebook: A
resource for Practitioners, students, and counselor educators. Tulsa, OK: National
Career Development Association.
Niles, S.G. & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. (2002). Career development interventions in the 21st
century. Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Patton, W. & McMahon, M. (1999). Career development and systems theory: A new
relationship. Scarborough, ON: Brooks/Cole Publishing
Peavy, R.V. (1997). SocioDynamic counselling: A constructivist perspective. Victoria, B.C.:
Trafford Publishers.
Poehnell, G. & Amundson, N. (2002). CareerCraft: Engaging with, energizing, and
empowering creativity. In M. Peiperl, M. Arthur & N. Anand (Eds.), Career creativity:
Explorations in the remaking of work. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press.
Riverin-Simard, D. (1988). Phases of working life. Montreal: Meridian Press.
Savickas, M.L. & Lent, R. (1994). Convergence in career development theories. Palo Alto,
CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Sharf, R.S. (2002). Applying career development theory to counseling (3rd ed.). Pacific Grove,
CA: Brooks/Cole.
CNPS 363 (Sec 921) Spring 2010 Course Syllabus Page 10

Swanson, J.L. & Fouad, N.A. (1999). Career theory and practice: Learning
through case studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Zunker, V.G., & Osborn, D.S. (2002). Using assessment results for career
development (6th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.