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  • Michigan Technological University
  • Career Services
  • 107 Harold Meese Center
  • 1400 Townsend Drive
  • Houghton, MI 49931-1295
  • career@mtu.edu
  • Tel. 906-487-2313
  • Fax 906-487-3317
  • Hours: Mon - Fri, 8-5pm

UN 2990 Syllabus

Course Syllabus Fall 2006
Michigan Technological University

Time: 4:05-4:55
Location: ME-EM 303
Instructor: Jeff Kangas
University Career Services, Room 106
487-3320
jakangas@mtu.edu
Teacher Assistant: Rachel Juntunen
rjuntune@mtu.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment Office Hours: By Appointment
Course Description: In this one credit course, students will learn about the process of career development and planning, which includes self-assessment, job search strategies, awareness of workplace issues, and decision-making. Students will develop skills that, along with their education, can lead to achieving personal goals and career success.
Key Learning Outcomes: Students successfully completing this course will
  • Actively engage in vital job searching skills
  • Identify competencies sought by employers
  • Become aware of theories regarding career development
  • Assess personal interests, values, and skills
  • Realize how personal interests, values, and skills influence career development
  • Learn about and use a variety of resources to explore occupational options
  • Acquire knowledge of current workplace issues and expectations
  • Use decision-making skills for effective career/life planning and management
Required Textbook: The Career Fitness Program: Exercising Your Options, (Sukiennik, Bendat, Raufman), Eighth Edition 2007, ISBN 0131702947
Course Duties: Inasmuch as duties are synonymous with obligatory tasks and/or requirements, the following duties will need to be completed successfully in order to obtain the aforementioned key learning outcomes
  • Attend class regularly and promptly
  • Complete and submit assignments
  • Participate in class, with positive action
  • Exercise mutual respect
  • Demonstrate initiative by going above and beyond the call of duty
Course Design: This course will be presented in three phases. The first phase will focus on preparing students for the Winter Job Fair. Job search strategies, resumes, cover letters, infomercials, and interviewing skills will be emphasized. The second phase will attend to issues pertaining to self-assessment. Students will engage in a process of personal assessment, including completing an interest inventory, values assessment and skills assessment. The third phase will concentrate on contemporary world of work and workplace issues.
Teaching Techniques: The instructor and students will engage in a variety of techniques and resources intended to create an active, meaningful and lasting learning experience. Techniques utilized will include lecture, group discussion, guest speakers, a field trip (Job Fair), sound bytes, video interactions, oral presentations, online submissions, and textbook readings. Key to the success of any of these techniques is the commitment by students to complete the assigned readings prior to each class session. With reading comes familiarity; with familiarity comes increased willingness to participate; and active participation supports retention of knowledge
Assignments and Grading Procedures: Final grades are based on attending class, performance on weekly assignments, quizzes, attendance at Winter Job Fair and a company Information Session, and a final project.


UN2990 Fall 2006
ASSIGNMENTS TO BE COMPLETED for...

...Week Two are: Exercise 9.1**
Chapter 9 Supplementary Exercise^^
(5 pts.)
(15 pts.)
Read Chapter 9
...Week Three are: ~Infomercial (10 pts.) Read Chapter 10
...Week Four are: ~Resume
~Cover Letter
(25 pts.)
(15 pts.)
Read Chapter 11
...Week Five are: ~Interview Stream/Mock Interview
~Thank-You Letter
(30 pts.)
(10 pts.)
Practice Interview
This Week!!
...Week Six are: ~Attend Career Day
~Attend an Informational Session
(20 pts.)
(10 pts.)
No Class!!
...Week Seven are: ~One page paper summarizing experience at Career Day or an Information Session you attended
~Exercise 1.1**
(15 pts.)
(10 pts.)
Read Chapter 1
...Week Eight are: Exercise 2.1** Exercise 2.3** (10 pts.)
(10 pts.)
Read Chapter 2
  -------Spring break: March 10-18--------    
...Week Nine are: ~MyPlan Values Assessment
Choice of A) or B)
A) Retirement Newsletter Article^^
B) Reflection Paper on top five core values^^
(15 pts.)
(20 pts.)
Read Chapter 3
...Week Ten are: ~MyPlan Interest Assessment
~MyPlan Personality Assessment
(15 pts.)
(15 pts.)
Read Chapter 4
...Week Eleven are: ~MyPlan Skills Assessment
Chapter 5 Supplementary Exercise^^
(15 pts.) (10 pts.)
Read Chapter 5
...Week Twelve are: None   Read Chapter 6
...Week Thirteen are: ~Complete Exercise 7.6 for TWO careers** (Use O*NET, the Occupational Handbook, or MyPlan.com as resources to complete this assignment) (30 pts.)
Read Chapter 7
...Week Fourteen are: None    
...Week Fifteen are: ~Final Project (see options) (50 pts.)

The grading scale will be as follows:
Based on 420 points:

A100-95%(399 pts.)
AB94-90%(378 pts.)
B89-85%(357 pts.)
BC84-80%(336 pts.)
C79-75%(315 pts.)
CD74-70%(294 pts.)
D69-60%(252 pts.)
F<60%(< 252 pts.)
Subtotal370 pts.
Quizzes20 pts.
Attendance70 pts.
Total Points Possible 460
** Complete assignments on Companion Website and submit to instructor via email

^^ Instructions for completing assignment will be handed out in class week before due, completed assignment will be submitted to instructor via email as a word file attachment.

NOTICE: Complete all 15 assignments that are "~bold and italicized" and receive 50 Bonus Points!!



UN2990 Career Development Foundations
Spring 2007
Options for Final Project

Review the options below
Choose the option you prefer and inform the instructor by Week 9 (March 20)
  • Write a 3-4 page paper that addresses the following aspects of career development:
    1. How does understanding your MBTI code give you career direction and guide your decision making?
    2. Describe one short and one long-term goal that you are pursuing. Review the directions on page 209 (Activity 8.3) for assistance.
    3. Does your major fit your personality preferences, career interests, skills and values? Why is this major a good fit for you?
    4. What job search strategies will you implement in your next job search?
    5. Since taking this course, has your idea of a dream job changed? Are your career aspirations different? Explain.
  • Pick a partner. Choose a section of Chapter 6 (Striving for Equality in the Workforce; The Changing Workplace; Trends: the Twenty-First Century; or Finding your Place in a Changing World). Develop an outline of what you learned about the topic you chose and prepare a 3-5 minute presentation to deliver to the class.
  • Conduct an Information Interview. Follow directions p. 249 of textbook.
  • Present the instructor with an actual job offer in writing and you will receive full credit for completing the final project!
  • Propose and option of your own design