COUN 105: Success Strategies for Student Parents

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2024
Credits: 3
Total Contact Hours: 54
Lecture Hours : 54
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 108
Total Student Learning Hours: 162
Strongly Recommended: For college student parents and students who participate in the CalWORKs program and/or receive county assistance.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: Yes - Approved
Grading Method: Standard Letter

Catalog Course Description

This course is designed to help students who are parents navigate through college. Students will learn to create healthy habits for success by learning how to create nurturing relationships, form a parent alliance and explore self-development topics. This course is also designed to help student parents gain success skills such as time management, goal setting, and educational planning. College and career resources will be viewed through the perspective of a student-parent. 54 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Identify family history and relationship patterns
  • Recognize cycle of violence and unhealthy relationship signs
  • Develop positive decision making skills related to academic and personal goals
  • Create a support network for college student-parents
  • Examine the parent college student experience
  • Increase the knowledge of the CalWORKs program and county policies
  • Research and analyze career paths that are obtainable
  • Create a student educational plan that fits the students’ career and academic goals
  • Identify internal and external factors that contribute to student-parents’ college experiences/success
  • Learn college communication etiquette (emails, voice mails, office hours)
  • Identify college technology needs as a student-parent
  • Develop time management and study skills for student-parents
  • Connect with mental health, family organizations, and community resources for student-parents
  • Engage in positive self-exploration
  • Promote healthy co-parenting
  • Encourage self-care
  • Research the history of the welfare system
  • Examine the well-being and mental health of student-parents

Major Course Content

  1. Self-identity and development
    1. Family history
    2. Relationship patterns
      1. Cycle of violence
      2. Healthy relationships vs toxic relationships
      3. Divorce/separation
      4. Healthy communication
    3. Parenting and Co-parenting skills
      1. Learning coping mechanisms
    4. Leadership skills
      1. What is a leader?
    5. Growth mindset
  2. Decision making and planning
    1. Educational planning
    2. Career planning
    3. Review Focus2
    4. Career assessment/tools
    5. Decision making strategies
    6. Review guided pathways/CAP
    7. Transfer information/requirements  
  3. College success strategies
    1. Review mycitruscollege.edu
    2. Review Canvas
    3. Review degree audits
    4. College communication etiquette
    5. Campus resources
      1. Library services
      2. EOPS/CARE
      3. Financial Aid/Scholarships
      4. Counseling and advising
      5. Career and Transfer
      6. DSPS
      7. Honors
      8. Student Life
      9. Student Health Center
    6. Time management
    7. What is success?
  4. CalWORKs and county policies
    1. History of the welfare system
    2. CalWORKs requirements
    3. County updates/changes/policy
  5. Parenting success strategies
    1. Community resources
    2. Mental health and well-being
    3. Self-care
    4. Stress management
    5. Building community and support networks
      1. Previous CalWORKs students’ alum panel
      2. Creating a parenting support group/club/meet-up
      3. Transferring as a CalWORKs student:  What’s next?

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

The Five Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Student will have assigned reading from our self-help book and will be required to write a 3-5pg reflection paper. Students will research and write a 5-8pg paper about their family relationship history to develop a better understanding about their parenting and relationship habits/experiences.

Examples of Outside Assignments

Students will write personal journal entries with thought provoking topics. (10-12 journal entries/1-2pgs) Students will research and present about helpful on campus and community resources that can help them be successful students. Students will complete a time management log and review their time management habits

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture