COUN 207: Pathways to Careers in Business and Information Technology/Systems

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2021
Credits: 3
Total Contact Hours: 54
Lecture Hours : 54
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 108
Strongly Recommended: ENGL 101.
Transferable to CSU: Yes
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

Catalog Course Description

This course will introduce students to the main components of identifying a major in business/information technology. Career fields include, but are not limited to, management, marketing, sales, real estate, banking, finance, human resources, database administration, and computer support for business organizations. Through self-assessment students will explore their work interests, personality, skills, values, strengths, and life goals in order to find purpose in their academic curriculum. This course will include career planning, occupational research, and decision-making to formulate a real-world perspective on the local and national opportunities in these fields and the requirements needed to achieve them. Students also gain job search, networking, and interview skills in preparation for an internship search, as well as how to research job trends, salary, employment projections, and educational requirements. 54 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Analyze career assessments as a resource for making career decisions
  • Identify networking opportunities and create their personal brand using social media
  • Conduct occupational research on potential business/information technology career fields and local and national job opportunities
  • Evaluate literature and web resources regarding business/information technology work activities, work tasks, work context, work styles, wage and employment trends, job openings, and professional associations.
  • Conduct informational interviews to gather current business/information technology career information
  • Identify personal strengths, values, interests, skills, and personality traits in order to assess the degree of occupational compatibility correlated to them
  • Identify the ideal lifestyle correlated with personal career goals essential for living a balanced and satisfying lifestyle
  • Develop a career plan for an occupation of choice relevant to business/information technology, listing the appropriate classes, certificates, skills, and experience required

Major Course Content

  1. Values Assessment
    1. Values as they relate to Business or Information Technology career choice
    2. Influences on individual values (family, culture, religion)
    3. Role of values in contributing to a satisfying life and work environment
    4. Personal values and philosophies assessment
  2. Business and/or Information Technology Career Interest Inventories
    1. Interest inventories, evaluation and interpretation
  3. Personality Assessment
    1. Personality assessment test
    2. Personality traits desired in Business and/or Information Technology workers
    3. Soft skills necessary for professional interactions within Business and/or Information Technology
  4. Skills Assessment
    1. Skills assessment test to determine current skills set
    2. Skills set required for specific Business and/or Information Technology careers
  5. Business and/or Information Technology Careers
    1. Introduction to career resources:  management, entrepreneurship, accounting, marketing, sales, real estate, banking, finance, human resources, international business/trade/commerce, organizational leadership, management information systems, database administration, network systems, and computer support for business organizations.
  6. Business and/or Information Technology Occupational Data
    1. Career literature and web resources
    2. Labor market
    3. Economic trends and their effects on career choice
    4. Research methods and evaluation criteria
    5. Informational interviewing techniques as a resource for gathering career information
  7. Business and/or Information Technology Career Portfolio
    1. Evaluation of career research information
    2. Education and training needed for potential careers
    3. Development of short and long term goals
  8. Understanding Your Personal Profile
    1. Envision the future by defining success and passion
    2. Utilize personality assessment to determine an ideal Business and/or Information Technology occupation
  9. Determine Lifestyles and Values to be Satisfied and Happy
    1. Identify life satisfaction goals
    2. Happiness factor
    3. Balance with career goals and lifestyle goals
  10. Career Plan
    1. Determine suitable health career occupation
    2. Educational pathway and plan to career choice
    3. Certificate, skills and experience required of career choice
  11. Development of Teamwork Skills
    1. Effective communication
      1. Listening
      2. Speaking
      3. Non-verbal
      4. Written
    2. Critical thinking
    3. Problem solving
  12. Productive Work Habits and Attitudes
    1. Resilience strategies
    2. Interpersonal skills
    3. Coping skills
    4. Stress management

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

Occupational Research Assignment: After narrowing down occupational options, research a business/information technology in depth

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Business/information technology career exploration and comparison assignment

Examples of Outside Assignments

Informational Interview Assignment: Summarize results of informational interviews and evaluate in relationship to the business/information technology career.

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture