Module Code - Title:
PM4138
-
PSYCHOLOGY OF SUSTAINABLE CAREERS
Year Last Offered:
N/A
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
This module is designed to examine how a wide range of career theories and concepts can be used to develop sustainable careers. Students will use theoretical concepts and explanations to evaluate factors influencing employability, as well as subjective and objective career success, at various life stages and in various contexts. It is intended to give students an understanding of the tension between active career self-management and contextual constraints and opportunities within the world of work. The focus is on the application of career theories to the students' own careers - past, present, and future.
Syllabus:
What is a Career? Contemporary career context and perspectives, "New" career forms; What is Career Success? Objective and subjective perspectives and measures of career success; Trait and factor theory; Theory of work adjustment; Person-environment fit theory; Matching personality to occupations; Matching interests to occupations; Sociological theories and perspectives influencing occupational choice and career success; Super's life stage - space theory; Gottfredson's theory of circumscription and compromise; Personal branding, Social capital, networking; Constructivist and narrative approaches to careers, Savickas's career theory; Krumboltz's social learning theory and happenstance learning theory; Career self-management, identifying career themes and implications; Setting career goals and plans
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
Critically evaluate the contribution of the major career theories and perspectives for practice.
Interpret psychological assessment scores and utilise results in career self-management.
Examine the context in which contemporary careers operate and interpret its impact on careers and career decision-making.
Manage career planning by setting strategic and operational goals
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
Reflect on their own career trajectory to inform career self-management skills and develop life-long learning
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The module is designed on experiential learning and flipped classroom principles. Delivery methods used include lectures, self- and environmental assessments, individual and group exercises, and in-class discussions. The module adopts an evidence-based approach by drawing on classic and contemporary career theories and empirical research from both national and international sources. In this module, students will reflect on their own careers (past, present and future) as a vehicle for understanding the importance of developing sustainable careers, while utilising life-long self-awareness and career self-management. Students will also be required to work in groups to discuss these self-assessment exercises, as well as how career concepts and theories apply to their own careers and lives and those of their classmates. These activities will encourage students to develop the UL graduate attributes of articulate (strong inter- and intra-personal skills, empathetic, collaborative) and agile (open-minded, independent, adaptive, flexible, responsive in actions). Through the module assessments, students will demonstrate their understanding of the course material and their ability to apply and critique various career theories, requiring students to demonstrate effective time-management and tenacity, and offering them an opportunity to become curious (problem-solver, critical, knowledgeable, inquisitive, imaginative) and courageous (tenacious, resilient, robust, transformative, enterprising, innovative). Ethical behaviour is an important part of self-assessment, interpersonal sharing, and career self-management more generally. Students will be expected to behave ethically in classroom discussions and demonstrate their awareness of ethical behaviour in their assignments. Doing so will also encourage them to be responsible (personally, socially, professionally, sustainably, and ethically responsible).
Prime Texts:
Greenhaus, J.H., Callanan, G.A., and Godshalk, V.M. (2019)
Career Management for Life, 5th ed.
, Routledge
Harrington, B. and Hall, D. T. (2007)
Career Management & Work-Life Integration: Using Self-Assessment to Navigate Contemporary Careers,
, SAGE
Reardon, R. C., Lenz, J. G., Peterson, G. W., Sampson, J. P., Jr. (2022)
Career Development & Planning: A Comprehensive Approach
, Kendall Hunt
Other Relevant Texts:
De Vos, A. and Van der Heijden, B.I.J.M. (eds.) (2015)
Handbook of research on sustainable careers.
, Edward Elgar Publishing
Brown, S. D. and Lent, R. W. (2013)
Career Development and Counseling: Putting Theory and Research to Work
, Wiley
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
BACHELOR OF BUSINESS STUDIES
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Spring
Module Leader:
Jill.Pearson@ul.ie