Course content

This course aims to promote specialised knowledge about career theories and methods that can contribute to holistic career counselling in a lifelong perspective. The course presupposes that career counselling relates to a large part of the population, in different phases and life situations. Understanding the significance of inclusion and participation in meaningful activities, work-life and education is essential on the individual, group and societal level. The course intends to promote advanced knowledge about holistic and lifelong career counselling as a discipline and method, that includes a wide range of career counselling perspectives. The aim is to contribute to developing individuals' competence in areas such as career planning, career skills, career learning and career management. Emphasised topics include attention towards personal resources and possibilities, decision-making skills, transitions related to education, work-life and leisure time, career counselling assessment tools, digital perspectives, multicultural and inclusion perspectives, creativity and innovation in the field of practice, and ethics and self-insight. The course highlights knowledge about career counselling, on the individual, group and system levels.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: 

The candidate...

- has in-depth knowledge about career counselling theories that includes cultural, economic and social foundation for their development, values and humanity.

- has advanced knowledge about career counselling methods, and how these can be applied appropriate and flexible, in physical and digital meetings with clients, individual or in groups.

- can analyse professional topics related to the development and transitions of the career field, its's importance today, and possible future scenarios.

- has in-depth knowledge about how career counsellor's communication skills and interaction facilitate that clients can develop holistic competence in future planning and choices.

Skills:

The candidate...

- can establish and maintain counselling relations that create a foundation for the development of client's self-insight and efficiency.

- can evaluate client's needs, adapt and apply the relevant methodology and advanced communication skills in flexible ways in career counselling. This includes both physical and digital meetings.

- can work independently on solving career-related challenges, both on a practical and theoretical level.

- can analyse existing career theories, methods and interpretations, and use various sources for facilitating career development and learning.

General competence:

The candidate...

- can analyse and evaluate how the different career counselling theories influence various needs both in individual, group and organisation levels.

- has advanced counselling competence that can contribute to the individual and group decision-making processes, manage transitions and changes associated to education, work-life and leisure in a lifelong perspective.

- can apply knowledge and skills in creative and innovative ways to assist clients in seeing career opportunities and challenges, and developing self-insight for more purposeful career choices.

Learning methods and activities

Dialogue based lectures in combination with seminars. Check Blackboard at the start of the semester for detailed information about compulsory assignments.

Compulsory assignments

• 80 % approved attendance in lectures and seminar
• Assignment 1
• Assignment 2

Specific conditions

Course materials

Will be announced at the start of the semester.

Credit reductions