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Counseling 110 - Career-Life Planning - Emily Menjivar

Course:Career-Life Planning
Professor:Emily Menjivar
Email:Emily.menjivar@canyons.edu
Format:
  • Hybrid
Course Length:
  • 16 Week

Introduction

  • My name is Emily Menjivar (she, her, ella) and I will be your instructor for this course. I am so excited to co-create a brave learning space with y’all. This class is all about career exploration and helping students understand how college majors are connected to career areas. You will explore your personality preferences toward various career clusters, access different career research websites, and determine if there are changes to your college major that need to occur based on your career goals. If you have felt lost about which direction to go in for your major or undecided, this class will help you narrow down potential majors that link to careers you may be interested in. I look forward to getting to know you and assisting you on your career exploration journey! If you have any questions that need to be answered in advance, feel free to send me an email.

Course Description

Counseling 110, Career and Life Planning, is designed to introduce self-assessment tools to identify college majors and careers by clarifying interests, skills, abilities, values, and personality type. Students will examine the decision-making process, self-management, life roles, and goal setting. Also included will be a review of labor market trends, career research, interviewing skills, resume and cover letter writing, and job search strategies.

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Understand the career planning and decision-making process
  • Find a career path and/or major consistent with individual skills, values, interests, and personality style
  • Recognize the skills needed to succeed in a particular occupational field
  • Gain cover letter, resume writing, and interviewing skills
  • Have a better understanding of oneself

What to Expect in this Course

  • Participation: College is a place that allows you to develop knowledge and critical skills. Participation in the class is an essential part of your development as a student. You are warmly invited, encouraged, and expected to participate through dialogue with the instructor, completing in-class tasks, homework, and projects, and by collaborating with your classmates on in-class/online activities and group projects.
  • Etiquette: As you participate in this course, you are expected to demonstrate appropriate behavior at all times including refraining from using profanity or derogatory language that may offend others. Topics of an adult nature will be discussed in this class. Be respectful and supportive to your instructor and classmates during lectures, presentations, group work, and class discussions. We will hear a variety of viewpoints, philosophies and techniques. It is important to hear the information with an open mind, being respectful to each other, and without passing judgement.
  • Workload: This is a HYBRID course, meaning that the course will consist of both in-person and online instruction. Assignments and participation will be measured through both in-person and online interactions. Based on material covered during the week or on a particular subject area, assessments will be administered. Lastly, expect individual homework assignments covering course material, handouts, online research, and assessments. The standard formula for college coursework is that every one hour of class time will result in two or three hours of homework, so a three unit course such as this one, will require an average of six or more hours of homework (reading, research, studying) per week.

Textbook Information

  • We will be using Open Educational Resources (OER) materials for this course, which is a free digital textbook in the form of a PDF document, created by two members of our Counseling Department – Liz Shaker and Graciela Martinez. A digital copy/link will be provided in Canvas along with a hard copy on reserve at the Valencia and Canyon Country Libraries. Should you have trouble locating our textbook, please let me know.

Other Relevant Course Information

  • This course is hybrid meaning we will be meeting face-to-face in a classroom and online.
    • o First Day of Class: The first day we meet in person is on Tuesday, August 23rd from 7:20-8:15am.
  • Check your Tech and Stay Connected: Make sure you have the proper technology to be successful (i.e., access to internet, Microsoft Office Suite, etc.). With this course being hybrid, will be utilizing Canvas on a regular basis. Be sure to log into your Canvas account regularly (my suggestion: 3x a week) to check class announcements, due dates, and to communicate with your instructor (s). Do not hesitate to send an email to clarify assignments and/or ask follow-up questions. It is also important to have regular access to your My Canyons email, as that will also serve as a form of communication between you, your instructor(s), and College of the Canyons.
  • Time-Management and Organization: Keeping up to date on your assignments and due dates are imperative to your success. Create a schedule or use a planner to keep track of your time. Along with using a planner or calendar, it is important to consistently stay organized, try to find a study space or area you can consistently use, and keep your course materials handy. If you use the library, The Learning Center, or another workspace where you cannot leave items, have a designated school bag/backpack to keep all your study material handy.
  • Be Prepared: Do not expect all lecture material to be covered in class. Most in-person class time is used for discussion and to work on activities and assignments related to the lecture material. Class time may or may not include traditional lectures on some of the material. It is your responsibility to read the chapters as well as the related PowerPoints or other online resources for the course before the date specified. When you are unprepared, you rob yourself of your education and your classmates of your insights and opinions.
  • Seek Support: As a community of learners, we will share difficulties, celebrate successes, and learn from one another. This class will require work and perseverance, but you are not in this alone. You have resources to help you learn and do well. Seek support from COC support systems and resources as needed. Notify me of family emergencies, personal needs, or areas of concern throughout this course 

Additional Resources

Canvas

This course can be accessed on the first day of class via Canvas at https://coc.instructure.com. Log into Canvas using your CanyonsID single sign-on:

  • CanyonsID Username is your COC student email address (Ex: username@my.canyons.edu)
  • CanyonsID Password is your COC student email password

Please visit the Get to Know Your Online Classroom page for help logging into Canvas and for tips on using Canvas and Zoom. Canvas Chat Support is also available 24/7 for any Canvas related issues.

Online Education

Check out the Online Education website for more information on a variety of topics that can help you be a successful online student such as: exam proctoring, learning styles, computer skills, and tips for student success. If this is your first online course, feel free to take our online learning readiness assessment to assess your skills.

The Learning Center (TLC)

The TLC provides FREE online tutoring resources to COC students!

Academic Accommodation Center (AAC)

College of the Canyons AAC provides educational services and access for eligible students with documented disabilities who intend to pursue coursework at COC. A variety of programs and services are available which afford eligible students with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the college programs and activities through appropriate and reasonable accommodations. For more information on their services visit the Academic Accomodation Center website.

Online Counseling

The Counseling Department offers appointments online. You can schedule an appointment by visiting the Online Counseling website. Counselors can help you map out a plan to reach your educational goals as well as advise you on course selection and registration.

Management of Stress and Mental Health

Often the pressure on our students is very strong, involving academic commitments, relationships, outside jobs and family pressure to name a few. The staff and faculty of College of the Canyons are here to see you succeed academically and care about your emotional and physical health. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential student services, including counseling and mental health services available on campus by visiting the Student Health & Wellness Center in the Student Services Building (across from the bookstore). The phone number is 661-362-3259 that you can call 24/7. You can also e mail for an appointment at StudentHealthCenter@canyons.edu. At the Canyon Country Campus the Health Center will be in the new Student Services Building.

Also, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number is now 988. All students at COC are encouraged to enter that phone number in their cells. You can call it when you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of suicide or is in severe distress.

You can also now use the Crisis Text Line: Just text "Courage" to 741741. Someone will get back to you immediately. Its free, 24/7, and confidential.

Veterans Resource Center

The College of the Canyons Veterans Resource Center is a department within the Student Services Division at the college, created to help veterans and veteran dependents with applying to College of the Canyons, enrolling in classes, and requesting VA Education or Vocational Benefits. For more information please visit the Veterans Resource Center website, email veterans@canyons.edu or phone (661) 362-3469.

Library

The Library provides live online and in-person research help, access to a full range of e-resources and physical materials that support the curriculum, individual and group study areas, and much more!

Last updated: 08/02/2022 Sub#: 1432