Aims

This module enables participants to develop understanding and skills in career coaching, and their use in career development. Students also integrate this understanding with their practice in a variety of contexts.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module the student should be able to:

• Identify and describe the role of career coaching in career development and its relationship to classic and contemporary theories.
• Critically evaluate and interpret the role of career coaching in career development and its relationship to classic and contemporary theories.
• Creatively apply coaching skills in career contexts and reflect on their practice to refine its effectiveness, and integrate this theoretical knowledge with case studies of career development dialogue and identify any ethical issues.
• Present material in clear written form by identifying, analysing and applying key texts and practices using appropriate and adequate structure, spelling, grammar, syntax, length and referencing.

Outline Syllabus

• Consideration of participants' prior experiences in career coaching.
• Comparing and contrasting a range of definitions of career counselling, career coaching and career guidance.
• Understanding the interpersonal dimensions of formal and informal career development and the range of contexts in which career coaching takes place including professional and non-professional environments.
• Integrating theoretical perspectives on coaching and on career development from a range of discipline areas and identifying points of connection and divergence.
• Analysis of case studies of career development dialogue from such theoretical perspectives.
• Practical application of coaching skills in career development contexts e.g. contracting, questioning, referral. Organising and managing career coaching and counselling activities.
• Ethics and values in career coaching/
• Developing creative and reflective practice in career coaching.

Summary of teaching

30 hours with blend of structured online learning, workshops and group tutorial support. Further materials provided via a virtual learning environment supported by a module reading pack and tutorial support.

Assessment

The assignment consists of a 5000 word project (100%). Typically, participants are asked to critique a case study of a career coaching interaction, and then record and comment on their own use of career coaching concepts in a career helping conversation.