PSYCH 200: Introduction to Career Development: This recently developed course might fit well into the lesson plans of some students. According to the official description in the syllabus, the course ?reviews the history of career counselling and discusses a sampling of career development theories, the general process of career counselling, the career concerns of diverse client populations, and different settings in which career counsellors work.?

I contacted Dr. Maureen McCallum at the Psychology Centre for some more details:

Q: Other than students looking to enter this specific field, which students do you think would benefit from this course? What advantages might it give them in their future activities?

A: Students will learn strategies for career development that would be applicable to themselves as well as clients, friends, family. Being aware of the challenges of career development will make career planning and decision making less stressful.

Q: Which part or concepts of the course will students likely find the most difficult or challenging? Are there any tips you would suggest to them to handle this?

A: The course requires a considerable amount of reading with comprehension. Students are required to retain information for discussion in quizzes and written assignments. Students might devise a system of note taking to make the material more accessible.

Q: Is there anything else you would like students to know about this course?

A: This course is challenging and provides an excellent introduction to career development for anyone working in or planning to work in career development. For the undecided, this course provides an excellent overview of career development in general.

Specific marking criteria for the assignments and quizzes and information on the textbooks and video can be found at the course syllabus site. PSYC 200 will be open for registration in September 2012.

Graduate Student Conference: The 2012 Graduate Student Conference is September 14?16 in Edmonton. The theme of the conference this year is ?Research and the Knowledge Frontier in an Online Environment.? Attending in person will cost $198; virtual attendance will cost $75. While mostly for graduate students, the conference has sessions on a number of different topics that could be interesting for undergraduates, especially those who are looking to proceed beyond the Bachelor’s level in their education. The list of sessions can be found here and is worth checking out. You might be both surprised and intrigued by some of the directions in which AU graduates are taking their studies.