Personal Career Development Module

Module Code: POU33142

Module Name: Personal Career Development Module 2019-20

ECTS Weighting: 5
Semester/Term Taught: Semester 2
Contact Hours: 1 two-hour seminar per week; 1 tutorial per fortnight
Module Personnel: Lecturer - Prof. Jacqueline Hayden

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Develop a career action plan
Perfect your understanding of how key components of your university module choices can be integrated into your career planning
Produce a personal video which outlines your intellectual and skills tool-kit and how these tools make you attractive to employers in your chosen field
Write an effective CV and Cover Letter particular to your chosen career path
Refine and hone a deeper understanding of the role of social media in the job search process and its role in creating a professional image in the workplace
Evaluate the additional skills (soft or hard) or further knowledge base you require to enter your chosen career path
Critically reflect upon and evaluate your own communication, negotiation, team-work and leadership abilities
Identify the qualities required to work effectively in groups and evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in this context.

Module Learning Aims

This module allows you to integrate the inter-disciplinary knowledge and research skills already acquired from your chosen course of studies into a reflective career plan. It is designed to assist you to acquire knowledge of and practice the skills needed for personal and career development. The focus of the PCD programme is on identifying your academic strengths and interests and helping you to marry that insight with the transferrable, ‘soft skills’ such as team-work, communication and leadership essential for successful transition from university to the workplace.

Module Content

A key feature of this programme is that its mode of evaluation allows you to develop your starter took-kit for your future career. Skills, such as self-and peer evaluation, constructive criticism of peers’ work, problem-solving under time-restricted conditions as well as report writing and the delivery of response presentations, are embedded in the assessment pattern in this module.

The module will be delivered by a course coordinator from the Department of Political Science and personnel from the Careers Advisory Service (CAS), Student Learning Services (SLS) and the Counselling Service with workshops from specialist contributors, employer representatives and alumni which will focus on a relevant topic e.g. career planning, CV preparation, using Social Media as a career platform and stress and self-management awareness skills.

Assessment Details

There is no final examination for this module. Students will be assessed on assignments and participation on a continuous basis as follows:

Personal Reflection

From the classroom to the workplace: integrating and optimizing my subject choices in my personal career plan
1000 word interim reflection to be submitted at the end of Week 4
3000 word final reflection due at end of Week 12

Weighting – 40%

Personal self-video, CV and Cover Letter

Initial self-video due at end of Week 1
Final self-video to be podcast and submitted in Week 11 (recorded in Room 3131)
CV and Cover Letter due at end of Week 9

Weighting – 20%

Strategies for problem-solving – group presentation

Weighting – 20 %

Group Career Paths Project and presentation

2000 word insight into one of the career paths open to SSS&P graduates due at end of Week 7 – Reading Week
Presentations based on project in week 8 and 9 (by lottery)

Groups are asked to explore as fully as possible all information relevant to their designated career path/profession