Introductory description

This module enables participants to develop understanding and skills in career coaching and counselling, and their use in facilitating career development learning. The module aims to develop an ability to use career development theories skilfully and creatively in managing career coaching conversations. Students also integrate this understanding with their ongoing reflective practice of career coaching in a variety of contexts.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

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 skillsin 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 .

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students 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.

Indicative reading list

Ali, L. and Graham, B. (1996). The Counselling Approach to Careers Guidance. London: Routledge.
Athanasou, J.A. and Esbroeck, R.V. (2008) (eds.). International Handbook of Career Guidance. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Cox, E., Bachkirova, T. and Clutterbuck, D.A. (2010). The Complete Handbook of Coaching. London: Sage
Egan, G. (2007). The Skilled Helper: a Problem Management and Opportunity Development Approach to Helping (8th Edition). Pacific Grove, CA: Brookes/Cole.
Frigerio, G. (2010). Reinventing careers: creating space for students to get a life. Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling, 26: 9-14.
Gallwey, T. (2000). The Inner Game of Work. New York, NY: Random House.
Gothard, B. (1999). Career as a myth. Psychodynamic Counselling, 5.1: 87-97.
Inkson, K. (2007). Understanding Careers: the Metaphors of Working Lives. London: Sage.
Jayasinghe, M. (2001). Counselling in Careers Guidance. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Kidd, J.M. (2006). Understanding Career Counselling: Theory, Research and Practice. London: Sage.
Kline, N. (1999). Time to Think. London: Ward Lock.
McCash, P. (2011). Designing a Generic Career Studies Module: a Practical Example. Reading: Centre for Career Management Skills.
McMahon, M. and Patton, W. (2006) (eds.). Career Counselling: Constructivist Approaches. Abingdon: Routledge.
Mignot, P. (2001). Working with individuals. In W.P. Gothard, P. Mignot, M. Offer, and M. Ruff, Careers Guidance in Context. London: Sage.
Nathan, R. and Hill, L. (2006). Career Counselling. London: Sage.
Palmer, S. and Whybrow, A. (eds.) (2007). Handbook of Coaching Psychology. London: Routledge.
Peterson, N. and Gonzalez, R.C. (2000). Career Counselling Models for Diverse Populations. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Brooks Cole.
Savickas, M.L. and Walsh, W.B. (eds.). (1996). Handbook of Career Counseling Theory and Practice. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black.
Sharf, R.S. (2010). Applying Career Development Theory to Counseling (5th Edition). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Thomson, B. (2009). Don't Just Do Something, Sit There: An Introduction to Non-directive Coaching. Oxford: Chandos.
Young, R.A., Valach, L. and Collin, A. (2002). A contextualist explanation of career. In D. Brown and Associates, Career Choice and Development (4th edn.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Whitmore, J. (2009). Coaching for Performance: Growing Human Potential and Purpose (4th Edition). London: Nicholas Brealey.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

y the end of the module, students should have developed professional skills in the design and delivery of Career Coaching.

Transferable skills

By the end of the module, students should be able to communicate verbally in the effective delivery of ; and in clear written form by critiquing career coaching practice using the current course guides to presentation and referencing.