Main Content
Syllabus
BA 420 Preparation for Career Management (1 Credit)
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.Planning, preparation, and decision making for students enrolling in either BA 495A, 495B, or 495C courses in their final semester.
Overview
B A 420 is designed much differently than other courses. Students will be asked to become personally involved with the content and activities, and to think critically about issues that will affect both their immediate future as well as future careers. Students will be asked to continually engage their minds during and while preparing for class. Students will learn specific techniques pertaining to the management of their career, whether they are traditional students planning and preparing for their experience in the BA 495 course, or established members of the workforce and considering life-long management of their short-term and long-term career goals. This course has as its primary focus the preparation of the student to pursue career options that match a student's needs as well as the identification and elimination of options that may not be of personal interest. A secondary purpose of this course is to present career management skills and provide repeated opportunities for students to practice those skills in a safe environment before applying them to "real world" searches for internships or career employment.
In this course, students will work through a three-phase model that will help them answer the questions: Who am I? Where am I going? and How do I get there? Throughout this process, students will record their career development journey, strengths, accomplishments, education, resume, and define goals and action steps to effectively manage their career - whether they are traditional students preparing to enter the workforce for the first time, existing members of the workforce who are looking to make a career change, members of the military transitioning into civilian work, or those desiring forward progression in their existing career. In addition to the programmed course activities, students interested in taking a “deeper dive” on a particular topic will have access to additional resources.
Although you will be completing the course online, you will have frequent opportunities to interact with your classmates and instructor. Since we will be learning about the benefit of networking to effective career management, I encourage you to view your course interactions as opportunities to build and/or expand upon a network of Penn State colleagues!
Course activities will include reading, online research, watching videos, completing self-reflective assessments, participating in discussion forums, and creating a career development plan. The course week begins Monday at midnight (12 a.m. Eastern Time) and concludes Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, unless otherwise noted in the Syllabus.
Course Communication
Course information is posted on Canvas including the syllabus, course text, announcements and news, and assignments. It is imperative that you check Canvas and your Canvas inbox (email) regularly since this is how I will be communicating with you both individually and as a class. Please use your Penn State email address to email me (so that it is recognizable and not deleted or transferred to junk mail) or send an email from your Canvas inbox. It is your responsibility to ensure that I receive any emails you send to me.
Course Goals
- Students will explore and define their personal preferences (e.g. values, interests, and personality traits), and will explain the importance of matching those preferences to career options.
- Students will identify the skills that employers look for when hiring new employees, and will describe their strengths relative to these skills.
- Students will locate career information using a variety of reputable resources, and explore job and/or career growth options that align with their personal preferences.
- Students will prepare for or refine a job search.
- Students will recognize and demonstrate the importance of goal setting relative to managing their career by setting short and long term goals.
- Students will learn and practice effective communication and networking skills.
- Students will create a career development plan that aligns their purpose and vision to career goals, education, skills, and work values.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.You may use the Penn State Career Guide as a helpful resource.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Schedule
Note: Regardless of where you live, all assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the last day of the timeframe below, unless otherwise noted.
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You have two weeks to complete the assignments in this lesson. Due Sunday of Week 1 by 11:59 p.m. (ET):
Due Wednesday of Week 2 by 11:59 p.m. (ET):
Due Sunday of Week 2 by 11:59 p.m. (ET):
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You have two weeks to complete the assignments in this lesson. Due Sunday of Week 1 by 11:59 p.m. (ET):
Due Thursday of Week 2 by 11:59 p.m. (ET):
By Sunday of Week 2, review the suggestions you received from your peers. |
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Due by 11:59 p.m. (ET)
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Grading
Graded activities will total 360 points. A breakdown of these activities and their associated points follow:
| Assignments |
Points
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| Quizzes (x 2) | 20 |
| Intent to Intern Form | 10 |
| Career Development Plan | 50 |
| Discussion Forums (x 9) |
225
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| Interview Preparation Checkpoint (x 1) | 10 |
| Interview (x 1) |
45
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| TOTAL |
360
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| Numerical value | Letter grade |
|---|---|
| 93 and above | A |
| 90–92.99 | A- |
| 87–89.99 | B+ |
| 83–86.99 | B |
| 80–82.99 | B- |
| 77–79.99 | C+ |
| 70–76.99 | C |
| 60–69.99 | D |
| below 60 | F |
A Note About the Discussion Forums:
Discussion Forums are a primary means of learning in an online course. An additional objective for discussion forums in this course is to provide opportunities for you to build a network of Penn State colleagues. To encourage meaningful interactions in your discussions, I’ve provided a Discussion Forum Rubric as a guide for your initial posts and responses to your colleagues’ posts. Keep in mind, the key to a good discussion is interaction! Therefore, it is expected that you will participate in the discussions at least 2 separate days each week (see below). You are, of course, encouraged to participate more than the minimum, as this provides opportunities for you to reflect on, learn from the reflections of your colleagues, and apply the course principles in a meaningful way.
Unless specified otherwise, you are required to post your initial reflection by Thursday, 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time). Note: The discussion forum is set to "Post-First," which means you will not see any of your classmates' contributions until you have posted first. At minimum, you must read and reply to the discussion thread of two of your classmates and respond to the majority of posts on your own discussion thread. These responses are due by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time). Discussion forums will be graded for content and relevance to subject matter. For detailed evaluation criteria, please refer to the Discussion forum rubrics which are available in each Discussion forum.
Please Note: After posting your reply to a Discussion Forum, you will not have the ability to edit or delete your post. It is recommended that you compose your discussion message in a word processing program first and then copy and paste the text into the Discussion Forum.
A Note About Deep Dive:
Although not required for this course, you are encouraged to take a deeper dive into each lesson's content. Within the Deep Dive section, you will find interesting and insightful articles and multimedia that will further broaden your understanding of the content in each lesson. You will not be assessed on material found within the Deep Dive section.
Grading Policy:
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Additional Academic Integrity Violations
Please note: Various tutoring websites claim to offer you the opportunity to download answers to everything from accounting problems to quiz questions for little to no cost. Full papers can also be downloaded to submit in place of your own work. Use of these materials, or “ghosting,” is considered cheating and an academic integrity violation. Similarly, uploading exams, course materials, or your work to one of these sites is considered an academic integrity violation.
Using online services that complete assignments for you is considered an academic integrity violation.
Giving your Penn State Access ID and password to someone else to do your work is against University policy AD95/AD96 and an academic integrity violation; sanctions will be given for these violations.
Policies
Late Policy
Late Assignments will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to contact the instructor prior to the due date of an assignment if you are aware of extenuating circumstances that will impact your ability to meet a deadline. The instructor will determine if alternative arrangements may be made.
Blank or Erroneous Assignment Submissions
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have uploaded the correct document to each assignment prior to the assignment due date. Please check your assignment submission immediately after uploading a file in Canvas to ensure that it contains content and is the correct file. If you notice an error, such as a blank or incorrect file, you must resubmit the assignment before the assignment due date. Similarly, you are responsible for ensuring that discussion forum initial posts are not blank and that any website URL submissions (such as links to documents, video recordings, etc.) have the correct sharing settings enabled so that they can be viewed by recipients. Any blank or erroneous submissions that you have not resubmitted by the assignment due date will receive a zero for the assignment.
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Veterans and Military Personnel
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Privacy Notice
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.One Year Course Access
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.