Career Portfolio Development

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
BUSN 4500
Descriptive
Career Portfolio Development
Department
Business
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
1.50
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
18
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Seminar: Up to 7 three-hour sessions/semester

Method(s) of instruction
Seminar
Learning activities

The degree coordinator will monitor students in the completion of their portfolios and make contact with their employers as deemed necessary to ensure successful work experience. Each student will develop a professional quality portfolio and deliver a presentation at the end of the semester. In addition, a standardized business competency test will be completed.

Course description
This course requires students to reflect on both their work and classroom experience to assess their strengths and weaknesses in order to develop a personal road map for their future professional and personal development. This course requires that students have completed 500 hours of work experience, which must be documented and signed off by their supervisor. Students must prepare and present a portfolio that provides evidence from their workplace of applying the eight broad Learning Outcomes of the BBA Program, as well as knowledge and skills specific to their career path. In addition, students must complete a standardized business competency exam.
Course content

1. Prepare a career portfolio which includes the following:

  • analysis of organizational, technical and interpersonal skills learned in the classroom and utilized in the workplace;
  • reflection on the connection between classroom and practical work experience; and
  • evidence from the work experience demonstrating competence in the eight learning outcomes:

         a.        client services;

         b.        cross cultural teamwork and interpersonal skills;

         c.        written communication;

         d.        oral communication;

         e.        financial analysis and technology;

         f.        problem solving and decision making;

         g.        ethics and leadership; and

         h.        continuous professional development.

2. Prepare and present an oral report using presentation software that includes a brief description of the student's job, demonstration of some of the eight learning outcomes via two robust examples of workplace experiences or accomplishments, and suggestions for improving the BBA program.

3. Complete a standardized business competency exam delivered during the course.

 

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. find a suitable placement in an organization which relates to their program;
  2. explain how classroom learning experiences are reflected in the workplace;
  3. demonstrate knowledge and skills specific to their career path;
  4. prepare a learning portfolio; and
  5. present an oral report that will demonstrate specific work experiences that illustrate mastery of the eight broad learning outcomes in the workplace.
Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy.  Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.

This is a mastery course, based upon satisfactory evaluation of ALL of the following:

  1. individual presentation of portfolio using presentation software and meeting the presentation standards specified in the course;
  2. comprehensive career portfolio report, meeting the standards specified in the course;
  3. completion of a standardized business competency exam; and
  4. attendance at course information sessions.

Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.

Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Information package prepared by the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration.

Prerequisites

105 CREDITS towards a BBA and
 
500 hours of work experience in Canada within the 5 years of taking this course (CO-OP courses are highly recommended to meet work hours requirement) and
 
[ENGL 1130 or CMNS 1115 (completion of both is highly recommended)]
 
Notes:
1. Professional and quality writing is required for this course.
2. For students with questions about the work experience requirement, please connect with any BUSN 4500 instructor or your BBA program coordinator.

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Which prerequisite

Nil