Consider a STUDENT SUCCESS COURSE to provide
comprehensive guidance and
support counseling and advisory goals
The course described in this outline could be the required student success course recommended by the American Associa on of Community Colleges in Reclaiming the American Dream: A report from the 21st‐Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges (April 2012). Whatmightsuchareimaginedcommunity
collegelooklike?…Allormoststudentswould
completeastudentsuccesscourseintheir irst
termandenterastructuredprogramofstudyas
soonaspossible.
A Student Success Course like the one outlined here would be an appropriate first term course for all incoming students who do not have:  a researched and chosen career path (program of study)  an informed declared major  and/or a meaningful educa on plan “Allormoststudents
wouldcompletea
studentsuccess
courseintheir irst
termandentera
structuredprogram
ofstudyassoonas
possible.”
A hybrid Student Success Course should provide a classroom‐
based, in‐depth guidance experience that supports the one‐to‐
one advisory func ons of over‐taxed counseling departments. SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR A 3-UNIT STUDENT SUCCESS COURSE
CatalogCourseDescription:
Thisclassroom‐based,guidanceexperienceteachesstudents
aquanti iabledecision‐makingprocessthatwillhelpthem
envisionandplanforafuturethatisproductive,achievable,
andstimulating.Theculminationofthisprocessisthe
developmentofanonlinecareerandeducation10‐yearplan
thatcanbeusedforadvisoryandacademiccoaching
purposesandupdatedasstudentsgrow,change,orface
transitions.Thepersonalized10‐yearplanprovidesthe
focusandintrinsicmotivationtosucceedincollege,atwork,
andinlife.
con nued... Academic Innovations Higher Ed | 800.967.8016 | www.academicinnovationshighered.com
SAMPLE COURSE OUTLINE
(continued from front page)
Department:Counseling
SubjectAreaandCourseNumber:PersonalDevelopment101
CourseTitle:StudentSuccess
Discipline:InterdisciplinaryStudies
Units:3
Repeatability:None
DescriptionforScheduleofClasses:
Asstudentswritetheircareerandeducation10‐yearplan,theylearntheskillsforgoalsetting,
identityformation,decision‐making,budgetprojection,careerresearch,skillsidenti ication,online
research,life‐longlearningskills,managingchange,securingentry‐levelemployment,andtechniques
forexploringthepersonalmanagementandself‐masterystrategiesthatactasabufferwhen
challengesarise.
LectureHours/Week:3
LaboratoryHours/Week:None
Prerequisites:None Co‐requisites:None
PlusHours:None
SkillsAdvisories:ENG70andENG80
CourseAdvisories:None
LimitationonEnrollment:None
CourseObjectives:*
Tomeettherequirementsoftheenteringstudentwhodoesnothaveacareerpath,declaredmajor,
and/oreducationplan,comprehensiveguidanceintheformofafreshmantransitioncoursemust
addressacombinationofpersonal/social,educational,career,andlifeskills.
TheStudent:









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Learnstoprojectintothefutureandunderstandtheconsequencesoftoday’sactionsandchoices
Completesassessments/surveystoestablishandconsolidateidentity,becoming“identityachieved”
Analyzestheeffectofpersonalinterestandaptitudesoneducationandcareerplanning
Recognizestheimpactofcareerchoiceonpersonallifestyle
Recognizestheimpacttheircommitmenttoeducationhasonfuturelifestyleandlifesatisfaction
Demonstratestheskillstolocate,analyze,andapplycareerinformationusingonlinetoolsavailable
throughU.S.DepartmentofLaborwebsites
Knowstheprocessforeducationandcareerplanning
Appliestheskillsetsrequiredtosucceedbothintheclassroomandtheworkforce
Demonstratestheimportanceofproductiveworkhabitsandattitudes
Knowsskillsmaybecommontomultiplecareersandcanbetransferredfromonetoanother
Knowstheprocessforlocatingandsecuringentry‐levelemployment
Understandstheeffectsocietalchangecanhaveoncareeropportunities
MethodsofInstruction:
Besttaughtinahybrid‐learningenvironmentusinga lippedclassroommethodologywherestudents
completeonlinecoursework/activitiespriortoclass.Duringclasstime,strategiesincludeshort
lecturesusingtheSocraticmethod,groupdiscussions,project‐basedlearning,groupandindividual
exercises,andvideopresentations.Thiscoursealsooffersadistancelearningopportunityusingthe
recommendedcurriculum.
CourseContentandScope:
Intheprocessofdevelopingtheircomprehensive,personalized,online10‐yearcareerandeducation
plan,studentslearn:
CAREERANDLIFESKILLS
 Techniquestohelpthemenvision—andthenplan—foraproductivefuture
 Theconsequencesofquittingandnotfollowingthroughwiththeirplans
 Quantitativegoal‐settingleadingtomeasurableactionplans
 Careerresearchstrategiesthatgobeyondtraditionalformatsandincludeincorporatingtheir
envisionedlifestyleandpersonalde initionofsuccess
 Rubrics,prompts,andsystemsformakingthebesteducation,career,andlifechoices
 Howtodeterminethebudgetoftheirenvisionedlifestyle—acritical“ irststep”toward
determiningtheircareerchoiceandeducationplan
 Employabilitystrategiesandtechniques
EDUCATIONALACHIEVEMENT
 Toidentifytheskills,aptitudes,andattitudesrequiredinordertosuccessfullytransition
throughpost‐secondaryeducationandintotheworkforce
 Studyskillsofthelife‐longlearner—forbothschoolandworkforcesettings
 Howtodevelopaquantitativeskillsinventorythatisusedtoinformtheireducationplan
 Howtowritealong‐rangeeducationplanforbothformalandinformaleducational
opportunities—bothinschoolandintheworkplace
PERSONALSOCIALDEVELOPMENT
 Theskillsandprocessforbecomingidentity‐achieved
 Strategiestohandlepotentialstumblingblocksthatcouldimpedetheirsuccess
 Theattitudesandcopingskillsrequiredforaproductivetransitionintoadulthood
 Howattitudeimpactsperformanceandtechniquesformaintainingapositiveattitude
 Strategiesformakingchangesinlifeandworkdirection
 Self‐masteryskillsandresiliencystrategiesfordevelopinganxietytolerance,solvingproblems,
andperseveringtoreachcherishedgoals
 Thecommunicationandinterpersonalskillsrequiredforcareerandpersonalsuccess
*StandardsforaFreshmanTransitionCoursefromTheGeorgeWashingtonUniversity’sFreshmanTransitionInitiative.
RequiredAssignments:
 Readthetextandselectedarticles.
 Writeweekly,including250‐500wordessaysandresponsesthatmakeuptheir10‐yearPlanand
Portfolioreport.





Completewrittenactivitiesandexercisesfromtexteachweekandenterresponsesonline.
Re ineamissionstatementandpersonalde initionofsuccessoverthecoursetimeframe.
CompleteaPersonalPro ilearticulatingpassions,workvalues,strengths,skills,aptitudes,androles.
Completeacomprehensivebudgetfortheenvisionedlifestyle.
Articulatethetraitsofanidealcareerandthenresearchatleastthreecareeroptionsthatmatch
thatdescriptioncompletingaCareerInterestSurveyforeach.
 Completeanonlineskillsinventorythatdetailstheskillstheyhaveandtheskillstheyneedtolearn
fortheirchosencareerpath.
 Developaskills‐based,educationplanfortheircareerpath,usingtheirskillsinventorychart.
 Developacareerback‐upplan.
 Completetheonline10‐yearPlanandthenmeetwithacounselororacademicadvisortoformalize
theireducationplan(tomeetcollegereportingrequirements).
MethodsofEvaluation:
 Completionofrequiredassignments
 Attendanceandparticipationinclassroomandonlinediscussions
 Completionofthe97writtenactivitiesthatprovidesthedataforthedevelopmentoftheonline
careerandeducation10‐yearplan
 Determinationofacareerchoice/programofstudy,aninformeddeclaredmajor,andaneducation
plan(whichareincorporatedinthe10‐yearplan)
 FinalProject/Exam:Theonline10‐yearPlanSummaryand/orPortfolioreport
RecommendedCurriculum:

My10yearPlan.com®Interactive,AcademicInnovations,2012

MindyBinghamandSandyStryker,CareerChoicesandChanges:AWorkbooktoDiscoverWhoYou
Are,WhatYouWant,andHowtoGetIt.,AcademicInnovations,2012
Abstract—WorkingPaper,CommunityCollegeResearchCenteratTeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity
“UsingdatafromtheVirginiaCommunityCollegeSystemandbuildinguponpriorFlorida‐basedresearch,this
studyexamineswhetherstudentsuccesscourseenrollment,aswellasstudentandinstitutionalcharacteristics,
haspositiveassociationswithshortertermstudentoutcomes,includingearninganycollegecreditswithinthe
irstyearandpersistenceintothesecondyear.Thepresentstudy indsthatstudentswhoenrolledinastudent
successcourseinthe irstsemesterweremorelikelytoearnanycollege‐levelcreditswithinthe irstyearand
weremorelikelytopersisttothesecondyear.Thestudyalso indsthatstudentswhowerereferredto
developmentaleducationweremorelikelytoearnanycollege‐levelcreditswithinthe irstyeariftheyenrolledin
astudentsuccesscourseintheir irstterm.”
Cho,Sung‐WooandMelindaMechurKarp.2012.StudentSuccessCoursesandEducational
OutcomesatVirginiaCommunityColleges,(CCRCWorkingPaperNo.40).NewYork:
CommunityCollegeResearchCenter,TeachersCollege,ColumbiaUniversity
To receive an exam copy of Career Choices and Changes and online demo of My10yearPlan.com®,
visit www.academicinnovationshighered.com/my10yearplan.html
or call our Educational Consultants at (800) 967-8016
Academic Innovations Higher Ed | 800.967.8016 | www.academicinnovationshighered.com