Counseling 12: Personal Growth and Development
Course Syllabus
Assistant Professor: Maribel Morales
Office Hours: By appointment ONLY
Email: mxmorales@pasadena.edu
Course description:
A comprehensive course that integrates personal and professional growth through the
development of effective communication skills, positive self-image and self-esteem, and
strategies for problem solving and decision-making. Analysis of life course events, such as the
development of career and educational objectives. Emphasis is on personal health assessment
and strategies for coping with stress.
Outcomes: At the end of the course the student should be able to:
*Distinguish between positive and negative individual characteristics that impact personal, academic
and professional success. (Institutional SLO-Cognition, Communication & Personal
Development)
*Apply successful strategies for decision making to thrive in personal, academic and professional
situations. (Institutional SLO-Cognition)
*Apply successful goal setting and action planning strategies to excel in personal, academic and
professional situations. (Institutional SLO-Cognition)
*Identify behaviors that undermine personal health and develop an action plan for improvement and
maximize well-being. (Institutional SLO-Cognition & Personal Development)
Methods of instruction:
 Lecture/Guest speakers
 Group activities
 Field trips
Course Rules for Success:
 Show up! To support my success, I choose to attend every scheduled class period in its
entirety. Any student with more than 3 absences will not pass the course.
 Do the Work! To support my success, I choose to do my very best work in preparing all of
my assignments and hand them in on time.
 Participate actively! To support my success, I choose to stay mentally alert in every class,
offering my best comments, questions, and answers when appropriate.
ABSENCE POLICY (IT IS IMPORTANT TO ATTEND EVERY CLASS)
Three tardies equal one absence.
Leaving early equals one tardy.
Three absences will result in you being dropped from the class.
If 3rd absence is after the drop date, your grade will be lowered by one grade level
Journals will not be accepted if you are tardy.
Required materials:
 On Course, sixth edition, by Skip Downing
 Loose leaf paper for journal entries and a 3-ring binder
Grading:
 Quizzes (8 at 5 points each)
40 pts.
 Group project
50 pts.
 Success Journals (9 at 15 points each)
135 pts.
 Reflection papers
20 pts
 Class Participation/attendance
55
300 total possible points
A=270-300
B=240-269
C=210-239
D=180-209
F=179 or below
Important Note: All 9 success journals should be completed to be successful in the course.
1. 8 Quizzes
This is a course for students who want to be successful in college and in life. One of the most
important factors of success in any endeavor is consistent and active participation. To encourage
and reward your preparation for active participation in every class, 8 quizzes on the readings will
be given. If you have read each assignment and completed your journal entries, you should have
no trouble earning the maximum points (5pts) for each quiz. A quiz is given at the beginning of
class. If you are tardy, you are not allowed to take the quiz. No quiz may be made up.
Great success is created one small step at a time. Each time you earn your quiz points you take an
important step toward your success in this course…and in life!
2. Group presentations
You will be divided into groups to complete a project. More information will be distributed later.
3. Success journals
The journal entries allow you to experiment and explore your thoughts and feelings concerning the
success strategies in the textbook. Although I will be collecting your journals and looking through
them, write your journal for yourself, not for me. All journals MUST BE TYPED
In addition to the journal entries from the textbook, you will complete some entries in class.
THEREFORE, BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK AND BINDER TO EVERY CLASS
MEETING.
The criteria for awarding points for journal entries are as follows:
1) The entry is complete (all steps in the directions have been responded to), and
2) The entry is written with high standards (an obvious attempt has been made to dive deep).
Grammar, spelling and punctuation will NOT be factors in awarding points in this journal. You are
free to express yourself without concern for Standard English conventions.
4. Reflection papers
In class and video presentations, allow you to gain credit for your thoughts.
Internet Self-assessment assignment instructions:
1) Go to the following website:
www.pasadena.edu/on-course/
2) Click on Students
3) On the right side, click the following under student helpful links:
On Course self-assessment
4) Follow the instructions to complete the assessment for Journal #1, including the completion of the
two written questions following the assessment results.
THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.
Reasonable Accommodations: In support of the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable
accommodation(S) will be provided to any student who is registered with the Disable Students
Programs & Services (DSP&S) and requires adjustments. Please notify the instructor as soon as
possible if you are registered or would like to know how to register for DSP&S.