2023-2024 Catalogue

Professional Development (PDE) Course Descriptions

PDE 100: Career and Major Exploration.
Goal: To help students develop a strong foundation for major/career decision planning through career inventories, research on careers, and personal reflection.
Content: The course provides opportunities and resources for students to seek career information related to academic and occupational interest patterns, which form the foundation for sound career decision making. Students are guided through individual and group exercises that assist in identifying needs, values, wants, interest, and abilities.
Prerequisite: None.
Credit: 1 hour.

PDE 210: Principles of Peer Guided Learning.
Goal: To provide student teaching assistants and tutors with a working foundational knowledge of the instructional techniques, ethics, record keeping, and best practices for peer guided learning.
Content: This course engages students in collaborative discussion, student-mentor observation, and reflective writing to develop their professional skills and knowledge for peer guided learning practice. Coursework will emphasize culturally responsive and trauma informed techniques as well as techniques for balancing a peer learner’s immediate needs with the peer guide’s assessment of the learner’s needs. Students will also learn to employ ethical standards for peer guided learning, such as encouraging academic integrity, following policies and procedures, displaying appropriate conduct, and maintaining confidentiality.
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor.
Credit: 1 hour.

PDE 350. Professional Practice Seminar.
Goal: To give students opportunity to reflect on their liberal arts education, explore professional and career choices, and prepare for future professional success.
Content: The course will incorporate several learning experiences designed to support students in the process of professional discernment and development of knowledge and skills in preparation of graduate school and career. Students will gain professional skills such as resume/cover letter writing for different disciplines, interview styles and techniques, strategic job searching, salary negotiation, professional workplace behavior, financial literacy, and graduate school preparation. Over the course of the semester, students will complete a personal statement, resume, transferable skills narrative, and LinkedIn profile. Students will also prepare for their Professional Development Experience (PDE 400).
Prerequisite: 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.
Credit: 1 hour.

PDE 396: Special Topics in Professional Development.
Goal: To provide an opportunity for exploration of a topic not offered as part of the established curriculum.
Content: Examination of special topics, problems, or issues in business that seem particularly relevant to student needs and interests.
Prerequisite: Dependent on topic.
Credit: 1-6 hours. A student may take a maximum of six to eight semester hours of special topics in any one field.

PDE 400: Professional Development Experience.
Goal: To allow students the opportunity to engage in a high-impact practical application of skills and knowledge through a professional experience that ties together and supports the student's coursework and professional goals.
Content: Students identify, plan and complete a professional experience that supports their individual goals and career objectives. The PDE can take the form of an internship, professional research experience, community service project, creative work culminating in an exhibition or performance, or a self-designed project. Working with a faculty supervisor, the student will develop learning outcomes to fit the anticipated professional experience and include those as part the application. At the end of the experience, the student will articulate and reflect upon what was learned and participate in the PDE showcase.
Prerequisite: PDE 350 and 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.
Credit: 1-12 hours.