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Explore Careers
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Exploring Careers in First-Year Seminar (CAP110S, Lutz)

A lot of the information on the Web focuses on helping students find a job, not choosing a major or exploring what you can do with that degree. Avoid the headache of spending hours on the Internet with few useful results. Use the resources below specially chosen for this assignment to find the answers you need.

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All of books are found in Ciletti Library's Reference Collection on the 1st Floor.

Additional Resources from PSU's Business Library
Career Information Resource Guide (General)
http://extranet.libraries.psu.edu/business/careers.htm

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Explore Careers
Explore Academic Majors
Explore Colleges and Universities
Find Articles About Careers

Explore Careers
Do you really know what the careers you are interested in involve? What is the job outlook?

Occupational Outlook Handbook
(http://www.bls.gov/search/ooh.htm)

The premiere source for exploring careers, the Occupational Outlook Handbook offers information such as training required, job outlook, related occupations, and additional sources of information.

Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance, 11th Ed.
Ref. HF5381.E52 2000 v. 1-4

Use Volume 1 to explore broad career fields ("Education" for education, "Social Service" for psychology, etc.). Use the Related Articles section to find related specific careers in Volumes 2-4. "School Subjects" listed under specific careers indicate subjects you may have especially enjoyed or excelled at in high school or college.

Find out if your chosen career:

• Requires certification
• Requires training from an accredited program
• Requires advanced study

Explore Academic Majors
Which school offers the degree program you need?

Start on p. 539 in the "Degrees Offered By Subject" section. Find your degree, the degree specified by the Occupational Outlook Handbook or the Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance, then choose the state you wish to study in. This will tell you which schools offer that degree and the type of degree offered ("A" for Associate and "B" for Bachelor.)

Possible entries to explore: *
Education, General
Elementary Teacher Education
Psychology, General
Secondary Teacher Education
Science Teacher Education, General
School Psychology
Social Studies Teacher Education
Social Work
Sociology

*Though Penn State may not be listed for very specific degree programs, general Education, Psychology, or Sociology study is likely to work for you. See Dr. Lutz or your advisor for more information.

Explore Colleges and Universities
I know this school offers my degree program, but what's this school like?

Peterson's Four-Year Colleges, 2003
Ref. L901.A55201 33rd Ed. 2003

Start on p. 1081 with "In-Depth Descriptions" of schools. Arranged alphabetically by school's name.

The College Blue Book
Volume 1: Narrative Descriptions
Ref. LA226.C685 30th ed. 2003 v.1

Research brief descriptions of the schools offering the degree program you wish to study. Arranged by state.

Use URL provided for school to explore up-to-the-minute information for prospective students.

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Explore Careers
Explore Academic Majors
Explore Colleges and Universities
Find Articles About Careers

Find Articles About Careers
Articles by experts on career options and the outlook from a professional's point-of-view can be enlightening.

Use ProQuest Direct on the Libraries' E-Resource List to find articles. 

Sample Keyword searches:

careers AND elementary education
careers AND secondary education
careers AND school psycholog* (finds "psychology and psychologist")
careers in psychology
careers in sociology
careers AND physical therap* (finds "therapy" and "therapist")

Having trouble finding what you need? Ask Amy!

Last Updated
November 2, 2004;  broken URLs fixed August 26, 2008 ALD