Why Enroll in the CARE Program?
While many students come to college with a major in mind, other students come to college
unsure of their career path. The CARE program provides students with the tools and
strategies that they need to make informed decisions regarding degree selection and
learning what career opportunities will become available with completion of that degree.
In addition, the CARE program offers students the opportunity to learn valuable career
related skills associated with resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, networking,
building a career portfolio, and learning transferable skills.
University students do not have to be in the CARE program to take advantage of the
CARE courses. Students Looking to change majors can benefit from taking the CARE 102
course. Students looking to learn valuable career development skills can benefit from
taking CARE 201, CARE 202, and CARE 203. Additionally, all CARE courses are strategically
aligned to foster the development of employment driven soft-skills.
Career Exploration Courses
-
The CARE 102 course is a three-credit hour class that guides you through the career
decision-making process. CARE 102 offers you opportunities for self-evaluation, career
and educational planning, and the development of decision-making skills. CARE faculty
members help you explore career development as a lifelong process through the use
of self-assessment inventories, group discussion, career interviews, and individual
projects.
Course Outcomes
- Students will develop a personal educational and career vision statement based on
completion of 2-3 interest and skill strength-based inventories.
- Students will research careers, and the educational requirements to develop a personal
educational and career summary paper of their top 4-5 career options based on their
strengths outlined in the assessments.
- Based on their personal educational and career vision statement and personal educational
and career summary paper, students will develop a detailed educational and career
contingency plan containing 2-3 options.
- Utilizing their personal educational and career development plan, students will develop
3-5 SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) career goals.
-
CARE 201 is a one-credit hour course that will prepare you to become career ready
by developing successful skills and strategies focused on completing job applications, writing resumes, and writing cover letters. In addition, you will be connected with career resources on campus and around the
community.
Course Outcomes
- Students will complete job applications to illustrate their understanding of the general
questions asked.
- Students will create a professional resume specific to their career field of interest.
- Students will create a professional cover letter specific to their career field of
interest.
-
CARE 202 is a one-credit hour course that will prepare you to become career ready
by developing successful skills and strategies focused on interviewing and professional etiquette. In addition, you will be connected with career resources on campus and around the
community.
Course Outcomes
- Students will produce answers to typical interview questions and formulate a bank
of interview questions they can ask of potential employers.
- Students will demonstrate proper interviewing skills.
- Students will discuss and practice proper professional etiquette (attire, behavior,
technology, social, etc.)
-
CARE 203 is a one-credit hour course that will prepare you to become career ready
by developing successful skills and strategies focused on creating a career portfolio, learning how to network, and learning valuable transferable skills. In addition, you will be connected with career resources on campus and around the
community.
Course Outcomes
- Students will distinguish the effective elements of a career portfolio containing
both educational and work experience.
- Students will learn lifelong transferable skills that all employers are looking for
regardless of career path.
- Students will learn how to network and utilize the career resources available to them
(Career Services Dept., Job Fairs, Michigan Works, etc.), both on the Ferris State
University campus, and within the community.
The Academic Advisor
The Academic Advisor for all students in the CARE Program is the instructor of the
Ferris State University Seminar courses - FSUS 100 and 101. This advisor, selected
from the many faculty and professional staff who specialize in helping to guide students
who have not yet selected a program, can help you define and develop realistic goals,
identify special needs, match you with available resources, monitor progress toward
educational and career goals, and discuss linkages between academic preparation and
the world of work.
The Best of Both Worlds
In addition to identifying potential major programs or career fields, you may complete
your class schedule by enrolling in courses that meet the University graduation requirements
of Collaboration, Communication, Culture, Diversity, Natural Sciences, Problem Solving,
Quantitative Literacy, and Self and Society. Every effort is made to help you select
required courses that will support your subsequent work in the major field.
The Ferris Career Exploration Program is an ideal way to begin college and make progress
toward a degree while looking at different career options.
CARE Program Mission, Goals, and Strategic Plan
For program curriculum information contact:
Dr. Jason Bentley
Dean of Retention and Student Success
(231) 591-2428
[email protected]
For application, registration and orientation questions contact:
Shelly VandePanne
Director of Academic Student Success
(231) 591-2360
[email protected]
