Transition and Career Studies (TCS) Program

This seminar is designed to support first-year TCS students in acclimating to student life on GCU campus and to provide them with the necessary guidance needed to be successful campus community participants. It provides bi-weekly sessions with the TCS Student Life Program Specialist focusing on specific areas of need and provides instruction in areas that are critical to maintaining a productive and safe college experience. This first-year seminar provides supplemental instruction and guidance so that TCS students can access the resources and opportunities of an inclusive university campus and obtain accommodations/modifications, if necessary. Students will be provided with the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to fully engage in campus life activities, access campus resources and maintain a safe and secure college experience. Required of and restricted to first-year TCS students.

This seminar is designed to provide continued support to first-year TCS students, reinforcing and building on the material presented in TCS100. It provides bi-weekly sessions with the TCS Student Life Program Specialist focusing on specific areas of need and provides reinforcement of areas that are critical to maintaining a productive and safe college experience. Required of and restricted to first-year TCS students.

Prerequisite(s): TCS100.

This specialized first-year seminar is designed to provide initial support to TCS students regarding university academics and campus orientation. It provides first-year students with ongoing guidance and review within a classroom structure. This seminar will encourage students to further develop their skills in executive functioning, self-advocacy, self-determination, and study skills. It provides ongoing opportunities for advisement and support of organization, time management and study skills. Required of and restricted to first-year TCS students.

This is the second component of a two-part specialized first-year seminar designed to provide initial support to TCS students regarding university academics and campus orientation. It provides first-year students with ongoing guidance and review within a classroom structure. This seminar will encourage students to further develop their skills in executive functioning, self-advocacy, self-determination, and study skills. It provides a daily opportunity for advisement and organization, time management and study skills. In addition, a component of this course is the identification and implementation of additional assistive and instructional technology. Required of and restricted to first-year TCS students.

This course guides students’ exploration into self-concept, establishing a framework to identify individual strengths, abilities, talents and opportunities for improvement. Each student will develop a person-centered life plan through research-based processes that will be reviewed and used throughout the program. In addition, students will focus on approaches to problem-solving, choice-making and goal-setting. Central to this course is the development of skills in supported decision-making as a means of self-determination. Required of and restricted to first-year TCS students.

This course engages students in the process of identifying, planning and pursuing a career and understanding the options for employment within that career sector. The course begins with the parameters of the “world of work” including the various options available for work within specific careers. Students engage in a systematic self-assessment that focuses on career exploration as it relates to their unique skills, interests, talents and values. Instruction will develop life skills such as exploring personal work interests and preferences, researching employment sectors and career paths, résumé writing, and job interviewing. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their first year.

Prerequisite(s): TCS120.

This course compliments the students’ first on-campus practicum experiences and serves as a context to reflect on the soft skills of work and the role of an employee. Students will engage in classroom instruction that includes the responsibilities associated with work; mediating the relationship between an employee and both authority / management and peer workers; and the rights of workers. Associated with these workplace readiness areas, students will be instructed in skills and behaviors of a successful employee such as time management, problem-solving, working with the public, and transportation. Lastly, the course will address the process of securing entry-level positions that have upward mobility and associating this with the students’ individual career area choices. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their second year.

Prerequisite(s): TCS130.

This course will introduce students to the basic concepts necessary to form successful relationships and exercise a healthy lifestyle. Students will explore aspects of physical, nutritional, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental health both in the context of the campus environment and beyond. The importance of forming and maintaining relationships as a component of achieving a healthy lifestyle will be emphasized. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their first year.

This course supports students as they continue their journey as independent college students living and working within the context of their residence, classrooms, and overall campus community. The themes and content of the prerequisite course (TCS140) regarding building relationships and developing healthy habits will be further explored within their role as members of the college community. GCU policies, protocols and resources will be reviewed in regards to the students’ emerging social and professional relationships with peers, professors and others. In addition, students will develop skills in bridging the gap between their role as a member of GCU community and a member of their family / home community so that their evolving independence can be appropriately exercised at home. Students will engage in identifying current issues and discuss solutions to their efforts to be included within college student community activities. Overall, the primary focus of this course will be to provide students with specific skills and strategies that will prepare them to have a safe, healthy, engaging, and independent college experience, and for life post-graduation. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their first year.

Prerequisite(s): TCS140.

This seminar is designed to continue to support TCS students with the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to advance within the student life and overall college community outside of the academic arena. It provides a weekly session with the TSC Student Life Program Specialist focusing on specific areas of need. Each semester the course adds a specialized focus area of social/emotional development that is determined by cohort need. The Student Life Program Specialist will design seminar expectations to include expectations and assignments. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their sophomore and junior years. Repeatable up to 4 credits.

Prerequisite(s): TCS101.

This specialized seminar series is designed to provide TCS Sophomores and Juniors with continued support regarding college academics and campus orientation. It provides ongoing guidance and review within a classroom structure. This seminar encourages students to further develop their skills in executive functioning, self-advocacy, self-determination, and study skills. It provides opportunities for ongoing advisement and for monitoring of organization and time management. In addition, each semester the course adds a specialized focus area that is determined by program/cohort need. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their second and third years. Repeatable for up to 8 credits.

Prerequisite(s): TCS111

The TCS Practicum is a four-semester series that students take across their sophomore and junior years, allowing them to sample a supervised work experience in several employment sectors located on the GCU campus. Students are required to experience at least two different work sectors that may include information technology, retail, business, food service, customer service, service industry, or other areas of campus. The practicum experiences are designed to mirror competitive integrated employment, providing students with real-life work experience in various work environments for the purposes of developing and exercising work-related “soft skills.” Required of and restricted to TCS students in their second and third years. Repeatable for up to 12 credits.

Prerequisite(s): TCS 130

Exploration of topics not covered in the regular curriculum. The course may be repeated when different topics are offered. May be offered for 1-3 credits.

This course addresses the transition from college to an integrated adult life. Using the person-centered planning materials developed over the course of the last three years in the program, students will engage in a formal transition planning process that is augmented by instruction in the support services and other resources to ensure a smooth and successful transition from college. Students’ planning will primarily address the following career/vocational areas: Career path identification, researching potential employers, networking skills, job applications, résumé writing, and interview preparation. Students will begin development of a senior portfolio. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their senior year.

This course addresses the transition from college to an integrated adult life. Using the person-centered planning materials developed over the course of the last three years in the program, students will engage in a formal transition planning process augmented by instruction in the support services and other resources to assure a smooth and successful transition from college. This course is focused on finalizing the student’s person-centered planning and completing the student’s portfolio. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their senior year.

Prerequisite(s): TCS400.

This course provides TCS seniors with limited support and guidance regarding academic classes and other campus-related issues. In addition, seniors are facilitated through topics and issues related to the transition out of college to the adult life with an emphasis on social/emotional factors. Topics include planning and adjustment to life after graduation; maintaining friendships and exercising self-direction. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their senior year. Repeatable for up to 2 credits.

The TCS Internship reflects a substantial supervised work experience off-campus in an area of interest to the student. The Internship is between 18-21 hours per week for two semesters. Students must interview for a position and learn to take public / private transportation to and from the campus. In addition, there is a bi-weekly seminar hosted by the Career and Vocational Program Specialist. Required of and restricted to TCS students in their senior year. Repeatable for up to 12 credits.

Prerequisite(s): TCS230