Effects of a University Career Development Course on Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy

Abstract

The effects of a career development course on career decision-making self-efficacy were investigated. The course was primarily designed to help undecided students with career decision making. A pretest-posttest nonequivalent group design compared students who completed the course ( n = 30) with a quasi-control group of students who were enrolled in an introductory psychology course ( n = 66). The results indicated that students who completed the career course showed increased career decision-making self-efficacy overall, specifically in the areas of obtaining occupational information, setting career goals, and career planning. The career course also appeared to lower perceived career decision difficulties. The importance of having a theoretically based career course and the increased need for research in this area are discussed, given the increase in the popularity of career services on college and university campuses. Limitations and future studies are discussed.