HP 8002 WORKING IN THE 21st CENTURY

2012-2013 SPECIAL SEMESTER 2

Lecturer:

Kamal Kant (Part-time Lecturer)

Psychology Division
Level 4, Room 18
School of Humanities and Social Sciences Building
Email: kkant@ntu.edu.sg

PLEASE SEND ALL E-MAIL COMMUNICATION TO: kkant@ntu.edu.sg

Venue: LT25
Time of Lectures: Mondays 9 am to 11 am & 12 noon to 2 pm
Tuesdays 9 am to 11 am & 12 noon to 2 pm
Course Description
Working in the 21st Century is characterized by competition on a global scale,
where jobs are becoming increasingly knowledge-intensive and technologydriven, and where constant change is the norm rather than the exception.
The financial tsunami of 2008 and consequential crisis that has followed in
2009 and the continuing Eurozone Financial Crisis has created further newer
challenges in the world of work, including increasing difficulty in securing
preferred or ideal employment. Furthermore, the relation between employers
and employee is continuously being transformed as the profile and
characteristics of demographics change. The traditional psychological
employment contract of loyalty and commitment in exchange for job security
and lifelong employment has been broken. The mantra today is employability
and remaining relevant to the demands of employers.
As a broadening module for personal growth and career development, this
course aims to provide students with an understanding of the changing world
of work, career development theories and their application to career
planning, work values and job satisfaction, work behaviours (working in
teams, demonstrating leadership and motivation) and occupational health
including managing stress, emotional and social intelligence at the workplace
and the contemporary concept of life career planning. The course also
addresses issues and skills needed in job hunting. The course generally takes
a psychological and behavioural approach in addressing the topics covered in
the course.
Students, especially those about to graduate, who have not attended any
career-related programme, will find the course useful and helpful as they
enter the world of work. Those in the earlier years of their university course
will also learn or discover their inadequacies to cope when they graduate.
This will help them to seek appropriate career guidance or assistance during
their university years.
1213SPECIAL SEM 02
KAMAL KANT, 2012-13

Course Objectives
Upon completion of the module, students will
1. learn about the various theories on career development & their
application to career planning;
2. examine the new paradigm of career development in the 21st Century;
3. develop insights into their own vocational personality through guided
self-assessment;
4. apply theories of vocational psychology in vocational assessment;
5. learn about and prepare for the changing workplace;
6. understand and apply the concept of life career planning;
7. develop a personal career portfolio to facilitate their own career planning
and job hunting.
Course Outline Academic Year 2012-2013 Special Semester 2
Each lecture will be conducted in two parts. Part A will start at 9 am and end
at 11 am. Part B will start at 12 noon and end at 2 pm. All lectures will be
held at LT25 in the South Spine Level B2.
Part 1: Understanding & Applying Theories of Career development
Lect.
1A

Dates
Mon., 24th June

Topic
Overview of Course

1B
2A
2B

Mon., 24th June

Tue., 25th June
Tue., 25th June

3A

Mon., 1st July

Description of Assignment
Introduction to Careers
The Changing World of
Work
Career Theories [if remainder

3B

Mon., 1st July

4A

Tue., 2nd July

4B

Tue., 2nd July

Resource
Course Outline
KK Content &
Introduction
Assignment Details
KK Chap 1 & 2
KK Chap 1 & 2
KK Chap 3

of Career Theories can be

completed during Session 3A,
Session 3B will be free for students
to work on assignments.]

Career Theories

KK Chap 3

Career Theories

[if remainder
of Career Theories can be
completed during Session 4A,
Session 4B will be free for students
to work on assignments.]

KK Chap 3

Career Theories

KK Chap 12

DISCUSSION TIME FOR

ASSIGNMENT

Exercise on Self-Awareness - Please

bring text for course to lecture.

DISCUSSION TIME FOR

ASSIGNMENT

1213SPECIAL SEM 02
KAMAL KANT, 2012-13

Part 2: Understanding & Applying the Psychology of Work

Lect.
5A
5B

Dates
Mon., 8th July
Mon., 8th July

Topic
Driving Motivation
Driving Motivation

Resource
KK Chap 4
KK Chap 4 & 5

6A

Tue., 9th July

KK Chap 5 & 6

6B

Tue., 9th July

Demonstrating Leadership
& Working in Teams
Working in Teams

DISCUSSION TIME FOR

ASSIGNMENT. [SUBJECT TO
AVAILIBILITY OF TIME]

DISCUSSION TIME FOR

ASSIGNMENT. [SUBJECT TO
AVAILIBILITY OF TIME]

KK Chap 6

Part 3: Positioning Yourself for Success with Psychology

Lect.
7A

Dates
Mon., 15th July

7B
8A
8B

Mon., 15th July

Tue., 16th July
Tue., 16th July

9A

Mon., 22th July

9B

Mon., 22th July

Topic
Understanding
Intelligence
Managing Stress
Succeeding at Work
NO LECTURE.

Resource
KK Chap 7

Knowing Oneself & Job

Hunting
Knowing Oneself & Job
Hunting

KK Chap 9, 11 &
12
KK Chap 9, 11 &
12

KK Chap 8
KK Chap 10

DISCUSSION TIME FOR

ASSIGNMENT &
CONSULTATION ABOUT
MATERIAL COVERED DURING
THE COURSE.

ASSIGNMENT TO BE HANDED IN
BY END OF LECTURE.

10A

Tue., 23th July

10B

Tue., 23th July

Working in the 21st

Century
The Finale!

KK Chap 11

PRESCRIBED TEXT FOR COURSE: Kamal Kant (2011): Work and Careers
in the 21st Century. Second Edition Singapore: McGraw-Hill [Referred to as
KK (Resource) in Course Outline]
Copies of the prescribed text may be purchased from Yunnan Bookstore at
Level B5 Block S4, Nanyang Technological University.
RECOMMENDED READINGS: There are several articles which are
recommended for reading. These will be mentioned during the lectures and
are listed in Power Points for the respective lectures.
1213SPECIAL SEM 02
KAMAL KANT, 2012-13

All enquiries and email communication to me can be sent to the

following email address: kkant@ntu.edu.sg
Mode of Assessment
Part A:
Assignment
(40%)

DUE DATE
PLEASE
ENSURE YOU
READ & TAKE
NOTE

Part B:
Written
Examination
(60%)

This is separately described in the assignment document.

This is a paired assignment i.e. you have to work with
a fellow student. [A penalty of reduced marks may be
imposed if you submit a solo effort.] Both students will
get the same mark for the assignment. Students are
strongly urged to read the assignment document carefully
to ensure the assignment is correctly done and there is
compliance with the requirements. The assignment
essentially requires you to interview three individuals with
at least 15 years of career history; and subsequently
write two short essays using the information gained from
the interviewees and drawing on material from the
prescribed text and other additional research the two
member team may carry out. There is a word limit [4,000
words] on the assignment and therefore good effective and
concise writing skills are essential. Submission Date for
Assignment: Monday, 22nd July 2013).
Further details are given in the assignment document.
Please read the assignment document very carefully
and ensure compliance.
The marked assignments will not be returned.
Individual grades or marks will not be given for the
assignment. You will receive an overall grade for the
entire course.
The written examination will consist of answering 4 essay
type questions. Exam questions will be based on the
contents of the prescribed readings and texts, and lectures.
Students are required to address questions pertaining to
their careers, too, drawing on the readings and lectures as
basis to justify issues regarding their respective careers.
Due to the time limitation of 2 hours for the exam, good,
effective and concise writing skills are essential. There will
be a choice of 6 questions to choose from. Each
question will come in 2 parts. Recent past examination
papers for HP8002 [formerly known as HP802] are posted
on the Librarys website for past exam papers as a guide for
style and type of questions you can expect. See under HSS
Psychology Year 1. You are strongly encouraged to
view them early so you are aware of the types of questions
to expect in the examination paper. It is a closed book
examination.

1213SPECIAL SEM 02
KAMAL KANT, 2012-13