The Compass Advantage “Discovery” course provides a personalized framework to help students discover how they might apply their major after college.

The Cardinal Directions speaker series takes place during this class.

We've already offered a pilot version of this class–with great results.

The Discovery course helped me find resources for career exploration. This semester has made me very interested in being a grant writer. I think my love of research would be perfect for a career like this.

Aries Drake, BA English 2022

Early Results from Compass Career Course

Survey Questions

Response before the Course

Response After the Course

“I feel confident in my ability to get a full-time job after graduation.”

25%
Agreed or Strongly Agreed

73%
Agreed or Strongly Agreed

“I feel confident in my ability to network in my field after graduation.”

33%
Agreed or Strongly Agreed

100%
Agreed or Strongly Agreed

Course Description

Provides a personalized framework for English majors to help them discover how they might apply their major after college. Focuses on student self-assessment including personal attributes such as values, interests, personality, skills, and purpose. Students begin the process of exploring possible career pathways. No prerequisite, but students are encouraged to take the course as a parallel with the gateway course in their major concentration.

Course Objectives

Students who take this course will be able to:

  1. Identify and explain their interests, values, disposition, and long-term goals through self-assessment.
  2. List the skills gained in their major in professional documents and online, such as in a LinkedIn profile.
  3. Conduct an informational interview with someone in their chosen career pathway.
  4. Build social capital through networking opportunities.
  5. Describe and evaluate professional and workplace culture.
In my major and minor, I worked hard to get certifications and technical skills, but I lacked confidence about how to package and articulate what I had to offer an employer. The Discovery course gave me that confidence. In the Discovery course, I had the privilege of listening to people talk about their career journeys. While my English classes pushed me intellectually and helped me develop fluidity in my writing, I needed to see through the eyes of people who were already in the field.

Marisa Sloan, Alum