Counseling and Career Classes

Diablo Valley College's Counseling Department offers a variety of classes and workshops designed to assist students in identifying their educational and career goals, creating career and educational plans, exploring majors and career fields, as well as developing student success strategies.

Our courses are transferable to the CSU system and some can be used towards CSU General Education requirements. We also offer several courses that transfer to the UC system.

Our Counseling and Career classes

Orientation to College Classes

For brand new DVC students needing help in getting started with first term course selection, degree and transfer requirements, creating educational plans and registration next steps.

  • COUNS 095: Educational Planning
    This course provides an introduction to educational goal setting and course selection. Students will develop a plan to succeed in achieving their educational goal. Topics will include identification of interest area, educational and career goals, academic placement, counseling, and advising services.
  • COUNS 096: Orientation for Student-Athletes
    This course provides an introduction to educational goal setting and course selection for student-athletes. Students will develop an education plan to succeed in achieving
    their educational and athletic goals. Topics include general college information, intercollegiate academic eligibility requirements and regulations, registration procedures, and student-athlete academic success strategies. Important college services for student-athletes will be emphasized.
  • COUNS 097: Educational Planning for DSS Students
    This course provides an introduction to college for students with disabilities using course content tailored to meet the unique needs of this population. It will provide students in Disability Support Services (DSS) with a concrete plan for enrolling and succeeding in college. Topics include: an overview of DSS services and accommodations at Diablo Valley College (DVC), an explanation of the differences between high school and college, an overview of general information about certificate, associate degree and transfer pathways, and how to build a student educational plan.
Student Success Classes

For students interested in understanding the transfer process, how to navigate campus resources and learning new student success strategies.

  • COUNS 100: New Student Success Strategies
    This course introduces new students to information, resources and skills necessary for college success. Topics will include educational opportunities, campus resources,
    study skills and strategies. The class also provides instruction in educational planning to reach certificate, degree and transfer goals. CSU, UC (credit limits may apply to UC - see counselor)
  • COUNS 120: Student Success
    This course presents skills and strategies to succeed as a college student. Topics such as motivation and attitudes, time management, decision-making processes, goal-setting, critical thinking skills, study skills and interpersonal communication will be explored. Students will evaluate their own skills and behaviors in relation to these topics and learn strategies to make meaningful choices about their education, career and personal goals. CSU, UC (credit limits may apply to UC - see counselor)
  • COUNS 130: Transfer Planning
    This course presents an overview of the transfer admission requirements, application process, and procedures. Topics include transfer to private, public, in-state, and out-of-state colleges and universities, transfer admission programs, major preparation, and articulation agreements. A key component of this course includes applying research skills and strategies using a variety of techniques to find, retrieve, and evaluate transfer planning information to create a personal education plan. CSU
Career & Major Exploration Classes

For students interested in exploring majors, researching career fields and learning how to decide and plan for your educational and career goals.

  • CARER 110: Career and Life Planning
    This course presents research strategies for effective career and major choice selection. Students will use a variety of techniques to find, retrieve, and evaluate career planning information as well as career assessments to identify their preferred work values, interests, skills and personality traits. Focus is placed on the exploration of labor market needs, educational and employment requirements, and career ladders within given professions resulting in an effective educational and job search plan. Employability and interpersonal skills such as communication, critical thinking, creative problem solving, time management, self-esteem and professional confidence, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and effective collaboration are also addressed. CSU, UC (credit limits may apply to UC - see counselor)
  • CARER 120: Career Assessment
    In this course, students will utilize self-assessment inventories to identify individual interests, values, skills and personality types as they relate to college/career and major options. Career development software and related technologies to develop skills to enhance the career exploration process will be utilized. CSU
  • CARER 130: Career and Major Exploration
    This course introduces basic career planning and electronic resources that aid in the research of career and college major options. This course is intended for students who are undecided about their career and/or educational goals. CSU
Employment Preparation Classes

For student interested in preparing for the employment search process by learning to write cover letters, resumes, research the job market and interview techniques.

  • CARER 140: Job Search Strategies
    This course is designed to prepare students for the employment search process. Identification of goals and job skills, how to complete an application, traditional and electronic cover letters and resumes, interviewing techniques, job market research and overview of employee and employer rights will be covered. Students will also identify and discuss the employability skills most commonly sought by employers. CSU