Career Planning Certificate

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Coordinator: Amanda Durik, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Certificate of Undergraduate Study in Career Planning is designed to support students as they explore career options, prepare themselves for employment after graduation, and gain experiences to inform their career paths. Most certificate courses are embedded in academic majors so that students can take advantage of courses within their discipline that also help them plan their careers. The certificate program is open to all NIU undergraduates. Students must maintain good academic standing in the university, maintain a 2.00 grade point average in certificate courses, and complete all certificate course work within six calendar years. Certificate courses may be counted toward undergraduate degree requirements in the student’s major plan.

Required

UNIV 301 - Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator Credits: 3

Complete 6 additional credit hours from one or both categories below, with a minimum of 3 credit hours in the Experience category.

Explore

Courses in this category help students gain awareness of their career options.

BIOS 201 - The Professional Secondary Science Teacher Credits: 1
BIOS 300 - Introduction to the Biology Major Credits: 1
COUN 211 - Career Planning Credits: 3
COUN 400 - Exploration in the Counseling Profession Credits: 3
EAE 200 - Geoscience Career Preparation Credits: 2
OR CHEM 201X - The Professional Secondary Science Teacher Credits: 1
OR PHYS 201X - The Professional Secondary Science Teacher Credits: 1
ENGL 200 - Literary Study: Research and Criticism Credits: 3
ENVS 400 - Careers in Environmental Studies Credits: 1
ILAS 201 - Introductory Clinical Experience Credits: 1
NNGO 201 - Nonprofit and NGO Career Exploration Credits: 1
PHYS 101 - Introduction to the Physics Major Credits: 2
POLS 393 - Political Science Career Credits: 3
PSYC 101 - University Experience in Psychology Credits: 1
SOCI 375 - Sociology of Organizations Credits: 3

Experience

Courses in this category require a student to apply what they have learned in the classroom to an individual research project, community-based project, or internship experience. Minimum of 3 credit hours from the following:

ACSC 496 - Actuarial Internship Credits: 1-3
ANTH 480 - Internship in Anthropology Credits: 3
ANTH 493 - Anthropology Field Study Credits: 1-6
ANTH 498 - Independent Study in Anthropology Credits: 1-6
ANTH 499 - Senior Honors Research Thesis Credits: 1-3
BIOS 401 - Third Clinical High School/Middle School Experience in Biology Credits: 2
BIOS 428 - Student Teaching (Secondary) in Biology Credits: 12
BIOS 490 - Cooperative Education/Internship Credits: 3
BIOS 494 - Biology Senior Assessment Credits: 1
BIOS 495 - Directed Research in Biology Credits: 1-3
BKST 445 - Independent Study in Black Studies Credits: 1-3
BKST 493 - Afrocentricity Credits: 3
CHEM 428 - Student Teaching (Secondary) in Chemistry Credits: 12
CHEM 496 - Transition to the Professional Chemistry Teacher Credits: 2
CHEM 498 - Research Credits: 1-6
CHEM 499 - Honors Research Credits: 1-6
COMS 361 - Business and Professional Communication Credits: 3
COMS 407 - Practicum Credits: 1-3
COMS 495A - Senior Thesis Credits: 1-3
COMS 495B - Senior Portfolio Credits: 1-3
COMS 497 - Internship Credits: 3
COMS 498A - Independent Study Credits: 3
COMS 498B - Media Production Independent Study Credits: 3
CSCI 390 - Internship Credits: 3
CSCI 496 - Research and Development Internship Credits: 1-6
CSCI 499 - Senior Honors Capstone Credits: 1-3
EAE 400 - Internship Credits: 1-6
EAE 401 - Third Clinical Experience in Earth and Space Science Credits: 2
EAE 428 - Student Teaching (Secondary) in Earth and Space Science Credits: 12
EAE 466 - Workshop in GIS Credits: 3
EAE 467 - Workshop in Cartography Credits: 3
EAE 475 - Geographic Field Work Credits: 3-8
EAE 476 - Technology Applications in Geoscience Credits: 2
EAE 477 - Field Methods in Environmental Geosciences Credits: 5
EAE 478 - Geoscientific Field Techniques I Credits: 2
EAE 479 - Geoscientific Field Techniques II Credits: 2
EAE 482 - Transition to the Professional Earth and Space Science Teacher Credits: 2
EAE 487 - Community Geography Credits: 3
EAE 489 - Undergraduate Research Credits: 1-3
EAE 498 - Senior Thesis Credits: 1-3
EAE 499 - Senior Thesis - Honors Credits: 1-3
ECON 494 - Internship in Economics Credits: 1-6
ECON 497 - Independent Study in Economics Credits: 3
ECON 498 - Undergraduate Research Credits: 3
ENGL 482 - Clinical Experience in English Language Arts Credits: 2
OR ANTH 401X - Third Clinical Secondary School Experience in History/Social Sciences Credits: 1-2
OR EAE 402X - Third Clinical Secondary School Experience in History/Social Sciences Credits: 1-2
OR ECON 401X - Third Clinical Secondary School Experience in History/Social Sciences Credits: 1-2
OR POLS 401X - Third Clinical Secondary School Experience in History/Social Sciences Credits: 1-2
OR PSYC 401X - Third Clinical Secondary School Experience in History/Social Sciences Credits: 1-2
OR SOCI 401X - Third Clinical Secondary School Experience in History/Social Sciences Credits: 1-2
ENGL 485 - Student Teaching in Secondary English Language Arts Credits: 7-12
ENGL 491 - Honors Directed Study Credits: 3
ENGL 492 - Career Planning for English Majors Credits: 3
ENGL 496 - Internship in Writing, Editing, or Training Credits: 1-6
ENVS 401 - Third Clinical High School Experience in Environmental Science Credits: 2
ENVS 428 - Student Teaching (Secondary) in Environmental Science Credits: 12
ENVS 481 - Field Research in Political Ecology Credits: 6
ENVS 482 - Transition to the Professional Environmental Science Teacher Credits: 2
ENVS 490 - Undergraduate Research Credits: 1-3
ENVS 492 - Internship in Environmental Studies Credits: 1-6
ENVS 498 - Senior Thesis Credits: 1-3
ENVS 499 - Senior Thesis: Honors Credits: 1-3
FLAL 421 - Senior Capstone in Translation Credits: 3
FLCL 483 - Directed Readings in Classical Languages Credits: 1-3
FLIS 481 - Independent Study in a Foreign Language Credits: 1-6
FLIS 499 - Honors Independent Study Credits: 3
FLMT 401 - Clinical School Experience in Foreign Languages Credits: 1
FLPT 485 - Student Teaching in Foreign Languages Credits: 6-12
HIST 396 - Internship in History Credits: 3
HIST 400 - Student Teaching in History/Social Sciences for Secondary Educators Credits: 12
HIST 401 - Third Clinical Secondary School Experience in History/Social Sciences Credits: 1-2
HIST 493 - Independent Study Credits: 1-4
HIST 495 - Senior Thesis Credits: 4
HON 499 - Honors Capstone Project Credits: 3-6
IDSP 442 - Proseminar/Internship in Environmental Management Systems Credits: 3
ILAS 301 - Second Clinical Experience Credits: 1
ILAS 390 - Internship Credits: 1-3
ILAS 391 - Bachelor of General Studies Capstone Credits: 1-3
ILAS 395 - Salzburg College B.G.S. Capstone Credits: 3
ILAS 401 - Third Clinical Experience Credits: 1-2
ILAS 440 - Independent Study Credits: 1-3
JOUR 492 - Internship in Journalism Credits: 3
JOUR 496 - Honors Capstone Project Credits: 3
LATS 496 - Internship in Latino and/or Latin American Studies Credits: 1-3
LATS 497 - Independent Study in Latino and/or Latin American Studies Credits: 1-3
MATH 401 - Clinical Secondary School Experience in Mathematics Credits: 1-2
MATH 413 - Student Teaching (Secondary) in Mathematics Credits: 7-12
MATH 494 - Directed Research/Internship in Mathematical Sciences Credits: 1-3
NNGO 490 - Nonprofit and NGO Studies Internship Credits: 1-3
NNGO 495 - Capstone Seminar in Nonprofit and NGO Studies Credits: 3
NNGO 498 - Independent Study in Nonprofit and NGO Studies Credits: 1-3
PHIL 491 - Directed Readings Credits: 1-4
PHIL 495 - Senior Capstone Credits: 1
PHYS 359 - Topics in Physics Credits: 1-3
PHYS 401 - The Professional Physics Teacher Credits: 2
PHYS 428 - Student Teaching (Secondary) in Physics Credits: 12
PHYS 492 - Science Teaching in the Elementary, Middle, and Junior High School: Grades K-9 Credits: 3
OR EAE 486X - Science Teaching in the Elementary, Middle, and Junior High School: Grades K-9 Credits: 3
PHYS 498 - Senior Seminar Credits: 1
PHYS 499 - Senior Project in Physics Credits: 1-3
POLS 419 - Mock Trial Credits: 3
POLS 490 - Internship in Political Science Credits: 3
POLS 491H - Honors Apprenticeship Credits: 3
POLS 496 - Independent Study in Political Science Credits: 1-6
POLS 496H - Honors Independent Study in Political Science Credits: 3
PSPA 496 - Independent Study in Public Administration Credits: 1-6
PSYC 485 - Individual Study in Psychology Credits: 1-3
PSYC 489 - Cooperative Education/Internship Credits: 3
PSYC 498 - Honors Independent Study Credits: 1-3
PSYC 499 - Senior Honors Research Thesis Credits: 1-3
STAT 495 - Statistics Internship Credits: 1-3
WGSS 390 - Internship in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Credits: 1-3
WGSS 439 - Independent Study in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Credits: 3