Goal Setting: 5 year plan

GRS290/390/490 Articulating your academic and career goals for the next five years What are your plans for the next five years?  What courses should you take to achieve those goals?  What career path do you plan to (intend to) follow once you graduate from the GRS program.  What is the best path toward those career goals?  Do you need to continue on to a post-graduate program or a post-graduate diploma program to move toward your career goals?  What do you wish to achieve during your career?  How do your career goals mesh with your personal goals (domestic commitments; travel plans; hobbies; recreation; volunteer activities)? All of the questions above are best addressed before you graduate from UBC.  If you are in second or third year, developing career goals and a path toward those goals will assist you in choosing internships and exchange opportunities as well as choosing the most relevant courses here at UBC.  If you are in your final year, this is the time to clarify your career goals and to begin revisions of your curriculum vitae in preparation for applications for employment or further studies. The end product of this assignment should be a one to two page document that articulates your prospective career path with a view to five years into the future.  This will also provide you with a foundation to further develop your goals and aspirations and to create a starting point for further reflection about your career and personal goals as you begin to move beyond your post-baccalaureate studies and into your career. As part of the assignment you should explore potential opportunities with government/non-government agencies/industries/universities of interest to assess the qualifications that are necessary to attain positions with those particular organizations. For many people the career path is not straight forward but is one with a few (many) twists and turns.  Your response to the forks in the path will depend on how well you have articulated your desired goals for a career and your personal life.  Sometimes, opportunities for one or the other may conflict and it is good to have given consideration about what you value and what is important in your life. Another reason for the assignment is that having a clear statement of career goals and plans as well as past accomplishments and current volunteer activities will enable Brent and Roxana to provide more informative reference letters to prospective employers, post-graduate institutions, funding agencies (some people apply for funds to facilitate volunteer activities, development projects), agencies that provide scholarships, etc. The assignment should be submitted by the end of semester, via e-mail to Brent and Roxana who will then review your career statement and maintain an electronic copy of your statement.  This assignment will count as one of your required postings for this academic term.

Correction: The assignment is due mid-afternoon February 9th, as initially indicated by Brent on Jan 26th.