Career Theory and Practice: Learning Through Case Studies

Designed to help readers apply career development theories to their work with career counseling clients, Career Theory and Practice: Learning Through Case Studies links major career development and choice theories to a fictional case client. Authors Jane L. Swanson and Nadya A. Fouad use this case study approach throughout the book to provide an integrative thread that illustrates similarities and differences between the featured theories. The Third Edition has been updated and substantially expanded to be a primary text for a graduate course in Career Development and Counseling.

 

“Jane L. Swanson and Nadya A. Fouad do a masterful job of bringing theory to life through the lived stories of actual career clients. I very much appreciated the book’s format, the examples, the discussion questions, and the richly developed case examples.” —Mary J. Heppner, University of Missouri, Columbia, commenting on the First Edition

 

“The case study method is very effective. Students can see firsthand how the theories are interpreted and applied. Often they get a better understanding of their own lives and career history.” —Anne Zachmeyer, Rochester Institute of Technology

 

“Theory discussion is complete and usable for students; the quality of the text is strong.” —Meredith J. Drew, Centenary College

Jane L. Swanson, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she served as Chair of the Department of Psychology and Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.  She received her PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1986.  She is a Fellow of the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17) of the American Psychological Association and has served as Chair of the Society for Vocational Psychology and on the boards of the Society of Counseling Psychology and the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling.  Dr. Swanson has served on several journal editorial boards and as Associate Editor of the Journal of Vocational Behavior.  She has published extensively on topics related to career and vocational psychology, such as career assessment, career barriers, measurement of vocational interests, and career interventions.  Dr. Swanson is also an experienced career counselor and facilitator, including founding and directing a university career counseling agency, developing and delivering career interventions for high school students, and training and supervising career counselors.

Nadya A. Fouad, PhD, ABPP, is the Mary and Ted Kellner Endowed Chair of Educational Psychology and a University Distinguished Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She received her Ph.D in Counseling Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1984. Her primary areas of interest are career development and career choices of women and of racial and ethnic minorities; cross-cultural vocational assessment; interest measurement; cross-cultural counseling; race and ethnicity, and competencies in training.  Dr. Fouad is the editor of the Journal of Vocational Behavior.  She is a past editor of the Counseling Psychologist, and has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of Career Assessment, Journal of Counseling Psychology, and Career Development Quarterly. She currently serves on the National Academy of Engineering’s Workforce Development Workgroup.  Dr. Fouad is past president of The Society of Counseling Psychology (17) of the American Psychological Association, past chair of the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs, past chair of the Board of Educational Affairs of the American Psychological Association, and is past Chair of the APA Ethics Committee.   She is the 2017 recipient of the Leona Tyler Award for Lifetime of Achievement in Counseling Psychology, the 2014 Society of Vocational Psychology Distinguished Achievement Award, the 2013 Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2010 Paul Nelson Award, the 2009 APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training, the 2009 Janet E. Helms Award for Mentoring & Scholarship, and the 2003 APA Division 17 John Holland Award for Outstanding Achievement in Career and Personality Research.