5 courses with the subject SEM, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
SEM 139First-Year Professional Development Seminar
First-year PDS is designed to help students transition successfully from high school to college and to introduce students to career development resources and concepts. In the first half of the course, topics covered include time management, effective study habits, campus resources, self-awareness, and decision-making. In the second half, students explore majors and are introduced to resume writing, professionalism, and networking. 1 Hour, 1 Semester
SEM 239Second-Year Professional Development Seminar
Second-year PDS centers on the importance of professional branding and experiential learning. Students work on job-search readiness by learning how to locate internship opportunities, refine their resumes, and write effective cover letters. In addition, they learn about networking and begin to develop interviewing skills through participation in mock interviews conducted by upper-level students. Development of LinkedIn profiles begins in this course. 1 Hour, 1 Semester
SEM 339Third-Year Professional Development Seminar
The primary focus of Third-year PDS is on strengthening interviewing skills. Over a four-week period, every member of the class participates in a mock interview conducted by a guest employer. In preparation for this experience, students select an internship or job of interest and write a targeted cover letter which is given to the employer along with an updated resume and the job description. In addition to being interviewed, students provide constructive feedback to their classmates about their interviewing skills through observations and class discussions. Students will also further develop networking skills and personal branding tactics. 1 Hour, 1 Semester
SEM 444Professional Development Seminar (For UGO Students Only)
This course is designed to enhance the student’s professional and communication skills in order to develop and maintain a positive environment at work while preparing for future advancement opportunities. As a seminar course, Professional Development Seminar is highly interactive and will cover the following topics: personal branding, professional writing, business communication, networking, the interview and job search processes, career resources, mock interviewing, salary negotiations/benefits, and goal setting. 3 Hours, 1 Semester Return to Table of Contents Nichols College 2026-2027 Catalog 160
SEM 445Prior Learning Credit Evaluation & Portfolio Development (For UGO Students Only)
This course is designed to provide an introduction to Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) portfolio development. It provides a series of structured activities and systematic approaches for the student to prepare for petitioning for credit for learning outside the traditional classroom. SEM 445 satisfies the requirement for SEM 444. 3 Hours, 1 Semester
