Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant - AAS-T
Train for a career as an administrative assistant, administrative secretary, office administrator, or office manager, and work in your choice of business and office settings. Bellingham Technical College's Administrative Assistant program will prepare you for success in today’s business world, as you use your math, communication, and technical reading skills—and discover your personal strengths.
This program will prepare you for a career as an administrative assistant so you can provide office support and customer service in a variety of industries including health care, education, legal, finance, insurance, manufacturing, construction, and government.
Employment Information
Data are provided on a program (not credential) level
81% BTC graduate placement rate1
$36,899 starting annual wage2$44,616 average annual wage2
$53,560 potential annual wage2
Estimated Program Costs
Entry Information
When Can I Start?
What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?
Admissions application and assessment testing in Reading, Math and Writing is required. Your score on the test and/or your previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence. Contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with academic planning.
- ACCUPLACER Classic Reading (71) or higher OR ACCUPLACER NextGen Reading (247) or higher OR RDG 085 with a C or higher.
- ACCUPLACER Classic Sentence Skills (71) or higher OR ACCUPLACER NextGen Writing (245) or higher OR ENGL 092 with a C or higher.
- ACCUPLACER Classic Arithmetic (50) or higher OR ACCUPLACER NextGen Arithmetic (238) or higher OR MATH 90 with a C or higher.
What are My Next Steps?
Classes
Total Program Credits: 90
Core Courses for Program
CORE COURSES: 55 CREDITS ACCT 141 Practical Accounting I 5 CR BUS 100 Electronic Math Applications 3 CR BUS 123 Records Management 3 CR BUS 232 Office Procedures 5 CR BUS 276 Field-Based Experience 5 CR OR CAP 101 Microsoft Computer Applications 5 CR CAP 105 Computerized Touch Keyboarding 2 CR CAP 106 Formatting with MSWord 4 CR CAP 107 Computerized Keyboard Skillbuilding I 3 CR CAP 138 MS Word 5 CR CAP 142 Microsoft Excel 5 CR CAP 146 Microsoft Access 5 CR CAP 200 Integrated Computer Applications 5 CR Electives
ELECTIVE COURSES: 15 CREDITS Administrative Assistant students may choose elective credits from any 100-level of higher courses with the following prefixes: ACCT, BUS, CAP, CIS, ECON, HRM, LGL, IT, or MGMT. Field-Based Experience courses may not be used as electives. Courses taken to meet the general education or program core requirements may not be used for electives. 15 CR General Education Core Courses
GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES: 20 CREDITS ENGL& 101 English Composition I 5 CR MATH& 107 Math in Society 5 CR OR Approved Alternative from the AAS-T Math course options list. PSYC& 100 General Psychology 5 CR OR SOC& 101 Introduction to Sociology 5 CR OR CMST& 210 Interpersonal Communication 5 CR BUS& 101 Introduction to Business 5 CR
Online Synchronous
Hybrid Asynchronous
Hybrid Synchronous
Face-to-Face
Self-SupportProgram Outcomes
After successfully completing this program, students will be able to:
- Type 35 words per minute with no more than four errors on a three-minute timed writing.
- Produce accurate business documents in a variety of file formats using computer technology and applying editing and language skills.
- Use a spreadsheet program to solve business problems using formulas, functions, lists, and charts.
- Apply techniques for managing time, records, and meetings in an office environment.
- Organize records according to ARMA rules and procedures.
- Use Microsoft Outlook to create electronic messages and contacts, manage multiple calendars, and track tasks.
- Design and create a relational database that includes tables, multiple form types, simple and action queries, and reports.
- Integrate Microsoft Access and Word to prepare a mail merge for form letters, mailing labels, and envelopes.
- Apply communication and interpersonal skills while providing effective administrative support in an office environment.
Employment Outlook
Job openings are expected to be plentiful, especially for well-qualified and experienced administrative assistants. Rapidly growing industries, such as personnel supply, computer and data processing, and management and public relations, will also generate new job opportunities.
The average annual wage in this field is $41,330, with an earning potential of about $50,627 per year.
Administrative assistants are needed in a variety of industries. Employment for administrative assistants is projected to grow 19 percent in Washington State and decline by 9 percent across the United States according to O*Net OnLine
As with other clerical employees, administrative assistants are employed in organizations of every description. Nationally, most office support staff are employed in firms providing services, ranging from education and health, to legal and business services. Banks, insurance companies, investment firms, and real estate firms are important employers, as are Federal, State, and local government agencies.
Opportunities also exist working for companies that engage in manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail trade, transportation, and communications. Potential positions include administrative secretary, administrative assistant, office administrator, and office manager.
Faculty & Support
Marcia Pedersen
Marcia Pedersen has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from Central Washington University and has taught a variety of courses over 27 years including computers, finance, law, entrepreneurship, office procedures and English. She is certified in Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Access. Her professional networks are with the National Business Education Association, Washington Association of Career and Technical Education, and Washington State Business Education Association. In addition, she has worked as a receptionist, legal secretary, athletic program manager, clerical testing administrator, lifeguard, and juvenile detention officer. She enjoys traveling, scuba diving, reading, volunteering with search and rescue, and spending time with her family—two and four-legged!