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.
Data are provided on a program (not credential) level
81% BTC graduate placement rate1
$36,899 starting annual wage2
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.
Require 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 |
BUS& 101 | Introduction to Business | 5 CR |
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 |
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 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 |
After successfully completing this program, students will be able to:
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.
Marcia Pedersen has 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!