Vaccine Clinic Appointments—IMPORTANT! BTC is not responsible for scheduling any vaccine appointments. All inquiries and appointments must be made through the Whatcom County Health department. Below are the contacts to make appointments:
In a world where everyday items are increasingly dependent upon computers – from phones to televisions to medical equipment – the need for skilled workers who can troubleshoot computer software issues is growing. If you enjoy combining technical and customer service skills in a variety of business and office settings, Bellingham Technical College’s Computer Support Specialist associate degree could be a good fit to get your tech career started. BTC’s Computer Support Specialist program will train you for top jobs in computer support, software, help desk support, PC support, and training and software support coordination.
BTC’s classes will train you in valuable software and computer support skills needed by companies big and small, including hospitals, financial institutions, large corporations, school districts, and universities. Computer hardware and software manufacturers also hire BTC’s program graduates to work as customer service representatives and help desk personnel.
Students in the Computer Support Specialist associate degree program at Bellingham Technical College will receive training in word processing, spreadsheets and databases; teaching others how to use computers and software; basic computer programming and website building; operating system installation and configuration; and more.
Bellingham Technical College is a Microsoft IT Academy member and is a member of CompTIA.
75% BTC graduate placement rate
$44,450 starting annual wageThis program typically starts in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer Quarters on a space available basis.
A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater and a grade of C will be the minimum passing grade for all courses.
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.
IT 105 | Using Network Computer Systems | 3 CR |
IT 141 | A+ Operating Systems | 5 CR |
IT 112 | A+ Hardware | 5 CR |
IT 106 | IT Support Skills | 3 CR |
IT 120 | Command Line Interface and Scripting | 5 CR |
IT 160 | Network Technology I | 5 CR |
CAP 101 | Microsoft Computer Applications | 5 CR |
IT 142 | Windows Desktop I | 5 CR |
BUS 191 | Technical Communications | 5 CR |
OR |
AENGL 100 | Applied English | 5 CR |
OR |
ENGL& 101 | English Composition I | 5 CR |
OR |
ENGL& 102 | English Composition II | 5 CR |
CAP 138 | MS Word | 5 CR |
CAP 142 | Microsoft Excel | 5 CR |
BUS 150 | Math for Business | 5 CR |
OR |
AMATH 100 | Applied Occupational Math | 5 CR |
OR |
MATH& 107 | Math in Society | 5 CR |
OR Higher |
BUS& 101 | Introduction to Business | 5 CR |
CAP 146 | Microsoft Access | 5 CR |
CMST& 210 | Interpersonal Communications | 5 CR |
OR |
PSYC& 100 | General Psychology | 5 CR |
OR |
SOC& 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 5 CR |
IT 270 | Field-Based Experience | 5 CR |
REQUIRED ELECTIVE 14 CREDITS |
Computer Support Specialist students may choose elective credits from any 100 level or higher courses with the following prefixes: ACCT, BUS, BUS&, CAP, CIS, CS, CS&, ECON, HT, LGL, IT, or MGMT. Courses taken to meet the general education or program core requirements may not be used for electives. |
After successfully completing this program, students will be able to:
Computer support positions are expected to be one of the fastest-growing jobs over the next decade. The rapid rate of growth and change in the tech industry requires a commitment to stay current with new technologies. Enhancing a Computer Support Specialist degree with industry-recognized certifications means BTC grads can compete for the best jobs in the software support industry.
Computer Support Specialist program graduates usually find jobs in the information support and IT departments of large organizations such as universities, government agencies, hospitals, financial institutions, and major corporations.
Program graduates also find jobs as telephone-based technicians and customer service representatives for hardware and software manufacturers. Other potential computer support jobs include computer support specialist, computer software specialist, help desk specialist, training and support coordinator, desktop services analyst, PC support specialist, response line representative, and help desk analyst.
The average annual wage in the software and computer support field is $55,973, with an earning potential of about $69,680 per year.*
Mike Massey graduated from Western Washington University, in 1985, with a combined Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science and Business Administration, and a minor in History. For the next 15 years he worked as a computer programmer (Dealer Information Systems), and as a database programmer, network administrator and IT Manager at Western Washington University (WWU). During that time he also obtained his commercial pilot license and float plane rating from Trinity Western University. Mike has been teaching Computer Networking at Bellingham Technical College since 2000. He is currently pursuing a degree in Biology at WWU.