Administrative Assistant (A.A. Degree)

Students looking to get an administrative assistant degree will need to complete five core business administration classes, pick between an introduction to management or an introduction to accounting, and choose three electives. Additionally, for a medical emphasis, students can add human anatomy and physiology or medical terminology.

Should students decide to continue their studies for a four-year major, the courses they have taken will satisfy many of the core requirements for other programs. Each year, several administrative assistant students decide to remain at Dordt to work toward four-year degrees in business education, business administration, or communication; some even enter fields unrelated to business.

• Computer Literacy for Business/Accounting Majors: This course teaches important computer skills used in today’s world of business. Areas of study include beginning and intermediate Excel and Word, advanced PowerPoint, an introduction to Access, and Windows and file management basics.
• Calculating Machines/Records Management: The development of job-level skill in the operation of the electronic calculator, emphasizing the application to the solution of typical problems in business mathematics. Includes an overview of records management principles and procedures. Introduction to database application software and paperless records management are also included.
• Keyboarding and Document Formatting: Development of accuracy and speed at the keyboard. Application of skill to common office documents including emails, letters, reports, newsletters and more. The course introduces students to word processing software. Focus is placed on formatting text within the document.
• Office Management: A study of procedures and duties essential to the efficient administration of an office by all employees. Emphasis on the role of teams in the workplace including relationships and communication. Introduction to the role of ergonomics at the workstation and in the office as well as the role of company culture in designing the workspace.
• Advanced Office Administration: A continuation of Business Administration 321. An emphasis on the productive relationship between the manager and the team members. A focus is placed on completing daily activities introduced in the course including meeting procedures, travel planning, virtual technology, etc. The role of human resources is also developed concerning the positions involved in an office setting.
• Principles of Marketing: A study of marketing institutions, product development, channels of distribution, price determination, promotion methods, government influences, and ethical problems facing marketing personnel. Includes a foundational study and discussion of business from a Christian perspective.
• Principles of Management: An introductory course in management theory and practice. Major topics covered include planning and strategic management, organizational design, leadership and motivation theory, and control mechanisms.
• Professional Practices: Career Preparation and Etiquette: Students will learn the purpose and process of preparing for a career and will learn formal etiquette useful in many areas of life. We will use hands-on learning to ascertain knowledge about finding and applying for jobs, workplace professionalism, professional interviewing, applying for graduate school, and other topics related to career preparation.
• One accounting course:
  • Introduction to Accounting: This course provides exposure to basic accounting information concerning the recording of daily business transactions and the preparation, use, and interpretation of accounting records and reports.
  • Principles of Financial Accounting: Introduces the concepts and terminology of accounting and financial reporting for modern business enterprises. The course is centered around analyzing and interpreting accounting information for use in making decisions about organizations. There is a special emphasis on analyzing the balance sheet, the statement of income and expense, the statement of cash flows, and the statement of stockholders’ equity. Additional emphasis is placed on problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills that are necessary for forming conclusions about business activities and to communicate these conclusions to others.

Note: Medical Emphasis option includes:

• Biology 203 - Human Biology: An overview of the structure and function of the human body, using an experimental approach. Addresses how worldview impacts the use of one’s own body and guides ethical decision-making. Cadaver lab exercises will be included. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. For nursing, HHP, and other non-biology majors.
• Biology 357 - Medical Terminology: The course is designed for students in pre-health professions and secretarial science–medical emphasis. Students will learn medical terminology and its meaning within the context of the healing professions. Programmed texts and computer software will be used with regular testing periods throughout the semester. Recommended that Biology 203 or 325 be completed before taking this course. May be taken for a grade or a pass/no record basis.

See the course catalog for more information.