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Business Administrative Technology

Accreditation

The business unit (the associate of applied science degree programs in Accounting, Business Administrative Technology, and Marketing Management) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), 11520 West 119th Street, Overland, Park, KS, 66213; however, the following associate of applied science degree programs are not accredited programs with ACBSP even though they are offered by the Division of Business and Public Service: Business Administration; Computer Support Specialist; Criminal Justice Technology; Culinary Arts; Early Childhood Care and Education; Health Information Technology; Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management; Networking Specialist; Paralegal Studies; and Social Work Assistant.

Mission Statement

The Business and Public Service Division supports the mission of the College by offering business/public service-related courses and programs that prepare students for employment or advancement in Georgia's economy.

The mission of the Business Administrative Technology program at Athens Technical College is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in today's automated office environment. The program emphasizes the proficient use of current business software, comprehension and use of established business accounting principles, effective written and oral communication skills, knowledge of professional office procedures, and work ethics.

Work Environment

Administrative professionals usually work in schools, hospitals, corporate settings, government agencies, or legal, medical, and other professional offices. Virtual assistants work from a home office. Their jobs often involve sitting for long periods. If they spend a lot of time keyboarding, particularly at a computer monitor, they may encounter problems of eyestrain, stress, and repetitive motion ailments such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The majority of administrative professionals are full-time employees who work a standard 40-hour week. About 18 percent work part time, and many others work in temporary positions. A few are self-employed or freelance (such as virtual assistants). Some administrative professionals are participants in job-sharing arrangements in which two people divide responsibility for a single job.

Nature of the Work

As the reliance on technology continues to expand in offices, the role of the administrative professional has evolved greatly. Office automation and organizational restructuring have led administrative professionals to assume greater responsibilities that were once the responsibilities of managerial and professional staff. In spite of these changes, however, the core responsibilities for administrative professionals have remained much the same: performing and coordinating an office's administrative activities and storing, retrieving, and integrating information for dissemination to staff and clients.

Administrative professionals perform a variety of administrative and clerical duties necessary to run an organization efficiently. They serve as information and communication managers for an office; plan and schedule meetings and appointments; organize and maintain paper and electronic files; manage projects; conduct research; and disseminate information by using the telephone, mail services, web sites, and e-mail. They may also handle travel and guest arrangements.

Administrative professionals use a variety of office equipment, such as fax machines, photocopiers, scanners, and videoconferencing and telephone systems. They also use computers to create spreadsheets, compose correspondence, manage databases, and create presentations, reports, and documents. Many administrative professionals provide training and orientation for new staff, conduct research on the Internet, and operate and troubleshoot new office technologies.

Employment

Administrative professionals held about 4.3 million jobs throughout the United States in 2008, ranking it among the largest occupations in the U.S. economy. Administrative professionals work in organizations of every type. Around 90 percent work in service-providing industries, ranging from education and healthcare to government and retail trade. Most of the rest work for firms engaged in manufacturing or construction. The employment of administrative professionals is expected to increase by 11 percent nationally between 2008 and 2018. Projected employment varies by occupational specialty. Increasing office automation and organizational restructuring will continue to make administrative professionals more productive in coming years.

Earnings

Median annual wages nationally of administrative professionals, except legal, medical, and executive, were $29,050 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $23,160 and $36,020. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,440, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $43,240. Median annual wages of executive administrative professionals were $40,030 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $32,410 and $50,280. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,030, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $62,070.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition (http://www.bls.gov/oco/)

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the associate of applied science degree program and diploma program in Business Administrative Technology will be able to complete the following tasks:

  • Demonstrate proficiency in keyboarding skills
  • Use computer technology appropriately to complete office tasks
  • Demonstrate appropriate computational and accounting skills
  • Manage effective communication in a simulated work environment as an individual and as a team member
  • Demonstrate knowledge of professional office procedures
  • Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace

Graduates of the technical certificate in Administrative Support Assistant will be able to complete the following tasks:

  • Organize work station and maintain files and equipment for maximum productivity
  • Plan, create, and modify documents
  • Produce letters, memos, tables, and reports
  • Determine priorities and schedule deadlines based on priorities
  • Follow professional office procedures
  • Communicate effectively and appropriately
  • Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace

Graduates of the technical certificate in Microsoft Excel Application Professional will be able to complete the following tasks:

  • Create formulas to calculate data
  • Understand how to insert, copy, and delete worksheets within a workbook
  • Format the workbook for ease of understanding
  • Understand how to use the worksheet for time lines and project reporting
  • Create charts and pivot tables
  • Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace

Graduates of the technical certificate in Microsoft Office Application Professional will be able to complete the following tasks:

  • Set up and maintain records and documentation
  • Plan, create, modify, and deliver presentations
  • Plan, create, and modify documents, spreadsheets, and publications
  • Plan, create, modify, and manage databases
  • Plan, create, and modify word processing documents
  • Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace

Graduates of the technical certificate in Microsoft Word Application Professional will be able to complete the following tasks:

  • Organize material to be processed
  • Format documents
  • Plan, create, and modify word processing documents
  • Create tables and indexes
  • Perform mail merges
  • Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace

Essential Functions

The purpose of the essential functions list is to allow prospective students who are considering a career to be informed of the physical, emotional, and psychological demands related to training and employment in a field of study. These lists are provided to allow prospective students to make informed career choices by providing them with a summary of the physical abilities and personality traits that are generally required for the successful completion of a curriculum and result in employment in their field of study after graduation.

For students to be successful in the Business Administrative Technology programs, they must be able to perform the following essential tasks:

  • Operate a variety of machinery and equipment, including a computer, printer, calculator, facsimile machine, telephone, and copier
  • Oversee all aspects of general office coordination
  • Monitor and assist with web sites
  • Arrange meetings for departmental personnel
  • Prepare agendas or documents for or attend meetings
  • Take and transcribe meeting minutes
  • Perform and analyze research
  • Maintain inventory lists
  • Read and comprehend a variety of documents from computer manuals to newspapers
  • Exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently
  • Sit at the computer for long periods of time
  • Interact with individuals at all levels
  • Possess organizational skills and the ability to multi-task
  • Handle confidential information with discretion
  • Use social media from a professional perspective
  • Use basic mathematical formulas
  • Communicate effectively and efficiently with others
  • Possess excellent proofreading skills
  • Create and modify documents such as invoices, reports, memos, letters, financial statements, and e-mail using word processing, spreadsheet, database, and/or presentation software such as Microsoft Office or other programs
  • Attend and participate in training sessions, seminars, conferences, etc.
  • Demonstrate professional behavior and a strong work ethic
  • Display flexibility and adaptability
  • Conform to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style
  • Learn new software applications
  • Make independent judgments in the absence of management
  • Answer the telephone, provide information and customer service, take and relay messages, and/or direct calls to appropriate personnel; return calls as necessary
  • Maintain appropriate filing
  • Perform bookkeeping, payroll, and budget duties
  • Assist with or fulfill duties of appropriate personnel when necessary
  • Maintain calendar and scheduling for appropriate staff training sessions, travel, conferences, meetings, and/or facility usage
  • Supervise and train staff

Program Expenses

The Higher Education Act requires all colleges and universities to notify students and prospective students of all program costs for which they will be responsible. Students will be responsible for the following expenses each semester (unless otherwise noted):

  • Tuition ($75 per credit hour)
  • Registration fee ($39)
  • Student activity fees ($30)
  • Accident insurance fee ($6)
  • Instructional and technology supply fee ($55)
  • Textbooks (Approximately $3,192 for associate degree program, $2,315 for diploma program, and $588 for the technical certificates)

These expenses are based on costs in effect at the time this catalog was published. Prices are subject to change.

Gainful Employment

Information on graduation rates, job placement rates, median loan debt incurred by students and other gainful employment information is available on the college website. 

*Certified Administrative Professional Examination

Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit the following information to the Admissions Office:

  • Completed and signed application for admission and a $20 nonrefundable application fee
  • Official high school or GED transcripts and/or official college transcripts from all colleges attended in the past (see General Admission Requirements)
  • Valid COMPASS, ASSET, SAT, or ACT test scores (see COMPASS and ASSET Placement Tests)
  • Individuals who passed the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) exam are eligible to receive exemption credit (designated as EX on Academic transcripts) for the following courses in the Associate of Applied Science Degree program in Business Administrative Technology
  • Individuals who passed the Certified Professional Secretaries (CPS) examination and achieved the CPS rating can receive up to 17 semester credit hours toward the associate degree.