Business Office Applications

(formerly Office Administration)

Associate of Applied Science Degree
Administrative Assistant Major
Administrative Assistant Medical Cognate
Office Skills Certificate
Office Specialist Certificate
Bookkeeping Certificate

Business Office Applications Course Descriptions (BOA)

Business Office Applications home page

Alpha Listing of all Course Descriptions

Plans of Study

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the United States Department of Labor, has forecast that this occupation is expected to be among those with the largest number of new jobs. This handbook indicates that opportunities should be best for applicants with extensive knowledge of business software applications. Administrative assistants today perform fewer clerical tasks and are increasingly taking on the roles of information and communication managers. The Business Office Applications Technology offers an associate degree in Business Office Applications with an Administrative Assistant major that will enable students to acquire advanced software and keyboarding skills as well as management and team-building skills. Students will participate in office simulations and an office internship that will prepare them to become an integral part of any office management team. These skills will enable a graduate to assume responsibility without direct supervision, display initiative, exercise judgment, and prepare business communications documents.

The Medical Cognate prepares students to work in medical settings such as hospitals, medical offices, clinics, dental offices, and insurance companies.

Three certificates are also available. The Office Skills Certificate program prepares students for entry-level office positions. Students develop skills and business application knowledge in word processing, electronic spreadsheets, database management systems, presentation graphics, information management, keyboarding, and bookkeeping.

Columbus State’s Office Specialist Certificate program prepares students for the globally-recognized Microsoft® Business Applications Specialist certification. In today’s workplace, more employers require that office workers be knowledgeable in all areas of Microsoft Office software applications. Students develop skills in word processing, electronic spreadsheets, presentation graphics, database management, and desktop management. These skills prepare students to be more productive while using the most up-to-date technologies. This certificate is available as a distance learning (DL) option.

The Bookkeeping Certificate prepares students for a career in office bookkeeping. This bookkeeping certificate includes preparatory courses enabling students to sit for a nationally recognized Bookkeeping certification exam. This certificate program may be completed in three quarters and provides a solid foundation of accounting and bookkeeping principles, electronic spreadsheets, and computerized accounting software packages. This certificate is also available as a distance learning (DL) option.

Columbus State Community College’s business degree programs are accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Upon completion of the associate degree in Business Office Applications, the graduate will be able to:

Develop and maintain electronic and manual filing systems.
Compose or draft responses to business correspondence, use correct grammar, and use punctuation rules accurately.
Perform bookkeeping tasks using spreadsheet software.
Prepare written and oral presentations using presentation graphics software.
Demonstrate knowledge of management theory, functions, and skills.
Demonstrate a working knowledge of current legal, ethical, social, financial, and economic environmental factors as they apply to business.
Use appropriate business office applications technology and other resources to research, analyze, and integrate data to solve business problems.
Work effectively as a member of a team.

Administrative Assistant Major

In addition to the general Business Office Applications competencies, a graduate in the Administrative Assistant major will be able to:

Use operating systems and desktop features and functions to organize and manage files and documents effectively to increase productivity.
Prepare presentation graphics and present information.
Research information using a variety of resources including the Internet.
Use computers to integrate business office applications and graphics into documents.
Transcribe a variety of documents accurately and at an acceptable production rate.

Administrative Assistant Medical Cognate

In addition to the general competencies, a graduate choosing the Medical Cognate will be able to:

Demonstrate and understanding of the structure and organization of current heatlth care systems.
Demonstrate the ability to spell, pronounce, and define basic medical terminology.

Administrative Assistant Major

COURSE		CR
Quarter 1
MATH 101	Business Math	5
BOA 101	Business Grammar	3
BOA 132	Document Formatting and Skill Building I	3
BOA 105	Desktop and Document Management	1
BOA 191	Word I (Modules 1 and 2)	2
BOA 150	Office Procedures I	3
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		17

Quarter 2
BOA 151	Office Procedures II	3
BMGT 101*	Principles of Business	5
BOA 133	Document Formatting and Skill Building II	3
BOA 192	Word II (Modules 3 and 4)	2
BOA 189	Access (Modules 1 and 2)	2
BOA 188	PowerPoint (Modules 1 and 2)	2
BOA 172	Excel I (Modules 1 and 2)	2
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		19

Quarter 3
BMGT 102	Managing Interpersonal Skills	3
ENGL 101	Beginning Composition	3
BOA 121	Records Management	3
BOA 111	Bookkeeping Basics I	4
BOA XXX*	Technical Elective	3
BOA 173A	Excel Module 3	1
BOA 173B	Excel Module 4	1
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		18

Quarter 4
BMGT 216	Business Ethics and Leadership	4
BOA 138	Computer Transcription	3
BOA 193	Word III	3
BOA XXX*	Technical Elective	3
ENGL 102	Essay and Research	3
BOA 125	MS Outlook ®	3
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		19

Quarter 5
BOA 195	Office Integration	1
NSCI 101	Natural Science I	5
FMGT 101*	Personal Finance	4
HUM XXX	111, 112,113, 151, 152, or 224	5
COMM 105	Speech	(or)
COMM 110	Conference and Group Discussion	3
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		18

Quarter 6
BOA 106	Internet Research	1
COMM 200	Business Communications	3
LEGL 264	Legal Environment of Business	4
BOA 250	Capstone	4
BOA 270	Business Office Applications Practicum	2
BOA 271	Business Office Applications Practicum Seminar	2
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		16
TOTAL DEGREE CREDIT HOURS		107

*Students specializing in the medical cognate will substitute from the cognate list for this course.

Technical Electives
BOA 113	QuickBooks I	1
BOA 114	QuickBooks II	1
BOA 139	Keyboarding Improvement	1
BOA 190A	Access Module 3	1
BOA 190B	Access Module 4	1
BOA 112	Bookkeeping Basics II	4
BOA 167	Desktop Publishing	3
BOA 115	Computer Bookkeeping with Peachtree®	3
BOA 116	Adjusting Entries and Error Corrections	2
BOA 117	Payroll	2
BOA 118	Inventory and Depreciation	2
BOA 119	Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention	2
BOA 196	Office Specialist Review I	1
BOA 197	Office Specialist Review II	1

Administrative Assistant Medical Cognate

The following two courses are required:

MLT 100	Introduction to Health Care	3
MULT 101	Medical Terminology	2
Choose 10 or more additional credit hours from the following courses:
BIO 261	Human Anatomy	5
HIMT 112	Electronic Health Concepts	2
HIMT 113	Managed Care Trends	2
HIMT 121	Advanced Medical Terminology	3
HIMT 133*	Legal Aspects of Health Information	3
HIMT 135*	Health Data Management	3
*Check prerequisites; signature may be required to enroll in this class.

Office Skills Certificate

COURSE		CR
Quarter 1
BOA 101	Business Grammar	3
BOA 105	Desktop and Document Management	1
BOA 132	Document Formatting and Skill Building I	3
BOA 150	Office Procedures I	3
BOA 191	Word I (Modules 1 and 2)	2
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		12

Quarter 2
BOA 151	Office Procedures II	3
BOA 133	Document Formatting and Skill Building II	3
BOA 172	Excel I (Modules 1 and 2)	2
BOA 188	PowerPoint (Modules 1 and 2)	2
BOA 189A	Access (Module 1)	1
BOA 189B	Access (Module 2)	1
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		12

Quarter 3
BOA 111	Bookkeeping Basics I	4
BOA 138	Computer Transcription	3
BOA 192	Word II (Modules 3 and 4)	2
BOA 121	Records Management	3
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		12
TOTAL CERTIFICATE CREDIT HOURS		36

Office Specialist Certificate

Course		CR
Quarter 1
BOA 191A	Word Module 1	1
BOA 172A	Excel Module 1	1
BOA 188A	PowerPoint Module 1	1
BOA 189A	Access Module 1	1
BOA 131	Introduction to Keyboarding	3
BOA 105	Desktop and Document Management	1
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		8

Quarter 2
BOA 191B	Word Module 2	1
BOA 172B	Excel Module 2	1
BOA 188B	PowerPoint Module 2	1
BOA 189B	Access Module 2	1
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		4

Quarter 3
BOA 192A	Word Module 3	1
BOA 173A	Excel Module 3	1
BOA 190A	Access Module 3	1
BOA 125	Outlook	3
BOA 196	OS Specialist Review I	1
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		7

Quarter 4
BOA 192B	Word Module 4	1
BOA 173B	Excel Module 4	1
BOA 190B	Access Module 4	1
BOA 197	OS Specialist Review II	1
BOA 195	Office Integration	1
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		5
TOTAL CERTIFICATE HOURS		24

Bookkeeping Certificate

COURSE		CR
Quarter 1
BOA 172A	Excel (Module 1)	1
BOA 172B	Excel (Module 2)	1
BOA 111	Bookkeeping Basics I	4
BOA 113	QuickBooks I (first term)	1
BOA 114	QuickBooks II (second term)	1
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		8

Quarter 2
BOA 173A	Excel Module 3	1
BOA 173B	Excel Module 4	1
BOA 115	Computer Bookkeeping with Peachtree®	3
BOA 112	Bookkeeping Basics II	4
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		9

Quarter 3
BOA 116	Adjusting Entries and Error Corrections	2
BOA 117	Payroll	2
BOA 118	Inventory and Depreciation	2
BOA 119	Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention	2
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS		8
TOTAL CERTIFICATE CREDIT HOURS		25