Bachelor of Science in Office Administration(BSOA)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Bachelor of Science in Office Administration program is a four-year course that prepares the students for a career in an outcomes-focused, technology rich, professional environment. Courses in the curriculum are those that will thoroughly familiarize the students with current techniques in office practice and procedures, developments in office systems and technology, good team working and management skills, and application of the principles of good human relations and communications to prepare them to be key players in day- to-day office operations. Lessons in writing routine reports and correspondence and speaking effectively to employers, employees, and the general public are provided in selected courses. The BSOA program also trains the students to work independently, without need for on-site supervision.

PROGRAM GOALS

The Bachelor of Science in Office Administration Department aims to:

1. Prepare students to qualify for a career in office administration specifically in various general and specialized administrative support supervisory, and management positions;
2. Acquire the competences, skills, knowledge and work values necessary for self-employment; and
3. Instill into the minds of the students the positive Nicean values and attitudes that enable them to cope with the fast-changing world of Office Administration.

CAREER PATHS

The opportunities for graduates of this program are:

A. Entry-level jobs

1. Clerk/Encoder – encodes letters and reports from draft or from dictation to professional format and does manual/electronic filing.
2. Stenographer/Transcriber – takes and transcribes proceedings of conventions, seminars, speeches, court depositions, investigation, etc. and encodes resolutions, summons, court decisions, and other documents from draft or from dictation to professional format.
3. Bookkeeper – keeps the books of accounts of the business/organizations and performs bookkeeping and other functions that may be assigned to him/her by the accountant.
4. Call Center Post Sales – attends to inquiries and/or complaints of customers by telephone, promotes the sale or use of a product or service, persuades customers to update or settle their account and provides technical/post-sales support.
5. Customer Relations – receives and transfers calls. Receives and directs visitors, performs multiple office support tracks as assigned by multiple supervisors.
6. Customer Service Representative – communicates effectively and courteously with customers through e-mail, regular mail, fax, etc; provides information in response to inquiries about products or services, handles and resolves consumers’ complaints, assists customers in business dealings with the company, files and retrieves customers’ correspondence and records, and ensures high standards of customer service.
   

B. Advanced Office Positions

1. Office Supervisor/Manager – coordinates various office support services, communicates effectively with people of diverse cultures from different levels in both oral and in written form, supervises office administrative staff, and performs basic accounting functions.
2. Executive Secretary/Assistant – performs administrative duties for executive management such as: making travel and meeting arrangements, training and supervising support staff, preparing reports and financial data, etc., does research using various resources including internet, coordinates projects, and works well with all levels of internal management and staff, as well as other stockholders of the company.
3. Administrative Assistant/Department Assistant/Coordinator – performs administrative and office support activities for multiple supervisors such as: transferring calls, receiving and directing visitors, encoding, filing, and faxing; performs jobs such as multimedia researcher, coordinates video conferencing functions such as: preparing schedules, sites, procuring equipment, hosting conferences; and coordinates various office support services.

C. Specialized Administrative Office Professional

Performs the functions of an office manager, executive assistant or administrative assistant, including:

1. Legal Secretary – prepares correspondence and legal papers such as summonses, complaints, motions, responses, and subpoenas under the supervision of a lawyer, transcribes legal papers, legal documents, and court proceedings.
2. Medical Secretary – transcribes dictation, prepares correspondence, assists physicians with reports, speeches, articles, and conference proceedings, records simple medical histories, arranges for patients to be hospitalized and orders supplies, and transcribes from tape-recorded messages, medical history, and medical records.
3. Entrepreneurial and Self-employment Opportunities ventures such as:
   • Freelance stenographer and encoder of various documents.
   • Trainer of administrative support staff.
   • Owner of placement agency specializing in Office Administration.