Administrative Services Degree

Description

This Administrative Service Program provides students with foundational training and skills in general office principles, procedures, and operations. The Program will prepare students to enter positions from entry to mid-level in places of business and organizations as office and support personnel. Gain confidence and skills to advance your career!

An Associate in Science in Administrative Services degree is awarded upon the successful completion of the required program courses, as well as general education requirements with a minimum grade of average of 2.0. See details, below.

A Certificate of Achievement in Administrative Services is awarded for successful completion of required program courses.

The Program courses offered include keyboarding and document processing, business math, general accounting, office procedures, QuickBooks, medical terminology, and an introduction to human resources management, among others.

Earnings Potential

An associate degree in administrative services offers you the salary potential of $29,178 two years after graduation from Taft College, with expected increases to $31,835 by five years. A certificate of achievement in administrative services offers you the salary potential of $22,225 two years after graduation, with expected increases to $29,178 by five years. Both sets of salary data are based on five-year studies of graduates by California Community Colleges. These do not reflect salaries with a four-year degree.1

There is potential for financial advancement in this field. California is the state with the highest employment level in office and administrative support occupations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects about 354,000 openings, nationally, for secretaries and administrative assistants each year, on average, from 2021 to 2031.

According to the BLS, the median annual wage is $39,680; and $37,030 for general office clerks.  Industries with the highest levels of employment in office and administrative support occupations are local government, excluding schools and hospitals; credit intermediation and related activities; offices of physicians; general medical and surgical hospitals; the postal service (federal government); and business support services. An associate degree or certificate is typically required for these occupations. Advancement to executive level secretary or administrative assistant is typically through several years of related work experience. Additional training for industry-specific terminology may be required for legal and medical positions.2

1 California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Salary Surfer. 2021. https://salarysurfer.cccco.edu. Accessed 19 April 2023.

2 “Occupational Outlook Handbook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 8 Sept. 2022. www.bls.gov/ooh. Accessed 19 April 2023.

Program Requirements

To earn an Associate in Science in Administrative Services, students must complete: (1) all course requirements with a minimum grade of “C” in each course; and (2) complete General Education Graduation Requirements with an overall GPA of 2.0 or better.

See the degree requirements in the Taft College Catalog. Please note: This links to an external website.

Program Learning Outcomes

After completing the Administrative Services major, a student will be able to:

  1. Design and complete professional documents to support communication across the business environment.
  2. Effectively perform routine, clerical, administrative, and business functions,
  3. Exhibit appropriate dress, professional attitude, and customer relations.

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