Employment RSS FeedOffice Systems Program
Degree Options
- A.A.S., Office Systems
- Certificate, Medical Billing and Coding
- Certificate, Medical Transcription
- Certificate, Office Assisting
- Certificate, Office Clerk
The Occupation
Widespread office automation and reorganization have brought a host of new opportunities—and responsibilities—to today’s office professional. These days, administrative assistants are fulfilling duties once reserved for managers and other professionals. For instance, in many organizations, it is the administrative assistant who handles training and orientation of new employees and conducts research. Of course, administrative assistants also continue to fulfill more time-honored duties such as administrative activities and disseminating information. Administrative assistants schedule appointments, organize and maintain paper and electronic files, manage projects, create correspondence, and answer telephones.
Some administrative assistants work as medical and legal transcriptionists—careers requiring knowledge of technical terminology and procedures. Medical transcriptionists listen to recordings of physicians and other health care professionals in order to transcribe reports (i.e. histories and physical exams, operative, pathology, radiology, and discharge summaries). Legal transcriptionists work with attorneys by transcribing legal documents such as summonses, complaints, motions, responses, and subpoenas.
The Program
The Office Systems program at Kishwaukee College is designed to prepare you for a position as a professional administrative assistant in a business, industry, government, legal, or medical office. The program offers the combination of clerical skills and business background necessary for success in this growing field. You can complete an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) is Office Systems or choose from an array of certificates.
The Office Systems A.A.S. degree provides the clerical, computer, and business skills necessary for a position as an administrative assistant. The curriculum in the A.A.S. program is in designed to build your competency in communication, records management, office procedures, keyboarding, shorthand writing, and machine transcription. As an A.A.S. student, you will also learn today’s word processing, database, presentation, and spreadsheet software.
The Information Processing certificate is designed to provide the skills and general knowledge necessary to use computers in an office. The curriculum offers instruction in database, spreadsheet, word processing, web design, and desktop publishing software as well as supervisory techniques.
The Office Assisting certificate focuses on entry-level employment skills and includes three options: General, Accounting, and Desktop Publishing. This program includes opportunities for computer training as well as basic skill development.
The Office Clerk certificate offers a program for individuals interested in developing a wide range of introductory office skills and computer software skills including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and desktop publishing. Upon completion of this program, students will be prepared for entry-level office positions.
The Medical Transcriptionist certificate is for those interested in becoming transcriptionists in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and clinics. Specialized courses include medical terminology, medical transcription, and medical office procedures.
The Legal Transcriptionist certificate can provide you the legal knowledge and transcription training needed for positions in law firms, government, banks, or business legal departments. As a student of legal transcription, you will study legal typing, legal transcription and terminology, and business law.
The Medical Billing & Coding certificate provides students with the skills needed to complete, file, and respond to medical insurance forms and reports. Potential employers include medical offices, healthcare facilities, and insurance companies. Students will master the skills needed to maintain appropriate medical office standards and systems as well as medical insurance and coding procedures.
It is suggested that students working toward the A.A.S. degree or the Office Assisting certificate choose Refresher, Beginning, or Intermediate Keyboarding; Introduction to Business; Office Reference Manual Usage; Word Processing; and Business Mathematics their first semester.
Additional Resources
Contact Information
For more information about the Office Systems program, contact Office Systems Instructor Michelle Whitman (815) 825-2086, Ext. 2650 or Stephanie Anderson, ext. 3530.