If working from a fully-equipped home office, defining your own work schedule around your family obligations, not being tied to working in the typical 9-5 office, or avoiding the daily commute appeals to you, join one of the fastest-growing careers as a virtual office professional.

Trends in telecommuting, the growth of the Internet, and corporate downsizing have all contributed to the growth of the virtual assistant business. Virtual office professionals provide administrative support to small businesses, consultants, or special project coordination for larger companies. Typical career opportunities include administrative professional, executive and/or personal assistant, real estate virtual assistant, online assistant, meeting planner, travel planner, desktop publisher, graphic designer, clerical recruiter, newsletter editor, virtual meetings organizer, and virtual office assistant.

Low overhead and start-up costs, flexibility of schedule, and ability to work from home are some of the benefits virtual office professionals enjoy.

The goal is that graduates will be able to work independently, use resources, make decisions and exhibit proficiency in the use of administrative procedures and information systems used in an automated office environment; apply practical knowledge and utilize technical skills such as keyboarding, voice recognition, proofreading, document production, integrated computer applications, graphic designs/Web design, and the use of the Internet; demonstrate employability skills and professionalism through sound work habits, ethics and responsibility, and work globally; communicate ideas and information verbally and in written form; have computational skills for solving business problems and for making analytical judgments; acquire, organize and evaluate information for making decisions and solving problems in business environments.

Suggested Course Sequence

For course descriptions visit here.

First Semester		Credit Hours
ENG124	College Composition †	3
AOT130	Communication and Transcription Skills	3
AOT121	Keyboarding/Formatting	3
BUS101	Business Student Success Seminar	1
BCA220	Integrated Solutions for Business Problem Solving	4
BUS121	Business Administration	4
		18
Second Semester
ENT120	Entrepreneurship	2
ACC121	Principles of Accounting	4
ENG230	Business Communication	3
AOT127	Word Processing Microsoft® Word	3
AOT131	Graphic Design Concepts	3
AOT104	Computer Applications PowerPoint	1
BUS123	Business Math	4
		20
Third Semester
ENT121	Entrepreneurial Marketing	3
ACC130	Business Law and Ethics	3
	Social Sciences Elective *	3
AOT226	Spreadsheets Microsoft® Excel	3
COM122	Interpersonal Communications	3
	Technical Elective **	3
		18
Fourth Semester
BUS221	Microeconomics	3
AOT227	Administrative Procedures and Systems	3
AOT234	AOT Practicum	2
ENT221	Entrepreneurial Finance	3
AOT108	Microsoft® Outlook	1
AOT236	Digital Technologies	1
AOT236	Database Applications Microsoft® Access	3
		16
	TOTAL CREDITS	72

† Based on SSC placement score
* Select SOC121 or PSY121
** Select AOT128 or AOT238

Bold italicized courses indicate courses that contain content for Microsoft® Computer Application Specialist (MCAS) certification.