Secretary Degree Program Overviews

A secretary provides administrative support to the staff members of business operations. The most common type of degree available in the field is an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), which is available for traditional business secretaries, legal secretaries and medical secretaries.

Associate in Applied Science in Administrative Assisting

Some businesses only require secretarial staff members to hold a high school diploma, but more companies are reserving positions for individuals who have received postsecondary education in the administrative field. A 2-year associate degree program in administrative office technology or administrative assisting trains students in the use the latest information technology to relate to working in the modern office. It also provides them with the training and tools to handle phone lines, e-mail correspondence, scheduling and filing.

Educational Prerequisites

Most 2-year schools require students to have a high school diploma or GED for admittance. Students should also have a basic grasp of computer programs and solid typing skills before they enter an associate's degree program for secretaries.

Program Coursework

The coursework in a 2-year degree program in administrative assisting provides aspiring secretaries with the practical skill sets necessary to perform basic office duties. Some common courses might include:

  • Keyboarding
  • Word processing and spreadsheets
  • Computer operating systems
  • Business math
  • Business editing and proofreading
  • Multimedia presentations
  • Business communications

Employment Outlook and Salary Info

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), administrative assistants and secretaries held about 4.3 million jobs in 2008 (www.bls.gov). The job growth rate for secretaries in general is expected to rise 11% between 2008 and 2018, which is about as fast as average. In May 2008, the median annual wage for secretaries was about $29,050, according to the BLS. Those administrative professionals who worked for local government agencies earned the highest wages, while those who worked for employment services earned the lowest.

Continuing Education

While most employers do not require that their secretaries and administrative professionals earn certification, some do encourage the practice. Some organizations to offer voluntary certification services include the International Association of Administrative Professionals and the International Virtual Assistants Association.

Associate in Applied Science - Legal Secretary

Legal proceedings require voluminous amount of documentation that must be prepared according to prescribed standards in order to be considered valid. Legal secretaries require extensive knowledge of legal proceedings, terminology and documents such as subpoenas, complaints, summonses and motions; this knowledge can be gained from an associate degree program for legal secretaries. Most schools require high school diplomas or GEDs for admittance

Program Coursework

Coursework in this secretarial associate degree program covers both general administrative duties and legal terminology. Some of the classes included in an associate's degree program for legal secretaries is listed below:

  • Bookkeeping
  • Business correspondence
  • Business law
  • Civil litigation procedures
  • Real property
  • Family law
  • Estate planning & probate

Employment Outlook and Salary Info

Legal secretaries held about 262,200 jobs in the United States in 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job growth rate for legal secretaries in particular is expected to rise by 18% from 2008-2018, which is slightly higher than normal. The BLS also states that legal secretaries made an annual median salary of $39,860 in May 2008.

Continuing Education

Many legal secretaries choose to pursue paralegal degrees after their exposure to the law. Paralegal programs range from an associate to a bachelor's degree and can be completed in 2-4 years, depending upon legal experience. Paralegals assist attorneys with legal research and trial preparation, while legal secretaries perform administrative duties. Legal secretaries can also gain voluntary certification from organizations such as the National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS).

Associate in Applied Science - Medical Administrative Assistant

The unique environment of healthcare requires specialized administrative skills in insurance, billing, medical ethics, patient privacy and customer service. Medical administrative assistant programs have been designed to cover these topics while also providing basic administrative tools including computer skills, office equipment and business communications. Most community colleges, vocational colleges or even 4-year universities offering degree programs for aspiring medical administrative assistants require high school diplomas or GEDs for admittance.

Program Coursework

In addition to covering basic administrative skills, courses found within a degree program for aspiring medical secretaries must also provide some background in medical terminology and the healthcare field. Classes include:

  • Medical terminology
  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Healthcare reimbursement
  • Advanced billing
  • Medical office systems
  • Medical coding
  • Document transcription

Employment Outlook and Salary Information

There were about 471,100 medical secretaries employed in hospitals, physician's offices and healthcare centers in 2008, according to the BLS. Between 2008 and 2018, medical secretaries should see a career growth rate higher than the average job growth rate, at about 27%. The annual median wage for medical secretaries in May 2008 was about $29,680, as reported by the BLS.

Secretary Careers

Today's secretary requires top-notch training in computer applications, strong organizational abilities and knowledge of current office technologies. Many community colleges and technical schools offer associate degree programs in administrative assisting that prepare secretaries to take the Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) or Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) exams.

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