Office Professional Certificate of Completion
45 credits
The Office Professional Certificate of Completion is provided by the Office Professions Department.
Program Description
The Office Professional Certificate of Completion prepares students for general office employment. The certificate focuses on skills & knowledge needed for entry-level office employment including records management and filing, math and calculator skills, word processing, presentation, database, and spreadsheet applications, customer service skills, business writing skills, and general workplace competencies necessary for office employment. Students will be introduced to terminology related to bookkeeping, payroll, and accounting, along with an introduction to employment law. The curriculum allows students to develop skills in general ledger, double entry, debits, credits, income statements, payroll systems, fringe benefits, and voluntary deductions. At the end of the program, students complete a practical experience with a business that focuses on general office, accounting, bookkeeping, or payroll duties.
Career Opportunities
Students who complete the Office Professional Certificate of Completion will be prepared for employment in entry-level general office, entry-level payroll, accounting, and/or bookkeeping positions. According to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, for Office and Administrative Support Occupations the current average salary in Montana is $34,990, $39,560 for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks, and $36,310 for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the Certificate of Completion in Office Professional, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic office skills, including record management, creating business messages, writing meeting minutes, and operating a 10-key calculator.
- Exhibit competency in basic office skills and professionalism in a practicum setting.
- Demonstrate appropriate workplace relationships and communication skills.
- Create and maintain spreadsheets, presentations, and word processing documents.
- Understand skills related to job seeking, interviewing, and job retention.
- Discuss considerations for Native American/Alaska Native populations in the workplace.
- Demonstrate knowledge of accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll practices and applications.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical and legal aspects of employment law.
The Office Professions Department has designated the following courses as meeting the "4 Cs Competencies" in the Office Professional Certificate of Completion: Communication: OFED 261 and OFED 142. Critical Thinking: OFED 130 and CAPP 105. Cultural Understanding: CAPP 140 and CAPP 170. Citizenship: OFED 142. Information Literacy is taught in CAPP 105.
Curriculum
Fall
Winter
| CAPP140 | Word Processing | 3 |
| ENGL101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| OFED132 | Payroll Accounting | 3 |
| OFED140 | Employment Law | 2 |
| OFED142 | Professional Relationships in the Workplace | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14 |
Spring
| BUMG160 | Personal Finance | 3 |
| CAPP170 | Electronic Presentations | 2 |
| NASD101 | History of Indians in the United States | 3 |
| OFED171 | Customer Service | 2 |
| OFED261 | Office Communication and Procedures | 3 |
| OFED290 | Office Practicum | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |