Business Technology

The Business Technology (BT) program provides an interactive business and professional partnership to enhance student-centered education for career office opportunities that match business needs to student outcomes. Program faculty members constantly update curriculum and course offerings to meet student and industry needs. Bilingual degrees are also available. Most classes are offered daily in the classroom or in a combination of online and classroom; a few are offered entirely online.

While obtaining one of these degrees, students will learn the following skills: typing, ten-key electronic math, word processing, filing, office procedures, spelling, and English grammar. Teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, and human relations are a focus of the program and are integrated into the curriculum.

Degrees

Administrative Assistant, AAS

This program prepares students to enter the business world with high-level business technology skills. Graduates from this program will be prepared to be professional assistants in businesses; proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Access), understand standard business documentation, assist in decision-making, develop processes and procedures, and have a high level of competence in hardware and software. Graduates can work in positions such as executive assistant, administrative professional, administrative assistant, office specialist, office professional, and office coordinator.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate professional etiquette and communication with peers, clients, and management.
  • Demonstrate a 40 WPM competency with 4 or fewer errors in a 5-min timed write.
  • Apply appropriate rules, procedures, and guidelines needed to prepare effective business communications.

Bilingual Administrative Office Assistant, AAS

This program prepares students to enter the business world with high-level business technology skills. Graduates from this program will be prepared to be bilingual professional assistants in businesses; proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Access), understand standard business documentation, assist in decision-making, develop processes and procedures, and have a high level of competence in hardware and software. Graduates can work in positions such as executive assistant, administrative professional, administrative assistant, office specialist, office professional, and office coordinator.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate a 40 WPM competency with 4 or fewer errors in a 5-min timed write.
  • Demonstrate effective communication with peers, clients and management in English and Spanish.
  • Apply appropriate rules, procedures, and guidelines needed to prepare effective business communications.
  • Understand and demonstrate proper customer service, business ethics and etiquette.

Bilingual Legal Office Assistant, AAS

This program prepares students to enter the legal business community with a high-level of skill in office technology. Graduates from this program will be prepared to perform as bilingual assistants in a legal organization; proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Access), understand standard business/legal documents, assist in decision-making, and develop processes and procedures. Graduates can work in positions such as legal administrative assistants with both private and public sector law offices, legal departments in nonprofit organizations and court systems.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate effective communication with peers, clients and management in English and Spanish.
  • Demonstrate a 40 WPM competency with 4 or fewer errors in a 5-min timed write.
  • Apply the appropriate procedures, terminology, and software to produce documents that are acceptable in a legal office and within the court system.
  • Apply appropriate rules, procedures, and guidelines needed to prepare effective business communications.
  • Demonstrate proper customer service, business ethics and etiquette.

Bilingual Medical Office Assistant, AAS

This program prepares students to enter the medical business community with high-level skills in business technology. Graduates from this program will be prepared to be bilingual healthcare administrative professionals in medical institutions, proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Access), understand standard business/medical documentation, assist in decision-making, develop processes and procedures, and understand medical terminology, filing, and coding. Graduates can work in positions as healthcare administrative professionals with private and public medical offices, clinics and hospitals.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate professional etiquette with peers, clients, and management.
  • Demonstrate effective communication with peers, clients and management in English and Spanish.
  • Demonstrate a 40 WPM competency with 4 or fewer errors in a 5-min timed write.
  • Apply appropriate rules, procedures, and guidelines needed to prepare effective business communications.
  • Gain working knowledge and skills needed to navigate the medical field including medical terminology, medical scheduling, billing and coding.

Legal Office Assistant, AAS

This program prepares students to enter the legal business community with a high-level of skill in office technology. Graduates from this program will be prepared to perform as assistants in a legal organization; proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Access), understand standard business/legal documents, assist in decision-making, and develop processes and procedures. Graduates can work in positions such as legal administrative assistants with both private and public sector law offices, legal departments in nonprofit organizations and court systems.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate professional etiquette and communication with peers, clients, and management.
  • Demonstrate a 40 WPM competency with 4 or fewer errors in a 5-min timed write.
  • Apply appropriate procedures, terminology, and software to produce documents that are acceptable in a legal office and within the court system.

Medical Office Assistant, AAS

This program prepares students to enter the medical business community with high-level skills in business technology. Graduates from this program will be prepared to be healthcare administrative professionals in medical institutions, proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Access), understand standard business/medical documentation, assist in decision-making, develop processes and procedures, and understand medical terminology, filing, and coding. Graduates can work in positions as healthcare administrative professionals with private and public medical offices, clinics and hospitals.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate professional etiquette and communication with peers, clients, and management.
  • Demonstrate a 40 WPM competency with 4 or fewer errors in a 5-min timed write.
  • Students will apply appropriate rules, procedures, and guidelines needed to prepare effective business communications.
  • Gain working knowledge and skills needed to navigate the medical field including medical terminology, medical scheduling, billing and coding.

Certificates

Access Certificate

The Access Certificate curriculum includes key office software applications and an opportunity to earn Microsoft Office Specialist certifications in  Access. The program provides complementary skills utilized by employees in various office positions within a company.

Bilingual Administrative Office Assistant Certificate

This certificate prepares students for bilingual entry-level positions in the business world. This certificate is appropriate for those students who desire a few basic office skills necessary to start a career or are planning to pursue an Associate of Applied Science or higher degree. Students completing this certificate can work in positions such as receptionists, office assistants or clerks. The certificate is fully transferable to the Administrative Assistant AAS degree.

General Office Assistant Certificate

This certificate prepares students for entry-level positions in the business world. This certificate is appropriate for those students who desire a few basic office skills necessary to start a career or are planning to pursue an Associate of Applied Science or higher degree. Students completing this certificate can work in positions such as receptionists, office assistants or clerks. The certificate is fully transferable to the Administrative Assistant AAS degree.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate professional etiquette and communication with peers, clients, and management.
  • Demonstrate a 40 WPM competency with 4 or fewer errors in a 5-min timed write.
  • Apply appropriate rules, procedures, and guidelines needed to prepare effective business communications.

Legal Receptionist Certificate

This program prepares students to enter the legal business community with a high-level of skill in office technology. Graduates from this program will be prepared to perform as receptionists in a legal organization; proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Access) and understand standard business/legal documents.

Medical Receptionist Certificate

Prepares students for jobs such as medical records clerks, medical secretaries, etc. Certificates are also available in the program that lead toward employment and can be a pathway to one of the BT associate of applied science degrees. Certificates can range from one to five quarters.

Cisco Networking Certificate

This certificate prepares students to work with Cisco networking equipment. The course material maps to Cisco certification requirements. Students are also trained in designing, configuring, and implementing network equipment within a small/medium-sized business enterprise network.

Excel Certificate

This certificate provides students with an understanding of Microsoft Excel and the skills necessary to work with spreadsheets in a production environment. The program provides complementary skills utilized by employees in various office positions within a company.

IT General Certificate

Completion of this certificate will enable students to seek employment and/or continue with an information technology degree.

Managing and Maintaining the PC

This certificate prepares students with the skills necessary to preform basic hardware maintenance, troubleshooting, and installation on a PC.

Office Suite Certificate

The Office Suite Certificate curriculum includes key office software applications and an opportunity to earn Microsoft Office Specialist certifications in Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint. The program provides complementary skills utilized by employees in various office positions within a company.

Programming Certificate

The Programming Certificate is designed for students who wish to gain expert knowledge of programming concepts using the C and C++ programming languages. The program also meets the needs of computer professionals who need to learn C and C++ as secondary languages.

Degrees and Certificates

To obtain a certificate or degree, students must earn at least a grade of C- (1.7) in all required classes. The degree or certificate will be awarded if the overall GPA for the required classes is a 2.0 (C) or higher. Courses taken outside the degree or certificate requirements are not considered in the 2.0 (C) GPA or C- (1.7) requirements.

Additionally, students must complete the keyboarding competency of 45 wpm (words per minute) for five minutes with four or fewer errors in order to be awarded an associate in applied science degree in BT. Students who do not meet the keyboarding competency will be eligible for a BT certificate. Certificate applicants do not need to meet this keyboarding competency. Students may take BT 103 twice in order to meet their competency.

All BT degree and certificate students should complete BT 100 before enrolling in their 21st credit toward a BT degree or certificate.

Students should be aware that legal and medical offices often require criminal background checks.

I-BEST Opportunity

I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) enables students to take college level classes towards a certificate while still taking College & Career Readiness classes. YVC’s Business Technology Office Worker I & II certificates are designed to assist students in obtaining general office skills while reinforcing basic reading, writing, and math through I-BEST supported classes. Courses are available for two to four consecutive quarters on the college’s Yakima Campus.

Business Technology Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, the student should be able to:

  • type by touch.
  • use the 10-key appropriately to solve a variety of business related math calculations.
  • use Microsoft Word to prepare various documents to include correspondence, mail merge, tables, charts, and reports.
  • use Microsoft Office suite to complete a variety of office tasks.
  • compose and transcribe basic business correspondence using appropriate business English and spelling.
  • demonstrate routine office procedures such as filing, answering the phone and taking messages, greeting customers, and customer service.
  • apply appropriate soft skills related to teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, and human relations.

Degree and Certificate Worksheets

Degree and certificate worksheets can be found on the Degree/Certificate Search page. If you have questions concerning your degree progress, please make an appointment to discuss it with your advisor.

Department Contacts

Holly Cousens Program Chair
Yakima Campus
Technology Complex
Building 24, Room 200C
Phone: 509.574.6800 ext. 3130
Lori FergusonProgram Coordinator
Yakima Campus
Technology Complex
Building 24, Room 100H
Phone: 509.574.6810