July 11, 2007
Program Name Change Reflects Advances in Workplace

Northeastern Technical College students on pathways to employment in the administrative support field will now earn their business associate degrees in Administrative Office Technology (AOT).

Once called the business associate degree in Office Systems Technology, the name now better reflects the needs of the marketplace, said Sandra Barbour, vice president for instruction at the college.

“The purpose of the name change is to reflect the new technologies, the new responsibilities and new processes used in the modern business office,” she said.  “The change will also help potential employers to better understand what skills our graduates will bring to their companies.”

Graduates from the AOT degree pathway will receive a business associate degree in Administrative Office Technology and will be qualified for office support positions in a variety of industries and companies. 

They may also graduate with a diploma in Administrative Support, which is also a name change from the former Automated Office diploma.  The diploma program is a fast-track pathway to specialized training for employment that requires fewer semester hours of credit.

The AOT degree pathway is designed to prepare students for jobs as administrative support specialists in computer-oriented office environments.  Students develop advanced skills in office technology including keyboarding, word processing, desktop publishing, accounting, database management applications, spreadsheet applications, written and oral communications, and administrative systems and procedures. This pathway may also prepare students to transfer to certain four-year universities to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

The change in name will take place across the South Carolina Technical College System.  Faculty members from all of the 16 colleges met several times during the past year to review the program and to recommend these changes.
Current students who are actively enrolled in the OST degree pathways or the AOT diploma pathway will not be affected by these changes.

NETC’s application deadline for fall semester is July 31.   For more information on enrolling at NETC or the financial aid process, please call 921-6900, 1-800-921-7399, or visit www.netc.edu and click on the “Admissions” or “Financial Aid” links on the home page.

Students seeking financial aid should start the process by visiting www.FAFSA.ed.gov and completing the federal application process.  More information about financial assistance is also available by visiting the “Financial Aid” section of Northeastern Technical College’s website or by calling the college.
  

###