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Online Clerical Certificates and Degrees
Online Clerical Certificates and Degrees
Find out about the types of clerical certificate and degree programs available, including specialized programs in legal or medical office administration. Discover prerequisites, study topics and online education options.
What Kinds of Clerical Programs Are Available?
You'll find that most schools offer a certificate or career diploma program, but a few also offer an associate's degree program in professional office administration. In some cases, you can choose a specialized program, such as medical office administration or legal office administration. These programs are all considered professional degrees or career training rather than traditional degrees, and they're usually designed for students with little or no prior educational background at the postsecondary level.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Levels</b></td><td>Certificate, career diploma, associate's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Online Availability</b></td><td> Fully online programs are available</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Admissions Requirements</b></td><td>High school diploma or GED, basic computer skills</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td>Accounting, word processing, data entry, records management, desktop publishing</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)*</b></td><td> 5% decline for general office clerks</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)*</b></td><td> $35,330 for general office clerks</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---CanIStudyOnline">Can I Study Online?</h3><p>A number of schools offer these programs online, and you may log into the school's website and study at your leisure. Along with an up-to-date computer, you'll need reliable Internet access. You may also need to purchase Microsoft Office or other software if you don't already have it; your instructor will let you know exactly what you need.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAreThePrerequisites">What Are the Prerequisites?</h3><p>In most cases, you'll need little more than a high school diploma or GED. However, these programs do expect you to have basic to intermediate computer, math and typing skills. Some programs will also want you to be familiar with software such as Microsoft Office. If you are lacking in any of these areas, check with the school to see if it has an adult or continuing education division; most offer classes that will help you gain the foundational skills you'll need to continue on with the clerical program.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWillILearn">What Will I Learn?</h3><p>Your coursework will provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to work in and support an office of any size. Topics you'll study will encompass both business and technical subjects and may include accounting, records management, customer service, inventory management, word processing, desktop publishing, office technology, data entry and more. Communication skills are also important, and you'll gain practice in proofreading business documents. Some programs may have a cooperative experience requirement where you will work for a local business for college credit.</p>
