Earn Your Business Office Administration Diploma
| Update: May 19, 2025
UEI’s Business Office Administration Program prepares students for a fulfilling career in a professional office environment. If your goal is to pursue a career as an administrative assistant, office manager, or customer service representative for a business, UEI can teach you the business concepts, computer skills, and customer service skills necessary to compete for an entry-level position in the business office administration field.
If you’ve been out of the working field for a while or are just looking to get a foot in the door by adding to your resume, the skills taught in our Business Office Administration program will make you a vital part of any professional office.
What Careers Will a Business Office Administration Program Prepare You For?
A diploma in Business Office Administration will prepare you for a variety of business positions. These positions may have a wide scope of responsibilities depending on the business and the office. Possible job titles include:
#1. Administrative Assistant
Administrative assistants are responsible for a variety of clerical tasks like filing, scheduling, and assisting other staff members. They play a meaningful role in ensuring the office runs smoothly. They may help with organizing and any other tasks as assigned by a supervisor. Administrative assistants may be assigned to work with the entire office staff or focus on the needs of one person in a busy leadership position. Administrative assistants handle office work in almost every sector of the economy, from schools and government to non-profits and private-sector companies, providing a wide variety of possible job positions.
#2. Customer Service Representative
A Customer Service Representative supports clients and customers by answering questions, resolving complaints, and providing relevant information. They are often at the front lines of a business, responsible for knowing little about everything or at least the best person to ask. Customer Service Representatives usually work at a front desk, addressing clients face to face or over the phone, but more and more companies are communicating with customers by text and social media as well.
#3. Receptionist
A receptionist is primarily responsible for answering the business phone, welcoming clients and customers, and helping clients receive answers to their questions. Receptionists may also help with clerical work, note taking, filing, and scheduling. They are often the face of the organization, helping clients and customers to feel welcome and important.
#4. Office Coordinator
The Office Coordinator assists with organizing and streamlining clerical tasks around the office. They may be at the front desk taking questions from customers or behind the scenes handling billing, training, and ordering and restocking office supplies. This position requires great attention to detail and the ability to problem solve, as your duties may vary from day to day.
#5. Office Manager
Office managers are responsible for keeping an office running smoothly and overseeing administrative support. They are often expected to know all about the business to provide the right assistance to those who need it. They may also be responsible for keeping the office stocked with the necessary supplies and equipment.
#6. Office Assistant/Office Clerk
The duties of an Office Assistant or Office Clerk will depend greatly on the type of organization. They may do purely clerical work like filing and organizing, or they may also be responsible for greeting clients and customers.
What is it Like Working in an Office?
The experience of working in an office can vary greatly depending on the organization, the business’s function, and the culture of the office. Some offices are open and expansive, creating a noisy and lively work environment, while others feature cubicles and quiet hallways. Small businesses may provide a tight-knit feeling among co-workers, while large offices may feel ambitious and important.
What it is like to work in an office may also depend on your position. As a receptionist, your job may consist mostly of answering phones, filing, and scheduling. At the same time, an Administrative Assistant may do those tasks and more, helping to keep one office leader organized or all the office staff on the same page. Customer Service Representatives may work more directly with clients, answering questions, listening to complaints, and directing them to more information. In an entry-level Business Office Administrative position, you may be asked to step in where ever an extra set of hands could be of benefit.
While working in an office is not a good fit for everyone, there are some great benefits to working in an office setting. Most offices operate during consistent working hours of 9-5, leaving weekends and evenings free. Office jobs are also not usually very physically demanding. You can perform administrative tasks while seated.
The best and sometimes worst parts of working in an office are the relationships you can form with co-workers and clients. Working in close proximity to other people can teach you a lot about them, and when you find the right fit for you, the results are rewarding.
Working together in an office encourages teamwork and good communication. Many people who work in an office may choose to stay with the same company for years. With the right training and skills, you can be prepared to start in an entry-level position and work your way up with more experience.
More and more offices are offering some employees the option to work remotely. With the right training and technical skills, this may be an option in some industries, especially in a role like a Customer Service Representative.
What Skills Do You Need For a Career in the Business Office Administration Field?
Working in an office isn’t a good fit for everyone. If you’re considering a career in the Business Office Administration field, you should ask yourself if you possess these skills:
#1. Written and verbal communication.
Working in an office with a variety of personalities and responsibilities requires great communication skills. You need to be able to over-communicate to ensure tasks are completed and address problems respectfully when they arise.
#2. Professionalism.
Working in a business environment requires a high level of professionalism. In an entry-level business office administration position, you’re often the first person a client encounters when they enter the business. It’s important to be on time and speak and dress respectfully.
#3. Organization.
Administrative Assistants and Office Managers are usually responsible for helping many others in the office to do their tasks in a timely manner. Being involved in several parts of the business at once requires great organization skills. It may be your job to help organize others.
#4. Independence.
While Administrative Assistants are a vital part of a team, their roles and responsibilities are usually carried out independently. You must be driven to complete tasks on your own to be successful in this role.
#5. Time management.
Working at the front office of a business may require some juggling. You may be given a long list of tasks to do and staff members to assist. If you’re the type of person who loves making and completing checklists, this job is right up your alley. Sometimes the best way to provide assistance to the staff in an office is to consistently show up on time, ready to work.
#6. Problem-solving.
Some supervisors don’t know what assistance they need until someone else points it out. In the Business Office Administration field, you should be prepared to adapt and be resourceful in the solutions you offer to help get the job done. Great attention to detail is also important.
#7. Technology.
Most administrative tasks require a good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. As technology advances, employees are being asked to do more and more on computers. If you feel comfortable working on a computer, you’re well-suited for this field.
#8. Interpersonal skills.
Working at the front desk of an office or business requires excellent people skills. If you enjoy making people smile, you’ll make a great candidate for the job.
Do You Need a Degree to Pursue a Career in the Business Office Administration Field?
You do not need a college degree to pursue a career in the Business Office Administration field. The best way to get started is by gaining skills and experience that will make your resume stand out above others. Completing a Business Office Administration Training Program, such as the one offered by UEI College, will give you a competitive edge over students who have not completed a similar program.
UEI’s Business Office Administration program will provide you with comprehensive training on computer programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Google Apps, and QuickBooks. You’ll also learn how to operate a printer, projector, and other office equipment and some accounting principles and business basics. At the end of your courses, you’ll complete an externship at a local business, practicing the skills you’ve gained under the supervision of an experienced employer. You can include your externship as experience on your resume, giving you built-in experience as you begin your job search.
How Long is UEI’s Business Office Administration Program?
UEI’s Business Office Administration Program can be completed in as few as 10 months. An extensive 250-hour hands-on externship in a business environment at the end of your program ensures you have the skills to begin a new career right after graduation.
What Does UEI’s Business Office Administration Program Teach Students?
UEI’s Business Office Administration Program provides students with the basics of office work, preparing them for an entry-level career and the opportunity and foundation to move up in any business environment. Students will learn about basic computer applications like Outlook, Microsoft Office Applications, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and Google Apps. We also cover accounting basics and teach the use of Quickbooks for bookkeeping.
This program also focuses on the soft skills needed to work in an office, including professionalism, verbal communication, and customer service. The externship provides the opportunity to practice all these skills in a hands-on, real-world environment.
Should You Become an Administrative Assistant?
If working in an office, getting to help people, and becoming an active part of a business sounds like an exciting career to you, then you should become an Administrative Assistant. As an Administrative Assistant, you will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of people in your co-workers and clients. You can feel satisfaction from helping them achieve their tasks and find solutions to problems. If you like to help people, you would be well-suited for this career.
Training to become an Administrative Assistant is also affordable and can be done in a short time. Starting your career in this field does not require a two- or four-year degree (and all the cost of attending a university); you can gain extremely valuable training in less than a year.
The skills developed as an Administrative Assistant can be transferred to a wide variety of careers. You may find opportunities to move up within a business or move to a new office with greater benefits.
Just like with any job, there are some cons to becoming an Administrative Assistant. The job’s roles and responsibilities may vary greatly from one organization to another. This means you need to learn a little bit of everything and be open to learning new skills too. As technology advances, new tools to make businesses run more efficiently are being introduced all the time, so there will always be something new to try.
The position also requires working with a wide variety of personalities and supporting them in their work or listening to complaints, which can sometimes be frustrating. You should be equipped to handle conflicts and ready to find solutions. If those items don’t concern you, then a career as an Administrative Assistant would be a gratifying fit.
Consider Enrolling in UEI’s Business Office Administration Program!
In UEI’s Business Office Administration Program, you can earn a diploma and gain the confidence you need to find an entry-level office position as soon as you graduate, and our ongoing enrollment means you can get started within the next month! Imagine a year from now working in a fast-paced business environment providing assistance to a team of professionals. You can make it happen with UEI.
Don’t have a high school diploma? That’s OK. We’ll work with you to earn your high school diploma and receive the professional training you need to transition to a worthwhile career.
Our staff can also assist you with applying for financial aid to help cover the cost of your schooling. Students may qualify for grants or scholarships that make beginning a new career affordable. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Our flexible schedule allows you to attend school in our morning or evening class schedules. You’ll be on campus twice a week and then participate in live lectures and online assignments during the week. Tutoring and mentoring assistance are available for students who need it.
UEI’s instructors have experience working in the field they are teaching about. They’re prepared to offer real-life examples of how the curriculum can be applied to the job you want.
At the end of your training, the support does not stop. We partner with local businesses to place you in an externship where you can apply what you’ve learned and develop real-world experience. Our Career Services Department will help you formulate a resume that will grab attention and showcase your knowledge.
What really sets UEI College apart is our compassionate staff. Our students come from all walks of life, and the staff at UEI are prepared to provide all the resources, training, and care that you need to find success in the Business Office Administration field.
