Administration

STANDARD GRADE

The course focuses on two broad areas of study:

• Administrative Support
• Information and Communications Technology

Administrative Support
This area of study considers and evaluates in depth the role of administrative services in providing the support which is essential to the effective management of a business organisation. Topics covered include:

• the structure of business organisation
• the role of administration within an organisation
• health and safety
• reception/mail handling
• storage and retrieval of information
• use of reprographics equipment
• sources of reference and information systems
• travel arrangements

Information and Communications Technology
This area of study covers the practical skills and techniques required to support business administration through the use of a variety of business software applications to successfully handle the storage, processing, retrieval and presentation of information. For example:

• databases for storing information
• file management
• spreadsheets for preparing financial statements
• word processing to prepare business documents
• use of the Internet
• use of electronic mail

ASSESSMENT
The course will be externally assessed in 3 areas:

• knowledge and understanding
• problem solving
• practical abilities

Throughout the course pupils will gain “hands on” experience on PCs working with fully integrated software in a modern office environment.

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HIGHER

Purpose

This course will provide students with the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge to given situations requiring a high level of administrative services and to analyse the use of IT in an administrative and business context. The course places an emphasis on the development of problem solving and decision making skills and is appropriate for those individuals seeking careers within the modern administrative environment.

Recommended Entry

While entry is at the discretion of the school, students would normally be expected to have obtained Standard Grade Administration at Credit level or the Intermediate 2 Administration course or equivalent.

Course Details

One 40 hour unit and one 80 hour unit, plus 40 hours flexible time.

Unit - Title, Length and Brief Description

Administrative Services (H) 40 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• apply skills and knowledge to given situations requiring a high level of administrative services
• solve problems in a structured way and make decisions in these situations.

Information Technology for Management (H) 80 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• find, select, analyse, use and communicate information in a range of contexts
• extend skills and expertise in the use of software packages
• analyse the use of IT in an administrative and a business context
• assess the role of information in decision-making.

Progression on leaving school

• Advanced Higher Administration
• National Certificate at appropriate level
• HNC Office Administration
• HND Office and Information Management
• degree courses e.g. BSc Business Information Management
• a range of employment e.g. administrative assistant.

The Higher course will only run if a reasonable number of pupils choose the subject.

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INTERMEDIATE 2

Purpose

This is a vocationally-orientated course suitable for those students wishing to pursue a career in administration. It will enable students to perform administrative functions and develop the competencies required to process, sort, check, store and output information within the modern organisational environment. The practical approach adopted makes the course suitable for individuals who wish to acquire administrative skills and a high level of skills required in the use of business software packages particularly word processing.

Recommended Entry

While entry is at the discretion of the school, students would normally be expected to have attained Standard Grade Administration at General level or the Intermediate 1 Administration course or its component units, or have Standard Grade English at General level.

Course Details

Three mandatory 40 hour units, plus 40 hours flexible time.

Unit - Title, Length and Brief Description

Administrative Support (Int 2) 40 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• perform the administrative functions within an organisational environment
• organise travel and accommodation arrangements
• contribute to the arrangement of meetings
• acquire the skills necessary to plan their work and to develop their own development plan.

Information Technology: Office Applications (Int 2) 40 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• develop the competencies required to process, sort, check, store and output information
• within the modern administrative environment
• use electronic methods of communication for sending and receiving information.

Word Processing 1 (Int 2) 40 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• acquire the skills necessary to produce business correspondence and documents using word processing equipment.
  

Progression within school

• Higher Administration

Progression on leaving school

• National Certificate at appropriate level
• A range of employment e.g. clerical assistant.

Pupils following the Intermediate Two course will form a composite class with those working towards Intermediate 1 Administration.

The Intermediate 1 and 2 courses will only run if a reasonable number of pupils choose the subjects.

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INTERMEDIATE 1

Purpose

This is a vocationally orientated course suitable for those students wishing to pursue a career in administration. It is suitable for individuals who wish to acquire basic administrative skills. It takes a practical approach to the administrative tasks carried out in business and to the development of the basic skills required in the use of business software packages particularly word processing.

This course provides a progression path for subsequent study and would be suitable for students attempting the subject for the first time.

Recommended Entry

While entry is at the discretion of the school, students would normally be expected to have attained Standard Grade English at Foundation level.

Course Details

Three mandatory 40 hour units, plus 40 hours flexible time.

Unit – Title, Length and Brief Description
Administrative Support (Int 1) 40 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• acquire the skills necessary to deal with the basic administrative tasks carried out in a business
• contribute to arranging business travel and accommodation
• contribute to the health, safety and security of the workplace.

Information Technology: Office Applications (Int 1) 40 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• develop the competencies required to input and retrieve data from software packages used in a modern administrative environment
• use electronic methods of communication.

Word Processing 1 (Int 1) 40 hours
This unit should enable students to:

• acquire the skills necessary to use a keyboard and produce simple correspondence on word processing equipment.
  

Progression within the school

• Intermediate 2 Administration, Higher Administration

Progression on leaving school

• National Certificate at appropriate level
• a range of employment e.g. junior clerical posts.

Pupils following the Intermediate 1 course will form a composite class with those working towards Intermediate 2 Administration.

The Intermediate 1 and 2 courses will only run if a reasonable number of pupils choose the subjects.