Program Description
Business Information Systems help companies use computers and technology to work smarter. These systems organize data, automate tasks, and make it easier for people to make good decisions. Whether it’s tracking sales, managing inventory, or helping customers, Business Information Systems connects the tools, people, and processes that keep a business running smoothly.
Which Program is Right for Me?
ACC offers an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree and a one-year certificate program that focus on specialty areas in the field of business information systems (BIS).
BIS — Administrative Professional
Administrative Professional Program Curriculum
This AAS degree program prepares students to begin work as an administrative professional in a traditional setting as part of the general support staff. Administrative professionals perform a variety of clerical and administrative duties that are necessary to run an organization efficiently. Using the latest developments in information technology as they relate to the management of the modern office, the program provides an extensive background in learning the functionalities of office computer applications.
Your responsibilities may also include some bookkeeping, working with vendors, and managing stockrooms. Specific job duties vary by experience, job title, and specialty.
BIS — Business Services
Business Services Program Curriculum
This one-year certificate program is designed to provide you with entry-level job skills needed for the modern office environment. You are introduced to a variety of office computer applications and office skills. Your job responsibilities may include greeting and receiving visitors, answering the phone and e-mail messages, making appointments, preparing documents, filing, handling the mail, distributing messages, and performing simple bookkeeping tasks.
Certification
ACC students have the opportunity to earn five Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications right here in Alpena at no additional cost!
- Word Associate
- Excel Associate
- PowerPoint Associate
- Word Expert
- Excel Expert
ACC graduates from the BIS programs who have earned MOS certifications have come back to tell instructors that the certifications are what helped them land their jobs. Earning one or more certifications in addition to your degree will make your resume stand out, assist you in being hired, and very likely earn you higher wages. Holding a MOS certification can earn an entry-level business employee as much as $16,000 more in annual salary than uncertified peers.*
* Anderson, Cushing, and John F. Gantz. Skills Requirements for Tomorrow’s Best Jobs: Helping Educators Provide Students with Skills and Tools They Need. IDC/Microsoft.
Special Opportunities
If you have previous experience, you may be eligible for advanced placement in certain courses through competency testing. ACC also has articulation agreements with area high schools that allow you to earn credits toward your business information systems degree or certificate.
Career Options
Overall employment of secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to grow 1 percent from 2023 to 2033, slower than the average for all occupations. Despite limited employment growth, about 367,500 openings for secretaries and administrative assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Individuals who also have certifications will have the best job opportunities.
Your average salary depends on the size, type, status (private vs. public) and location of your employer, as well as your skill and experience level. Median annual earnings of secretaries and administrative assistants were $47,460 in 2024, while the median annual wage for information clerks was $43,730**.
** Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh (May 19, 2025).
Contact the BIS Program
Susan Cook
Instructor
cooks@alpenacc.edu
989.358.7313