1. How can I find out what is taught and what skill level will be acquired in an OST course?
2. Do you offer short term certificate programs?
3. Do you offer courses that apply to the legal or medical fields?
4. Are certain courses offered only once during the year? If so, which courses and when?
5. Can I get a good job in this area after completing my degree or certificate?
6. What is the starting salary for graduates of this program?
7. Can I test out of any courses if I feel I already have the competencies?
8. Can I receive certification for any of the training I receive?

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1. How can I find out what is taught and what skill level will be acquired in an OST course?
   Answer: Double click on “Course syllabi” on the left side of this web page. Find the course you have in mind and click on that link. You’ll see the syllabus, which is a listing of the prerequisites for the course, the general course objectives and content, the semester hours, and the textbook required for the course.
    
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2. Do you offer short term certificate programs?
   Answer: Yes. These courses do not lead to a degree but will teach you the skills necessary for a particular job. Certificate programs range from 15 to 30 credit hours and can be completed in one or two semesters.

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3. Do you offer courses that apply to the legal or medical fields?
   Answer: Yes. We currently offer four legal/medical electives in our OST program. A recent initiative prompted by local legal secretaries has been undertaken to develop a certificate program for training new legal administrative staff for an expected future employee shortfall. When launched, this certificate program will provide us with an array of new legal courses for OST majors.
    
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4. Are certain courses offered only once during the year? If so, which courses and when?
   Answer: Click on the Course offerings link on the OST Homepage and find planned course offerings for upcoming two semesters. The information displayed is tentative and may change without notice on this web site Final determination of course offerings is based on the number of enrolled students in each course and final results are posted on the college's registration web site each semester after the late registration purge.
    
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5. Can I get a good job in this area after completing my degree or certificate?
   Answer: Generally yes, but it depends on the labor market at any given time and also on the skill levels you bring to the job. Our courses set minimum standards that must be met and those standards generally reflect the needs of employers.
    
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6. What is the starting salary for graduates of this program?
   Answer: Starting salaries vary with the employer, the job in question, and the needs of the local job market at any given time. The Midlands Technical College Career Guide shows the ranges of starting salaries for a number of program graduates. These ranges are provided by government statistical agencies. According to the current MTC Career Guide, the starting salary for OST majors ranges from $25,000 to $30,000 annually.
    
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7. Can I test out of any courses if I feel I already have the competencies?
   Answer: Yes. There are two options: an exemption exam and a challenge exam. The exemption exam requires no prior registration in the course in question, but you must schedule the exam with an instructor for the course. No credit is awarded for successful completion of a course, but an E for the course will appear on your transcript. It is simply a way of bypassing a prerequisite for another course. On the other hand, a challenge test requires that you be registered for the course in question, your fees paid, and an additional fee of $75 be paid to cover the cost of the test and the administrative charges for the test. KEEP IN MIND: whatever grade you make on the challenge test will appear as a grade on your transcript.
    
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8. Can I receive certification for any of the training I receive?
   Answer: Certification is not a requirement for graduation in the OST program. However, we strongly recommend that OST students pursue certification in Microsoft Office applications prior to graduation. Certification exams are available in our MTC Continuing Education Department and at other business sites in the Greater Columbia area.
    
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