Help Desk Specialist, Technical Certificate of Credit

Overview

Offered at the Augusta Campus

Entrance Dates:	Fall
Length of Program:	3 Semesters
Credit Hours Required to Graduation	25

Program Description: The purpose of this Help Desk Technician certification is to teach students how to maintain and troubleshoot computer hardware and software and be able a support person to handle calls from customers. Students will learn how to respond to telephone calls and e-mail messages from customers looking for help with computer problems. In responding to these inquiries, help-desk technicians must listen carefully to the customer, ask questions to diagnose the nature of the problem, and then patiently walk the customer through the problem-solving steps. They also install, modify, clean, and repair computer hardware and software. Many computer support specialists start out at the help desk.

Employment Opportunities: The Bureau of Labor Statistics has indicated that employment of computer support specialists is projected to grow 12 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. More support services will be needed as organizations upgrade their computer equipment and software. Graduates of this program will be able to work in various help desk environment surrounding Information Technology.

Curriculum Outline

Occupational Courses, 25 credits

COMP 1000	Intro to Computer Literacy	3
CIST 1001	COMPUTER CONCEPTS	4
CIST 1122	HARDWARE INSTALL & MAINT	4
CIST 1130	OPERATING SYSTEMS CONCEPTS	3
CIST 2130	DESKTOP SUPPORT CONCEPTS	3
CIST 1401	COMPUTER NETWORKING FUND	4
CIST XXXX	CIST Elective	4

CIST Electives, 4 credits

(Students must meet prerequisites for electives or advisor approval)

CIST XXXX	Programming Language	4
CIST 1220	STRUCTURED QUERY LANGUAGE	4
CIST 2129	COMP DATABASE TECHNIQUES	4
CIST 2411	MICROSOFT CLIENT	4
CIST 2451	Intro to Networks - CISCO	4
CIST 2452	Cisco Routing&Switching Essent	4
CIST 2453	Cisco Scaling Networks	4
CIST 2454	Cisco Connecting Networks	4
CIST 2412	Microsoft Server Installation and Maintenance	4
CIST 2413	Microsoft Server Networking	4
CIST 2414	Microsoft Server Identity Services	4
CIST 2992	CIST INTERNSHIP II	4

Notes:

• A grade of “C” or higher is required for all courses with the prefixes CIST.
• CIST 2411 can be substituted for CIST 1130 and CIST 2451 can be substituted for CIST 1401.

Guided Pathway

Augusta Day Program

PROGRAM NAME: Help Desk Specialist

AWARD: Technical Certificate of Credit

CAMPUS: Augusta Day Program

Year 1 First Semester

COMP 1000	Intro to Computer Literacy	3
CIST 1001	COMPUTER CONCEPTS	4

Year 1 Second Semester

CIST 1130	OPERATING SYSTEMS CONCEPTS	3
CIST 1401	COMPUTER NETWORKING FUND	4

Year 1 Third Semester

CIST 1122	HARDWARE INSTALL & MAINT	4
CIST 2130	DESKTOP SUPPORT CONCEPTS	3
CIST XXXX	CIST Elective	4

*Refer to the College catalog for course prerequisite requirements.

CIST 2411 can be substituted for CIST 1130 and CIST 2451 can be substituted for CIST 1401.

Students who choose to not follow the Course Sequence listed above may not be able to complete the program in the number of semesters shown above.

The Augusta Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender or disability. For information on Title IX, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Shannon Patterson at [phone] or in Building 100. For information on ADA/504, contact the ADA/504 Coordinator, Karissa D. Wright, at (706) 7714067 or go to the Counseling Center in Building 1300.