Secretarial classes

You'll likely have many face-to-face encounters as a secretary.

In most cases, you only need a high school diploma in order to be a secretary, but a college degree and specialized skills will help you stand out from others vying for a position. Secretaries need excellent communications skills, including good written and spoken grammar, organizational skills and the ability to use a variety of computer programs. You can gain these skills in college, but focusing in a certain area may help you nab a better position.

General Courses

Any type of college course can give you the communication skills that you need to be a secretary. It's smart to choose something you feel passionate about learning so you'll feel more engaged. In general, classes in the liberal arts make fine choices, though science courses can help if you wish to work as a secretary in a research lab. In particular, consider classes that have opportunities for writing along with group projects to help you learn about working with others.

Field-Specific Courses

If you already have some ideas of the type of office you wish to work in, it's smart to focus your courses in those areas. For example, if you want to be a legal secretary, you'd take courses in law, and if you want to be a medical secretary, you might take courses in anatomy. Community colleges may have specific courses about working as a secretary in these fields.

Business Management Courses

If you want to widen your options, consider majoring in business or taking a considerable number of courses that focus on business. While learning the skills you need to be a secretary, you'll also be learning how businesses work, which is very helpful for support staff in an office. With a background in business, you may be able to use your position as a secretary as a starting point, looking to build a career in another area of the company, such as office management or marketing.

Computer Courses

At a bare minimum, you'll need to know how to use word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word or Open Office. You may also receive on-the-job training on company-specific software programs. With additional computer experience, such as knowledge of spreadsheets or databases, you'll prove even more invaluable to your employer. Community colleges often have courses that focus on a particular piece of software, and taking some of these classes will prove to be a smart move.