Medical Assisting Degree Program
MA23 - 202112
Program Description
The Medical Assisting Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree program prepares students for employment in a variety of positions in today’s medical offices. The Medical Assisting program provides learning opportunities which introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and behaviors required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement.
Program Specific Information
Students are accepted every semester based on course and space availability.
Medical Assisting is a part-time and full-time, day and evening program.
Students must complete ALL courses with a grade of C or higher in order to graduate.
All courses must be completed prior to enrolling in MAST 1170 Medical Assisting Externship. The supervised, unpaid externship in an ambulatory health care setting performing administrative and clinical procedures must be completed prior to graduation. The externship experience and instruction of students are meaningful and parallel in content and concept with the material presented in lecture and laboratory sessions. Clinical sites are selected so that each student is afforded a variety of experiences, while at the same time provided consistent learning opportunities. The students in externships are supervised and are not allowed to receive any kind of compensation. Prior to beginning clinical/internship courses, students must order and pay for a background check and meet background check screening requirements as required by the clinical facility. Cost is approximately $50. Any student completing externship during the months October to March will be required to obtain a flu vaccination.
Students must create an account through Acemapp to be approved to begin their externship. The cost of an Acemapp account is $50.00.
Program Admissions Requirements
Criminal background checks and drug screens are required for participation in clinical experiences.
Transfer students who have completed an MA diploma elsewhere need to have graduated from a regionally accredited institution and from a CAAHEP or ABHES accredited medical assisting program. These students must also provide evidence of current CMA Certification through the American Association of Medical Assistants.
Program Length & Availability
5 Semesters
Campus Availability: Hall, Forsyth, Barrow and evenings at Dawson
Financial Aid
This program is eligible for the Pell Grant and may be eligible for Institutional and State Financial Aid.
Contact a Financial Aid Counselor for eligibility requirements and application materials.
Admissions Requirements
Must be 17 years of age.
High school diploma or GED is required prior to admission.
(Official transcripts or GED scores must be submitted from all colleges and/or high schools attended for credit.)
ACCUPLACER Testing, or submit SAT, ACT, COMPASS, or ASSET test scores.
Curriculum
General Education Core – Total of 15 Hours
Area I – Language Arts/Communications – Choose 3 Hours
Area II – Social/Behavioral Sciences – Choose 3 Hours
Area III – Natural Sciences/Mathematics – Choose 3 Hours
Area IV – Humanities/Fine Arts – Choose 3 Hours
General Education Core Elective – Choose 3 Hours
Program-Specific Core – Total of 47 Hours
MAST 1010, MAST 1030, MAST 1060, MAST 1080, MAST 1090, MAST 1100, MAST 1110, MAST 1120, MAST 1170 and MAST 1180: Core, BIOL, ALHS, and COMP courses must be completed with a minimum GPA of 2.5 before beginning MAST coursework.
Total Credit Hours: 62
Graduation Plan
Note: For a list of which courses are part of the elective area, please see the Curriculum tab for this program.
Semester One
| COMP 1000 | Intro to Computer Literacy | 3 |
| ENGL 1101 | Composition & Rhetoric | 3 |
| Area III General Education Core | 3 |
| ALHS 1090 | Medical Terminology for ALHS | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 11 |
ENGL 1101:- Pre-Req: Test Scores – See Advisor
Semester Two
| PSYC 1101 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| BIOL 2113 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 3 |
| BIOL 2113L | Anatomy & Physiology I Lab | 1 |
| MAST 1010 | Legal/Ethic Concerns/Med Off | 2 |
| General Education Core Electives | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Semester Three
| BIOL 2114 | Anatomy & Physiology II | 3 |
| BIOL 2114L | Anatomy & Physiology II Lab | 1 |
| Area IV General Education Core | 3 |
| MAST 1060 | Medical Office Procedures | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 11 |
Semester Four
Semester Five
Apply for Graduation
Part of Term One (First Half Semester)
Part of Term Two (Second Half Semester)
| MAST 1170 | Medical Assisting Externship | 4 |
| MAST 1180 | Medical Assisting Seminar | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Total Credit Hours: 62
This plan is for informational purposes ONLY. It is not a substitute for meeting with a program advisor each term.
Additional Program Information
Student Retention Rates
| Year |
Percent |
| 2021 |
95% |
| 2020 |
96% |
| 2019 |
95% |
| 2018 |
100% |
| 2017 |
93% |
| 5 Year Average |
96% |