(Also see Computer Information Systems, Computer Networking and Systems, and Electronics and Computer Technology)
Department Chair: Ragaa Abdallah, 847.635.1721, rabdalla@oakton.edu
The Computer Applications for Business curriculum provides education and workplace training for today and for the future. Courses are designed for students who will be working in a variety of business environments. The program provides education for office careers by focusing on developing human relations skills, communication skills, as well as skills in modern office technology systems and procedures in any industry. It prepares students to use application software to solve business problems and increase efficiency in the workplace. In addition, the Computer Applications for Business curriculum helps students compete in our fast-changing world by offering courses in software packages used in today’s global business environment. The curriculum also supports other academic departments by offering specific software courses and instructions to support their needs.
The Computer Applications for Business program offers an Associate in Applied Science degree and a number of certificates, such as Administrative Assistant, Office Assistant, Creative Software Advanced Specialist, Creative Software Specialist, Creative Software User, Microsoft Office Advanced Specialist, Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft Office User, Reporting System Software Specialist, Operational Software Specialist, and Presentation Software Specialist.
- Computer Applications for Business A.A.S.
- Administrative Assistant Certificate
- Creative Software User Certificate
- Creative Software Specialist Certificate
- Creative Software Advanced Specialist Certificate
- Microsoft Office User Certificate
- Microsoft Office Specialist Certificate
- Microsoft Office Advanced Specialist Certificate
- Office Assistant Certificate
- Operational Software Specialist Certificate
- Presentation Software Specialist Certificate
- Reporting System Software Specialist Certificate
Computer Applications for Business Courses
CAB 1021 credit hours (lecture: 1 | lab: 1)
Basic Keyboarding
Course will teach the beginning student touch keyboarding using correct keyboarding techniques. The student will develop a minimum speed of 20 words per minute with accuracy by using appropriate drills and timed writings.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Fee: $5
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring | Summer
CAB 1043 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 2)
Skill Building and Document Formatting
Course provides an interactive and engaging approach for skill building, business document formatting, and improving your speed and accuracy while building a marketable skill set. This course will also focus on the following: document design skills, word processing skills, and communication skills.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Term Typically Offered: Spring
CAB 1061 credit hours (lecture: 1 | lab: 1)
Keyboarding Speed and Accuracy Development
Course is designed to meet the recommended employable speed of 40 words per minute on a 5-minute timed writing, 5 or fewer errors. The course is also designed to increase your keyboarding speed as well as improve your keyboarding accuracy through various skill building drills and time writings with repetition, goals, and time limits. This course may be repeated to meet the recommended employable speed.
Recommended: CAB 102 and Keyboarding of 20 words per minute.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Fee: $5
Term Typically Offered: Fall
CAB 1101 credit hours (lecture: 1 | lab: 1)
Windows Fundamentals
Course presents basic Windows skills necessary to be successful in learning other Windows-based applications. Content includes understanding of Windows environment, hands-on use of both keyboard and mouse to control computer applications, perform file operations efficiently, transfer data between applications, run multiple applications simultaneously, virus check a disk and do simple troubleshooting.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Fee: $5
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring
CAB 1252 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 1)
Word Processing Using Word
This course offers instruction in the use of Microsoft Word for creating, editing, and formatting a variety of personal and/or business documents. Through instruction and hands-on-application students create professional looking documents.
Recommended: CAB 110 or general knowledge of Windows; and the ability to key 20 wpm or consent of the instructor.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $5
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring | Summer
CAB 1302 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 2)
Presentation Software Using PowerPoint
Course offers instruction in the use of Microsoft PowerPoint to create, develop, and present engaging multimedia presentations. Content includes designing, enhancing, and customizing presentations using SmartArt, charts, tables, and embedding or linking information from other Microsoft Office software.
Recommended: Hands-on computer experience using software that runs in a Windows operating system environment.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $20
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring | Summer
CAB 1322 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 1)
Adobe Acrobat PDF
Course introduces the Adobe Acrobat program to design and navigate Portable Document Format (PDF) documents. Content includes designing, editing and enhancing PDF documents, adding security, and working with forms.
Recommended: Hands-on computer experience and the use of the computers operating system.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $30
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring
CAB 1352 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 1)
Electronic Spreadsheeting Using Excel
This course offers instruction in the use of Microsoft Excel for planning, designing, and developing Workbooks. It prepares students to use Excel for the development of spreadsheets using simple and complex formulas and functions, charts, and tables. Additionally, students will learn to create and use PivotTables, Pivot-Charts, manage multiple worksheets and workbooks, and utilize what-if analysis.
Recommended: MAT 060 and hands on experience using Windows software.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $10
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring | Summer
CAB 1403 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 1)
Database Application Using Access
Comprehensive course covers the tools used in Microsoft Access to create and maintain relational databases. Content includes database design, creating and modifying tables, queries, forms, and reports. Macros, Visual Basic for Applications, and interface design and development will be introduced.
Recommended: Hands-on experience using one of the Microsoft Office software applications (e.g. MS-Word, MS-Excel) and Windows software
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $10
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring | Summer
CAB 1502 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 1)
Visio Fundamentals
Comprehensive course covering the features and applications of Microsoft Visio. This software creates graphical diagrams to communicate information that supplements text and numbers within business and technical documents.
Prerequisite: Computer experience using software that runs in Microsoft Windows.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $10
Term Typically Offered: Fall
CAB 1553 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 1)
Introduction to Google Workspace
Course introduces fundamental concepts of the Google Workspace software. It prepares students to use Google Workspace software as a marketable skill in a work environment or for personal use. Content includes introduction to basic Google Drive file management and the Google Workspace main software applications: Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides. This will include learning how to maintain synchronization between Google Workspace programs and the corresponding Microsoft Office programs. Additionally, students will utilize related Google Workspace features, such as Calendar, Forms and Gmail.
Recommended: Hands-on experience using Windows software.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring
CAB 1601 credit hours (lecture: 1 | lab: 1)
Desktop Publishing Concepts and Procedures
Course introduces the components of desktop publishing as used in the modern office, including hardware, software, graphics, typography and design. Content includes the relationship between concepts and applications. Students will be exposed to Creative Software applications.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $15
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring
CAB 1653 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 3)
Adobe InDesign
Course introduces desktop publishing program to create and format documents, using desktop publishing technology. Content includes hands-on production of quality documents such as newsletters, brochures, and flyers suitable for publication.
Prerequisite: Previous or concurrent enrollment in CAB 160 or consent of instructor.
Recommended: Keyboarding skill 20 wpm, knowledge of, and ability to fully use word processing software.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $45
Term Typically Offered: Fall
CAB 1723 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 3)
Adobe Photoshop
Course introduces Adobe Photoshop, image editing program. Content includes producing high-quality digital images and manipulating scanned images, as well as outputting color separations and halftones. Practical exercises with tools to demonstrate capabilities of the Photoshop program.
Prerequisite: Previous or concurrent enrollment in CAB 160 or consent of instructor.
Recommended: Hands-on experience using Windows software.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $45
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring
CAB 1753 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 3)
Adobe Illustrator
Course introduces Adobe Illustrator, industry standard tool for graphic designers and technical illustrators. Content includes various features of object-based drawing application; practical exercises in basics of object manipulation including reflecting, shearing and blending; additional content includes subtleties of layering and Bezier’ curves toward creating professional, computer-based illustrations.
Prerequisite: Previous or concurrent enrollment in CAB 160 or consent of instructor.
Recommended: Hands-on experience using Windows software.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $45
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring
CAB 1803 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 0)
Administrative Office Management and Professional Development
Course provides a dynamic and integrated approach to the ever-changing demands and responsibilities of the office professional in today’s global job market. It is designed for the student who would like to develop the essential soft skills and hard skills needed in office administration for a wide range of industries and companies. Emphasis is placed on integrating skills using appropriate software applications and developing critical-thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills in real-life applications.
Recommended: Basic computer coursework or comparable work experience.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Term Typically Offered: Fall
CAB 1824 credit hours (lecture: 4 | lab: 1)
Introduction to Business Telecommunications
Course is an overview of data communication and networks. It covers the development of essential soft skills and hard skills needed to work effectively with network administrators, network installers, and network designers. Emphasis is placed on the basic features, operations, and limitations of different types of computer networks.
Recommended: Hands-on computer experience using software that runs in Windows.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Term Typically Offered: Fall
CAB 1843 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 0)
Business Communication Strategies
Course develops strategies for effective communication in business. The student will develop skills to plan, organize, create, and edit business correspondence, reports, presentations, and visual enhancements; edit and critique business documents; establish effective oral communication techniques for business situations; and refine listening techniques.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Term Typically Offered: Spring
CAB 2252 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 1)
Advanced Word Processing and Publishing
Course reinforces word processing and desktop publishing concepts through instruction and exercises in which students create business-quality documents. Exercises are designed to build proficiency in the desktop publishing features in Word and to develop skills in critical thinking, decision making, and creativity. Based on real-life situations, students plan, design, and evaluate business and personal documents for publication. This course is designed for majors in Computer Applications for Business (CAB) and for those who wish to expand their word processing and desktop publishing skills.
Prerequisite: CAB 125 or consent of instructor.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Fee: $10
Term Typically Offered: Spring
CAB 2352 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 1)
Advanced Spreadsheeting Using Excel
This course is a continuation of Electronic Spreadsheeting Using Excel (CAB 135). Students will learn advanced Excel techniques such as developing customized Excel applications including automating tasks with macros, using advanced functions, using advanced filtering techniques, using what-if analysis tools, and connecting to external data.
Prerequisite: CAB 135 or consent of instructor.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Fee: $10
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring | Summer
CAB 2513 credit hours (lecture: 2 | lab: 10)
Computer Applications for Business Internship
Course consists of direct work experience in a computer applications-related environment at an approved business or industrial firm applying knowledge and skills learned to their daily assigned responsibilities. The student will meet with a Computer Applications for Business instructor who will evaluate their on-the-job technical skills. Arrangements for the work experience will be made in conjunction with the CAB coordinator. In addition, the student will discuss work-related situations with the instructor. Fee Varies.
Prerequisite: Completion of a minimum of 15 credits in CIS, CAB, WWW, or CNS with a grade of C or better in each course and consent of instructor, program coordinator or department chair.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online
Term Typically Offered: Fall | Spring
CAB 2813 credit hours (lecture: 3 | lab: 2)
Advanced Techniques Using Creative Software
This is a capstone class in which the student uses current illustration and design software packages to create various professional modes of output. Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are used along with Adobe InDesign.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online | Hybrid
Fee: $45
Term Typically Offered: Spring
CAB 2901-4 credit hours (lecture: 1-4 | lab: 0-4)
Topics in Computer Applications for Business
Course is designed to meet the needs of students for specialized instruction in current office automation topics. Topics will be identified for each section of the course. Course may be taken for credit up to four times on different topics. Fee Varies. Prerequisite may vary by topic.
Instruction Type: In-Person | Online