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Studies & Degrees in Management Secretarial Studies

Management secretarial studies train the people who work directly with the directors of a company or organisation: executive secretaries, personal assistants and management assistants. The work goes beyond typing and filing. It covers organising a director's agenda and communications, preparing documents and reports, arranging meetings and corporate events, and dealing with clients and other departments, often in more than one language.

In Spain the subject is taught mainly as vocational training (FP). The official qualification is Técnico Superior en Asistencia a la Dirección, which replaced the earlier title of Técnico Superior en Secretariado. Private training centres also offer shorter courses of their own.

What students learn

The royal decree that sets up the Spanish qualification defines the job as assisting management and other departments in organisation, in representing the organisation and in administrative and documentary work, and managing internal and external information and communication. According to TodoFP, the education ministry's vocational training portal, students learn to:

  • communicate accurately, orally and in writing, in at least two foreign languages
  • organise and manage the agenda and communications of the management, coordinating with other areas and organisations
  • organise events, meetings and other corporate functions following set rules and protocol
  • carry out public relations tasks for the company
  • prepare presentations of documents and reports that combine text, data and graphics

The training plan includes modules on legal and business documentation, human resources and corporate social responsibility, office software and information processing, the commercial process, communication and customer service, English, a second foreign language, business protocol, organisation of business events and advanced information management. It also includes a training period in a company.

Qualifications and levels

  • Higher vocational training (grado superior) in Spain. Técnico Superior en Asistencia a la Dirección belongs to the professional family of Administration and Management and lasts 2,000 hours. The decree gives it level 5b in the international classification of education (ISCED) and assigns its modules 120 ECTS credits for recognition purposes. The title is official and valid throughout Spain.
  • Progression. The title gives direct access to university bachelor's degrees, under the admission conditions that apply. TodoFP lists social sciences and law as the related university branch.
  • Short and private courses. Academies and training companies teach secretarial, office software and administration courses of varying length. Ask the school what recognition its certificate has before enrolling.
  • Other countries. In the United States no degree is usually needed. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that a bachelor's degree is typically not required to become a secretary or administrative assistant, and that executive secretaries typically need several years of related work experience.

Admission in Spain

For the grado superior, TodoFP lists several routes: holding the Bachiller certificate, a Técnico de Grado Medio or Técnico Superior vocational title or a university degree, or passing an entrance test for higher-level vocational courses. Applicants who want to enter with a vocational qualification obtained in another country must first have it recognised (homologación) through the ministry's online office.

The course is taught in Spain's own languages, with English and a second foreign language as modules, so international students should ask the school which level of Spanish it expects.

Where to study it

The SpainExchange directory lists 5 schools for this subject, all in Spain: in Barcelona, San Sebastián, Málaga and Madrid. They are private training centres and business schools, and their course catalogues change often, so check on the school's own site which secretarial or management assistant course it currently runs and what qualification it awards. The official grado superior is taught at public and private vocational schools across Spain; TodoFP links to the ministry's search tool for centres that teach it.

Careers

TodoFP lists these jobs for holders of the Spanish title: management assistant, personal assistant, executive secretary, office assistant, legal assistant, assistant in human resources departments, and administrative staff in public bodies.

For the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 3,515,600 jobs for secretaries and administrative assistants in 2025, of which 489,300 are executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants. It projects a 2 per cent decline in total employment from 2025 to 2035, with about 314,400 openings a year because of workers who leave the occupation. Languages, event organisation and advanced use of office software are the parts of the training that distinguish a management assistant from general office staff.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Spanish management assistant qualification take?

The grado superior in Asistencia a la Dirección lasts 2,000 hours and includes a training period in a company.

Is "Secretariado de Dirección" an official qualification in Spain?

The official vocational title is now called Técnico Superior en Asistencia a la Dirección; it replaced the title of Técnico Superior en Secretariado. For any other course with a similar name, ask the school what recognition the qualification has.

Do I need foreign languages?

Yes. The official course trains students to communicate in at least two foreign languages, and English and a second foreign language are modules of the plan.

Can I go on to university afterwards?

Yes. The title gives direct access to university bachelor's degrees in Spain, subject to the admission conditions of each university.