How to Obtain a Microsoft Office Specialist Certification
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification is widely accepted as a standard measurement of skill and ability in the Microsoft Office suite of programs, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook. Once you have used these programs to perform a variety of tasks, you can apply for MOS Certification.
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Things You'll Need
- Copy of Microsoft Office Suite
- Approved Courseware for test preparation for the program/s you wish to be tested on
- Instructor-led test preparation (optional)
- Location of a Microsoft-accepted test center
Instructions
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Preparing for Examinations
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Load Microsoft Office onto your computer. Only the 2000, 2003 and XP versions are being tested and certified at this time.
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Use the programs for a variety of tasks. For instance, Microsoft Word is the word processing program. Do the tutorials and use the templates, clip art, mail merge features to become proficient at the program.
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For Microsoft Excel, the spreadsheet program, practice formulas, formatting, filters, charts and reports.
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For PowerPoint, practice making slides, decks and styles and formats.
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For Access, practice creating formatting records, searching the database and producing reports and mail merges.
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In Outlook, create appointments, update schedules. It is recommended that Microsoft Office Candidates spend at least a year using the programs they wish to be tested on before sitting the exam.
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Once you feel you are ready to take the test for your first program, spend at least 20 hours on examination preparation. This can take the form of online training or instructor-led training.
Taking Examinations
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The three levels of examination are Specialist, Master and Expert. Register for your Specialist exam in the program of your choice once you feel ready to take the examination. Each exam is approximately 45 minutes in length, with about 15 to 20 tasks for each.
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Specialist candidates must pass one of the following: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook
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Once you have passed your Specialist level of certification in Word or Excel, you will be eligible to take the Expert certification exam. You must pass any one of the following Expert exams: Word Expert, Excel Expert
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Once you have passed both of these, you will be able to continue to the Master level. To achieve the Master level and full Microsoft Office Specialist Certification, you must pass three required exams (Word Expert, Excel Expert, PowerPointand) one elective exam (Access, Outlook).
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Tips & Warnings
Once you become certified, you will gain access to various resources available only to Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs). Make sure you prepare for the correct version of your copy of MS Office.
If you are a veteran or student, you may be eligible for financial assistance, or college credits for taking this certification program.
Learn the short cutkeys and the drop-down menus. Certain exams will not allow you to use the shortcut keys. There will also be no access to the Help menu during the exam. If you fail, you can take the test again after seven days.
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