Microsoft now offers two current versions of the prestigious Microsoft Office Certification. The version and name of the certification depends on the version of Microsoft Office you wish to certify on. This article will focus on the Microsoft Office Specialist certification. To learn about the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) please read the corresponding MCAS article.

The Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification is for individuals who use and wish to certify on Microsoft Office 2003 products. There are seven possible MOS exams available. From the seven possible exams there are two possible titles, or designations, a person taking MOS exams can earn. The designations are Microsoft Office Specialist and / or Master Microsoft Office Specialist. The credential you earn depends on which of the seven exams you take and how many of the exams you take. The seven available exams are:

1. Microsoft Word 2003 Core

2. Microsoft Word 2003 Expert

3. Microsoft Excel 2003 Core

4. Microsoft Excel 2003 Expert

5. Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 Core

6. Microsoft Outlook 2003 Core

7. Microsoft Access 2003 Core

If you take any one of the above exams you become a Microsoft Office Specialist in that product. So, if you pass the Microsoft Word Expert exam you will be mailed a certificate, from Microsoft, which says you are a Microsoft Office Specialist in Word Expert. If you take the Outlook Core exam you will be mailed a certificate that says you are a Microsoft Office Specialist in Outlook Core. After passing any of the above exams you are certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist and you can at that time use the MOS designation after your name, as well as the MOS logo on business cards, resumes, etc.

When you pass four specific MOS exams you will earn the Master Microsoft Office Specialist certification / designation. The required exams for Master MOS status are:

1. Microsoft Word 2003 Expert

2. Microsoft Excel 2003 Expert

3. Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 Core

4. Microsoft Outlook 2003 Core or Microsoft Access 2003 Core (you only need to pass 1 of the 2)

When you pass the above four required exams, Microsoft will mail you a certificate that says Master Microsoft Office Specialist. This certificate will also say which of the four required exams you passed. If you have decided Microsoft Office Specialist is the certification for you because you use Microsoft Office 2003 and want to validate your Office 2003 skills you should do the following steps.

Step One: Microsoft Office Training - Through training you will learn the Microsoft Office applications you will be tested on. When looking for training look for program that starts with the application basics and covers the advanced topics also. The tests are difficult, so you want to make sure the training you choose is comprehensive. You should also look for training that covers the exam objectives. You can find a list of the exam objectives on the www.ComputerCoach.com. You should look for training that includes hands-on activities also. All Microsoft Office Specialist exams are hands-on exams. There are questions that appear on the bottom of the page. The application you are testing on will open on the top of the screen and you will have to "do" the necessary tasks to answer the questions. The exams are also timed. Each test is 50 minutes, so you want to be sure you are quick at doing each exam objective. Training that includes hands-on practice will help you learn and retain the information.

Step Two: Practice Exams - Several vendors sell Microsoft Office Specialist practice exams. These practice exams simulate the test environment. It allows you to become familiar with the types of questions they will ask you, the way the questions are worded, the expected responses, and it is a great way to refine your skills before taking the actual test.

Step Three: Schedule and Take the Test - The Microsoft Office Specialist exams are administered through official Certiport Testing centers. You must go to a physical location to take the test. You can find a list of Official Certiport Testing Center at certiport.com. Beware, Microsoft does not offer there Office exams online. You must go to the physical testing center and pass the Microsoft Office Specialist exam to become "certified." Good luck!

Suzanne Alexander, M. Ed. is a Microsoft Certified Trainer.

Computer Coach provides flexible,self-paced computer courses at affordable prices. Computer Coach exceeds its client's expectation by offering online computer training classes that help individuals get the skills they need to be successful in today's rigorous and changing workplaces. Visit www.ComputerCoach.com for hands-on comprehensive Microsoft Office Training.