With Westminster’s Digital Academy, you can get qualified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) for free. MOS certifications are globally recognised throughout industries and are a great way to develop key skills and enhance your CV.
Successful candidates will gain a fundamental understanding of the Microsoft Office environment and the ability to complete tasks independently.
Courses available
We offer courses on:
- Microsoft Word Associate and Expert (2019/365)
- Microsoft Excel Associate and Expert (2019/365)
- Microsoft Excel for Accounting
- Microsoft Excel for Business Finance
- Microsoft PowerPoint (2019/365)
- Microsoft Outlook (2019)
- Microsoft Access Expert (2019)
What's covered?
Microsoft Office Word 2019/365
The Microsoft Office Specialist: Word Associate Certification demonstrates competency in the correct application of the principle features of Word by creating and editing documents for a variety of purposes and situations.
The exam covers the ability to create and maintain:
- professional-looking reports
- multicolumn newsletters
- résumés
- business correspondence
Microsoft Office Excel 2019/365
The Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Certification demonstrates competency in the fundamentals of:
- creating and managing worksheets and workbooks
- creating cells and ranges
- creating tables
- applying formulas and functions
- creating charts and objects
The exam covers the ability to create and edit a workbook with multiple sheets, and use a graphic element to represent data visually.
Workbook examples include professional-looking budgets, financial statements, team performance charts, sales invoices, and data-entry logs.
Microsoft Office Excel for Accounting
The Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Accounting Associate certification demonstrates competency in the fundamentals of:
- preparing accounting data for analysis
- preparing a trial balance
- preparing and analysing financial statements
- performing routine accounting activities
Workbook examples include trial balances, financial statements, payroll data, bank reconciliations, and amortization schedules.
Certified individuals can perform a wide range of accounting tasks in Excel and apply accounting principles to real-world scenarios, demonstrating practical skills that are directly relevant to accounting roles.
Microsoft Office Excel for Business Finance
The Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Business Finance Associate certification demonstrates competency in the fundamentals of:
- preparing financial data for analysis
- performing financial analysis
- performing loan and investment analysis
- creating financial forecasts
Workbook examples include financial statements and amortization schedules.
Certified individual can perform a wide range of business finance tasks in Excel and apply business finance principles to real-world scenarios, demonstrating proficiency that is directly applicable to business finance job roles.
Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2019/365
The Microsoft Office Specialist: PowerPoint Associate Certification demonstrates competency to create, edit, and enhance presentations and slideshows.
The exam covers the ability to:
- create and manage presentations
- insert and format shapes and slides
- create slide content
- apply transitions and animations
- manage multiple presentations
Presentation examples include professional-grade sales presentations, employee training, instructional materials, and kiosk slideshows.
Microsoft Office Outlook 2019
The Microsoft Office Specialist: Outlook Associate Certification demonstrates competency to:
- customise the Outlook user interface format message content
- create or insert graphic elements
- send and respond to emails and meeting requests
The exam covers the ability to:
- enhance professional correspondence
- create calendars
- schedule appointments
Application examples include coordinating building resources, sending messages for marketing campaigns, planning staff meetings, and assigning meeting action items.
Microsoft Office Access 2019
The Microsoft Office Specialist: Access Expert Certification demonstrates competency in database design principles.
The exam covers the ability to create and maintain Access Database objects including:
- tables
- relationships
- data entry forms
- multilevel reports
- multi-table queries
What’s involved?
You can sign up to enrol on these online courses at any time. Courses are all completed through self-study via Blackboard and LinkedIn Learning.
Exams
Once you complete the relevant training, you’ll need to take a mock exam to prepare for the final exam. After successfully passing the mock exam, you’ll be able to take the final exam.
Exam dates are usually announced on Blackboard, and you’ll receive notifications once you’re enrolled on the module.
There are no fees for the exam or training, but places are limited each year and exams are scheduled monthly.
What happens in the final exam?
Exams are currently operating on a hybrid approach, meaning they can take place on campus or online.
- Task-based exam using a live software environment
- Duration: 50 minutes
- Based on the skills covered in your training
Please note: you must pass the mock exam and provide evidence before you can take the real exam.
How can I sign up?
These certifications are available for current and fully enrolled University of Westminster students and staff only.
To enrol, email with your student or staff ID and chosen courses to [email protected].
If you have any questions, please contact us using the same email address.