Microsoft Certified Application Specialist Exams         

Microsoft Office certification exams in Word, Powerpoint, and Excel are required to be completed by students for upper division admission into the Gatton College of Business and Economics. Students satisfy this requirement by passing an exam in each of the areas.

Microsoft offers these exams around the world to certify that an individual is knowledgeable about all aspects of these products. The exams are timed and require that students complete operations in the exact sequence requested by the exam. More information about the exams can be found on the Microsoft website.

Once you complete the exams you should add a line to your resume that clearly states that you are Microsoft Office Certified in Word, Powerpoint, and Excel.

NOTE: We currently offer certifications exams in Office 2010 (called Microsoft Office Specialist Certification - MOS) and sell Office exam vouchers.  Although we no longer offer certification exams in Office 2007, we will continue to accept previously earned credit in Office 2007 to count toward the MOS requirement.

STEPS TO COMPLETING THE MICROSOFT OFFICE CERTIFICATION

Step 1: Purchase Exam Vouchers

1. Go to Purchase Exam Vouchers / Register
2. Read the information and then click on PURCHASE VOUCHERS / MANAGE REGISTRATIONS
3. Log on as your AD account and password
4. The first time you login, you will be asked to enter your student information (name and other information).
5. After you do that, you will see a link to purchase exam vouchers.
6. On the registration page, you will choose the number of exam vouchers you want to purchase. Each voucher costs $85. You can purchase up to three exam vouchers at one time. We accept Mastercard and Visa.
7. When you click on the Continue Registration button you will be taken to a summary page. Click on the Continue Registration button and you will be taken to the credit card company, Skipjack, to enter your credit card information.
8. After you have submitted your credit card information and that information has been verified, your registration will be official and the exam voucher(s) will appear on the management page and you will also receive them via email. This usually only takes a few minutes but may take longer. You will also receive an invoice from Skipjack.

Step 2: Prepare for the exams

Exam preparation is to be completed by the student on their own time. Experience has shown that most students need advance preparation in order to pass the exams. Good preparation includes gaining familiarity with both the exam format and the content of the exam. Free and fee-based training options.

Step 3: Taking the tests

Exams are computer based and are given in 120W in the Gatton Business and Economics building. Sign up for an exam at least one day in advance in myUK under workshops. The exams are timed and last 50 minutes. You will receive your results immediately. In order not to disrupt the test takers students will need to show up a few minutes before the exam start time. You MUST present a photo ID at the time of testing. If you do not show up for your scheduled time you will need to wait at least a week for your next exam time.

Step 4: The Results

What happens after I pass an exam?
After you pass an exam, the Undergraduate Resource Center will report that you have passed the B&E course associated with the specific exam (B&E 102 Word, B&E 103 Powerpoint, B&E 104 Excel) to the Registrars office. It may take up to 5 business days for this to be done and the course to appear in myUK. If the course does not appear in myUK within 5 business days, please email gattonurc@uky.edu. Note: The course may appear in myUK temporarily without a grade. This does not mean that your passing score hasn't been recorded. The passing grade will be assigned within a month after the course appears in myUK.

What happens if I fail the exam?
If this is the first exam in a exam/retake series, you will receive a retake voucher via email from the testing company, Certiport. The college MOS administration never sees this retake voucher. You are responsible for bringing your retake voucher with you to take a retake exam. Please read the email you receive from Certiport closely. It will tell you when your retake voucher expires. The expiration date is generally 30 days after the voucher is issued.

Important Note on Subsequent Retakes: You may retake the same exam once without restriction on the interval between exams. Although, you will have to wait for your retake voucher to be emailed to you after failing an exam for the first time. This can can take from a few hours to 24 hours.

Who do I contact if I have questions or issues?

For questions or problems related to the exams, contact the Undergraduate Resource Center at 257-4627 or gattonurc@uky.edu.