Fall 2017 was the first semester that featured a course that included Microsoft Office Certification as a requirement. The class was a great success and served as a prime example of how essential Office skills are both in the classroom and the workplace.
Allen Gwinn, a professor in the Cox School of Business, had seen many students in the past who struggled with Microsoft Excel. Knowing that the software is crucial in all kinds of business environments, he collaborated with OIT to utilize the new MOS certification program in multiple sections of his Information Systems for Management course.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” Allen said once the course was complete. “A Microsoft cert lends credit to, and certifies, the claim that the student knows Microsoft Excel. It is also a tangible benefit from the class that the student can add to his/her resume. The certification provides a great benchmark as to how well they’re grasping these concepts.”
In total, 134 students became Microsoft certified during Professor Gwinn’s classes, a nearly 99% passage rate! These students took the Excel Core exam, which covers basic formulas and formatting features by completing real-world projects. Even more courses are taking advantage of MOS certification in Spring 2018, with around 340 students across multiple disciplines including Business, Sports Management, and Sociology. All practice materials and the exam vouchers are provided at no cost by OIT. Exams are available for Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access.
Are you interested in finding out how MOS certification can be utilized in your courses? Contact the IT Training & Communications team at ittraining@smu.edu or contact Laurene Klassen directly at 214-768-1316.
