Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Exams
Employers across the world value Microsoft Office Specialists. This certification will boost your CV as you look for placements or employment and the skills learnt in preparing for the exam will help you throughout your studies.
What is it?
A Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate certificate provides evidence to employers that the holder is proficient in the use of one of the Microsoft 365 applications.
To gain the certification you must pass an exam, after which you will receive a digital badge as evidence of your new qualification which you can share on your professional profiles, such as LinkedIn.
Who can take the exam?
Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate exams are scheduled for year 1 Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate LUBS-parented students only, enabling all Business School students to be given the opportunity to gain a MOS certification as part of their studies.
We are offering opportunities to take one Microsoft Office Specialist exam in either Excel, PowerPoint or Word.
Required exams
For some students, Excel may be the required MOS exam for their programme. Your module leader will provide further details if this applies to you.
"Preparing for the Excel exam genuinely helped me a lot, my knowledge of the program has increased significantly, and I feel comfortable using it. Post exam I feel well equipped to use Excel."
How will it benefit me?
Achieving MOS certification can help you to achieve both academic and professional success. The additional skills you will learn can help boost productivity and the quality of assignments submitted as part of your course.
In addition, this certification is highly sought after by employers and provides official evidence of your skills and abilities. Having the certification on your CV will help you to stand out from others when applying for work placements or full-time employment.
How to prepare for your exam
1. Register an account on Certiport – essential!
Certiport are the exam provider the Business School has partnered with to offer this certification to you. Register for a Certiport account using your University email as your username.
You MUST have completed this at least 48 hours in advance of your exam, otherwise the system will not permit you to make an attempt. On the day of your exam you will login to Certiport using this account.
Upon creating a Certiport account, you will be able to apply for time accommodation – please let us know if you are successful in your request.
2. Complete the LinkedIn Learning preparatory course
Please take the time to practise and study your preferred Cert Prep (Excel, PowerPoint or Word) training course on LinkedIn Learning, which you have free access to as a University of Leeds student.
You can read further information about LinkedIn Learning here.
The courses each take around four hours to complete in full, but you may find you only need to study some elements of the course to feel prepared.
3. Check your timetable
No need to book or sign-up. Your exam will appear in your timetable, so do check it to see when your own exam has been scheduled, which may not be at the same time as other students on your Programme.
Further questions?
If you can find the information you need on this page – including the list of Frequently Asked Questions listed below – please contact your module leader to discuss your question about MOS exams.
"The Excel exam really helped me to be more confident in my skills on the platform and I feel it will be a valuable addition to my CV"
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to sign up or book?
No, your exam will appear in your timetable so there's no booking or sign-up procedure.
Do I need to bring a laptop to my exam?
No, your exam will be taken in an IT cluster on a computer with specialist MOS exam software installed.
Do I need to bring ID to the exam?
We rely on your student card to verify your identity. You must bring it with you in order to take the exam.
If you have lost your student card, see how to replace your student card.
Why does LinkedIn Learning say I need to pay for the training videos?
Please make sure you are logging into LinkedIn Learning with your University details and not your personal details. As a University of Leeds student, you do not need to pay to access LinkedIn Learning content.
See further guidance on how to access LinkedIn Learning.
Will the exam affect my degree result?
For most Programmes, this is an optional extracurricular opportunity which does not affect any module marks and therefore does not affect your degree. Your Module Leader will indicate clearly if your MOS exam forms part of your summative assessment.
When can I resit my exam?
If you don’t pass your timetabled MOS exam, don't worry, there will be resits offered and promoted later in the semester.
Note that you must wait 24 hours before retaking an exam. If you don’t pass the second time, you must wait 2 days (48 hours) before each subsequent exam retake.
Can I take other exams, like Word or PowerPoint?
All first-year undergraduate, taught postgraduate and joint honours students are being offered a timetabled MOS exam in Excel, PowerPoint or Word. Students can choose their preferred application at the start of the exam. However, for some students, Excel may be the required MOS exam for their programme.
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.