Roadmap to Success is a series that helps learners understand certification pathways, career options associated with them, and the next steps beyond certification.
The MCSA: Office 365 continues its rise in popularity and momentum in every industry. The need for IT professionals who can efficiently administer Microsoft Office 365 has increased as more organizations adopt Microsoft Office 365 to support their business collaboration needs. Typically, the MCSA: Office 365 certification qualifies learners to serve as software-as-a-service (SaaS) administrators or cloud applications administrators. These roles are usually focused on managing Office 365 business productivity products like Exchange, SharePoint and Skype for Business.
Microsoft Certifications
Microsoft certifications are organized in a pyramid structure. Each level of certification leads to more advanced, specialized, and complex certifications. The MTA (Microsoft Technology Associate) is the foundation of Microsoft certifications for IT professionals. The MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate), and MCSD [Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer] are the next levels. These certifications include many of the most sought-after Microsoft certifications, such as Server 2012, Office 365 and Azure. The MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solution Expert), the highest level of Microsoft certification, allows learners to specialize in MCSA-level content.
Microsoft describes the new MCSE and MSD certifications as “MCSE Cloud Platform and Infrastructure”, MCSE Mobility, MCSE Data Management and Analytics and Productivity, MCSE : Productivity and MCSD : AppBuilder”. These certifications are aligned with Centers of Excellence that are used by the Microsoft Partner Network by identifying technical competencies that are easily recognized by both Microsoft customers and partners. These credentials don’t have a recertification requirement. Instead, the achievement date indicates how you keep up to date with technological changes.
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Start trainingMCSA Recertification and Renewal
Microsoft does not require MCSA certification renewals from learners. It is strongly recommended that learners renew their MCSA certifications. Technology is constantly changing, so earning certifications shows a commitment to keep skills current and a desire to learn.
You have the option to renew your certification each year by passing an exam from our list of electives. This will show that you have made an investment in your ability to expand or deepen your skills in a Center of Excellence. A new certification entry is added each time you earn the certificate. This replaces the requirement to take a specific recertification test every two years (MCSD), or every three years, in order to keep your certification active. Learn more about the new Microsoft certification structure.
To increase your professional development opportunities, you should explore other Microsoft certification and training options.
MCSA: Office 365
The Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA: Office 365) certification is designed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge necessary to evaluate, plan and deploy Office 365 services. The MCSA: Office 365 certification, unlike many other Microsoft MCSA certifications is comprised of only two exams. Both are covered by SPOTO training.
70-346 – Managing Office 365 Identities & Requirements;
70-347 – Enabling Office 365 Services.
The MCSA: Office 365 has one distinct advantage: it is an expedited route. MCSA certifications typically require three exams. Office 365 only requires two.
This certification path requires that learners have some knowledge of Microsoft Windows Server.