This short-term certificate provides knowledge and skills in preparation for the Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) exams. Students enrolled in this certificate program will acquire competencies in advanced word processing, spreadsheet design and use, presentation software, email application features including calendaring, and relational database management.

This program is available to be completed 100% online.

Program contact: Learn more

This certificate will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the certificate, please notify the Office of the Registrar at RegistrarOffice@tri-c.edu.

Learn more about how certificate credits apply to the related degree.

Program Learning Outcomes

This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

  1. Determine and use various workplace application software to develop, document, and manage office projects, procedures and systems.

  2. Build, edit and maintain spreadsheet solutions in Microsoft Excel to automate manual or outdated processes.

  3. Build and maintain databases in Microsoft Access in order to track and manage data.

  4. Design, create, maintain, and enhance presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint in order to deliver ideas and information.

  5. Create, edit, enhance and review documents in Microsoft Word.

  6. Utilize calendaring and task features in Outlook.

Suggested Semester Sequence

Plan of Study Grid
Summer StartCredit Hours
Select one of the following: 3
Computer Applications
Honors Computer Applications
 Credit Hours3
First Semester
BT-1150 Word for Business Documents 3
BT-1700 Business Spreadsheets (Excel) 3
BT-2040 Emerging Workplace Technology 3
BT-2211 Presentation Software 3
 Credit Hours12
Second Semester
BT-2200 Advanced Word Processing 3
BT-2700 Advanced Business Spreadsheets (Excel) 3
BT-2300 Business Database Systems (Access) 3
 Credit Hours9
 Total Credit Hours24

MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement.  These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016.  Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.