Microsoft Role-Based Certifications

Microsoft has recently released a slew of new exams that center around what it calls Role-Based Certification. According to the site,

Role-based certifications help you to better align your skills and proficiencies with your chosen profession.

In the role-based certification paths, you can take several exams that make you an “associate” and when you take a combination of multiple exams, you become an “expert”. (For those who are students or brand new to Microsoft technologies or perhaps in a sales role, there also are new “fundamentals” exams as well, that focus on the basics. For example, you can take MS-900: MIcrosoft 365 Fundamentals, to get the Microsoft 365 Fundamentals certification.)

For Office 365, to become an Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert, you must take:

• MS-100:Microsoft 365 Identity and Services
• MS-101: Microsoft 365 Mobility and Security

If this looks familiar, it’s because these exams replace exams 70-346 and 70-347 which were used to earn the MCSA: Office 365 certification.

You must also pass one of several “workload” Associate certifications, listed here (with each Associate certification’s requisite exams listed):

• Microsoft 365 Certified: Teamwork Administrator Associate
  • MS-300: Deploying Microsoft 365 Teamwork
  • MS-301: Deploying SharePoint Server Hybrid
  • MS-302: Microsoft Teamwork Administrator Certification Transition (transition exam for those who have passed 70-339: Managing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016)
• Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate
  • MS-500: Microsoft 365 Security Administration
• Microsoft 365 Certified: Messaging Administrator Associate
  • MS-200: Planning and Configuring a Messaging Platform
  • MS-201: Implementing a Hybrid and Secure Messaging Platform
  • MS-202: Microsoft 365 Messaging Administrator Certification Transition (transition exam for those who have passed 70-345: Designing and Deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2016)
• Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate
  • MD-100: Windows 10
  • MD-101: Managing Modern Desktops

If you want to study for these exams, you’re in luck! I have started publishing study guides with links to pertinent help documentation online. The first study guide is out there now:

MS-301 Study Guide

Good luck on your certification!