Exam Information
Here is a list of the exams that are currently available. Office 2000 exams, which have just been released, are also listed here. Office 95 exams are now discontinued.
For Office 97
For Office 2000
 | Microsoft Word 2000 Core |
| Microsoft Excel 2000 Core |
Microsoft Word 97
The Microsoft Word MOUS Certification is available in two flavours, Proficient and Expert. Both exams have a time limit of 85 minutes, 60 of which are for answering questions, and the remaining 25 for reading questions. Both exams also have a passing score of 75%.
For the Exam Matrix, click here.
Microsoft Excel 97
The Excel certification is also available in both Proficient and Expert. The Proficient exam is 70 minutes long with a passing score of 80%, while the Expert is 85 minutes with a required score of 75%. Both have 25 minutes of their respective time limits devoted to reading questions only.
For the Exam Matrix, click here.
Microsoft PowerPoint 97
PowerPoint is so easy that Nivo decided to only make one version - Expert. The exam is 100 minutes long with 76% correct needed to pass, and you guessed it - 25 minutes of the 100 minutes is used for reading what you need to do.
For the Exam Matrix, click here.
Microsoft Access 97
Access also has only one the Expert exam, which is 85 minutes long. It has the lowest passing score, which is 70%. And yes - the 25 minute rule applies here too.
For the Exam Matrix, click here.
Microsoft Word 2000 Core
Currently there is no information available for this examination.
Microsoft Excel 2000 Core
Currently there is no information available for this examination.
Microsoft Office 97 Master
When you pass all four (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint) of the Expert versions of the Office 97 exams, you automatically become a 'Master'. You do not need to sit any other exams - Nivo did away with the 'Integration' exam, which used to be needed in order to call yourself a Master. You can do the exams in any order you like.
Proficient or Expert - What's the difference?
As a general rule of thumb, Proficient Specialists can handle a wide range of everyday tasks with ease. Expert Specialists are expected to do all those everyday tasks, plus handle more complex assignments that require advanced formatting and functionality.
Information About Passing Percentages
Passing scores and percentages vary from exam to exam. This is due primarily to the content of the exam with respect to the exam objectives. All exam objectives and passing percentages are developed by a skilled psychometrician, whose responsibility it is to determine the ability of the exam to measure learning in a specific environment. The MOUS program managers reserve the right to adjust exam passing percentages based on analysis of ongoing research and methodology.
Information about UK Versions
If you wish, and if the exam and testing center has it available, you can take UK versions of specific exams. This will change measurements, time and date formats, and other country-specific information. You need to tell your Testing Center when booking if you wish to take a UK version, as they are treated as completely different exams.
Summary Table:
| Product: | Exam Version: | Time (Reading Questions) | Time (Answering Questions) | Total Time | Passing Score | UK Version Available |
| Word 97 | Proficient | 25 mins | 60 mins | 85 mins | 75% | Yes |
| Expert | 25 mins | 60 mins | 85 mins | 75% | Yes | |
| Excel 97 | Proficient | 25 mins | 45 mins | 70 mins | 80% | Yes |
| Expert | 25 mins | 60 mins | 85 mins | 75% | Yes | |
| PowerPoint 97 | Expert | 25 mins | 75 mins | 100 mins | 76% | Yes |
| Access 97 | Expert | 25 mins | 60 mins | 85 mins | 70% | No |
| Word 7.0 | Proficient | 25 mins | 45 mins | 70 mins | 85% | Yes |
| Expert | 25 mins | 60 mins | 85 mins | 80% | Yes | |
| Excel 7.0 | Proficient | 25 mins | 45 mins | 70 mins | 74% | Yes |
| Expert | 25 mins | 30 mins | 55 mins | 80% | Yes |