Southwestern College Professional Studies

Is a Microsoft Office Essentials Certificate for Me?

The Microsoft Office Essentials Certificate will allow learners to be well positioned as a contributing member of any organization going forward. Nearly every organization requires Microsoft Office skills, and with this certificate you can go beyond just the basics. The certificate can be completed as part of the Computer Operations Technology degree (or any undergraduate degree) or as a stand-alone certificate.

Classes taken in the Microsoft Office Essentials Certificate program can be applied toward a bachelor’s degree in Computer Operations Technology and Computer Programming Technolgy.

Courses

Required Courses

COT 210 Microsoft PowerPoint
COT 220 Microsoft Access
COT 305 Advanced Microsoft Excel
COT 311 Advanced Microsoft Word
COT 325 Outlook Organizational Techniques

Course Descriptions

COT 210 Microsoft PowerPoint

Learners in this course will focus on the skills needed to create impressive
presentations. The course provides a thorough grounding in PowerPoint’s most important tools and features. Learners will explore audience demographics as well as approaches to layout, typography, imagery, color, animation, navigation schemes, sound and data representation including the use of charts and graphs. This course is a combination of theory and hands-on application.

COT 220 Microsoft Access

This course covers the basic steps of database application development. Using Microsoft Access database software, the learner develops database tables, queries, forms and reports to create working Access database application.

COT 305 Advanced Microsoft Excel

Learners in this course will focus on advanced uses of Excel, including layout, formulas, built-in functions, graphing, and secondary and derived sheets. Participants also learn to manipulate and summarize lists, publish documents, create charts and data maps, and record macros.

COT 311 Advanced Microsoft Word

The primary focus of this course is to teach effective preparation of technical
documents using Microsoft Word. The course covers structure and management of large documents, use of styles and templates, and linking and embedding of pictures and drawings. It also introduces versioning and revisions, and general mark-up.

COT 325 Outlook Organizational Techniques

This course introduces key concepts, functions and features, and automating methods most widely used in the popular Microsoft Outlook email client software. The course presents an overview of how Outlook’s various components and tools work together and how to configure and use them efficiently. Topics include the advanced tools such as forms design, adaptive menus, rules, and VBA programming results in extending organizational objectives resulting in advanced collaborative solutions.

Admission Requirements

Anyone interested in completing the Microsoft Office Essentials Certificate should complete a Southwestern College Professional Studies Application for Admission. The five courses comprising the certificate can be completed in eight months or less and there are no prerequisites.

Individuals completing the Microsoft Office Essentials Certificate at Southwestern College may apply these 15 multi-discipline credit hours earned toward any bachelor’s degree offered by Southwestern College Professional Studies.

The Microsoft Office Essentials Certificate is offered in an online format. Courses are delivered in 6-week sessions to allow maximum flexibility for busy professionals.