Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification

The value of an MTA certification

An MTA certification is valuable because it enhances the technical credibility of those who earn it. More specifically, the MTA exams have minimal prerequisites and, therefore, gives those with limited information technology (IT) experience an opportunity to be credentialed. This can be especially valuable for high school and college students thinking about pursuing careers in IT, who may not yet have the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience but want to start building their credibility.

The MTA certification also covers a broad spectrum of IT subject matter, which can lay the foundation for many different IT career paths.

How to get Microsoft Technology Associate certified

In order to become MTA certified, an individual must take and pass one of, or a collection of, exams in the MTA program. There are several learning paths for specific MTA certifications, which are categorized by the career the individual wants to pursue.

The exams and learning paths are listed below.

Certification paths and exams

The MTA exams offered are as follows:

Exam 98-349: Windows Operating System Fundamentals

This covers fundamental concepts in the Windows 10 environment, including managing applications such as Microsoft Office, file management, device management and operating system (OS) maintenance.

Exam 98-361: Software Development Fundamentals

This covers core development skills, object-oriented programming, web applications, desktop applications and databases. Some experience with C# or Microsoft Visual Basic .NET is required.

Exam 98-364: Database Fundamentals

This covers introductory database knowledge, specifically including relational databases like Microsoft SQL Server.

Exam 98-365: Windows Server Administration Fundamentals

This covers technology related to Windows Server Administration and requires some hands-on experience with Active Directory, account management, system recovery tools and Windows-based networking.

Exam 98-366: Networking Fundamentals

This covers general networking concepts. It requires some hands-on experience with Windows Server, Windows-based networking, domain name system (DNS), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and network protocols, as well as a few other technologies and concepts.

Exam 98-367: Security Fundamentals

This covers fundamental security knowledge and skills. With hands-on experience with Windows Server, Active Directory, antimalware and Windows-based networking.

Exam 98-368: Mobility and Devices Fundamentals

This covers fundamental knowledge of Windows devices. Individuals should have some hands-on experience with antimalware products, firewalls, network topology, network ports, Windows devices and Active Directory.

Exam 98-375: HTML5 Application Development Fundamentals

This covers core development skills for modern touch-enabled devices. Requires solid foundational knowledge of CSS3 and JavaScript.

Exam 98-381: Introduction to Programming Using Python

This covers reading and writing Python code, recognizing data types supported by Python, and application of Python code to practical logic problems.

Exam 98-382: Introduction to Programming Using JavaScript

This covers reading and writing JavaScript code and applying that code to problems.

Exam 98-383: Introduction to Programming Using HTML and CSS

This covers reading and writing HTML and CSS, structuring data using HTML elements, and creating/applying styles using CSS.

Exam 98-388: Introduction to Programming Using Java

This covers reading and writing Java 6 SE or later, and candidates may include entry-level developers or secondary/post-secondary-level software development students.

To prepare for exams involving development (361, 364, some others), students can take relevant training courses in MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) or work through tutorials in MSDN and Visual Studio.

The specific MTA learning paths are listed below:

• IT infrastructure. This certification is for individuals looking to build a career in server infrastructure, private cloud computing or desktop infrastructure. The exams an individual must pass to earn this certification are:
• 349
• 365
• 366
• 367
• Database. This certification is for individuals seeking to begin a career in business intelligence (BI) or database administration (DBA). The exam required for earning this certification is:
• 364
• Developer. This certification is for those looking to start a career in software development. The only exam necessary for this path is 361, but Microsoft recommends that individuals take other exams, as they relate to more specific development career goals. The other recommended exams include:
• 363
• 375
• 372
• 368

For example, if an individual takes exam 98-368, they will earn a Mobility and Devices Fundamentals certification. However, the person would need to take this exam in conjunction with exam 98-361 to earn the broader "Developer" certification through the learning path.

Taking the exam

Exams are offered in several languages, including, but not limited to, English, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, Japanese and Portuguese.

Each exam costs $127 if taken in the United States. Prices vary depending on which country the exam provider is in. Students can register for a discount on the exams, except for students in China or India. Certification candidates may also purchase an additional test retake and practice test with the exam replay resource.

Non-students schedule their exam with Pearson VUE, and students schedule it using Certiport. These are exam provisioning services.

Resources

Testers can prepare for tests in one of two ways: through a free online learning path provided by Microsoft or through a paid, instructor-led program. As of this writing, these preparation resources only come with some of the exams, while others state "no current courses [are] available for this exam." Instructor-led courses for the MTA often cover material for more than one of the exams.

Beyond exam-specific prep-resources, Microsoft offers more general resources to help test-takers, including:

• The training and certification guide, which includes a detailed layout of all Microsoft learning paths and certifications offered through Microsoft Learn.
• The exam replay offer.
• The Certification dashboard, where learners can view their scheduled appointments, certificates and transcripts.
• Customer support.

Microsoft Technology Associate job roles

An MTA certification provides core knowledge that students can use to launch a variety of different technology careers. Some of these include:

• Network Architect
• Business Intelligence
• Help Desk Technician
• Software Engineer
• Systems Analyst
• Mobile Application Developer
• Network Administrator
• Database Administrator
• Security Specialist
• Website Developer

MTA vs. MCSA

It should be noted that the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification no longer exists. It was retired in June 2020 as Microsoft declared a shift to "role-based certifications," with focuses on Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Data and AI.

Regardless, the MCSA certification and the role-based certifications that have replaced it are different from the MTA certification in that they have a more specific focus and are more likely to require the exam-taker to have hands-on job experience with the subject matter. The MTA, by contrast, requires only some hands-on experience to pass the exams. In this way, the MTA is considered more academic than the role-based certifications. The MTA is designed to fit into high school and college curricula so that students may learn basic IT knowledge and be exposed to Microsoft technologies commonly used in the tech industry.