Microsoft IT Academy

IT Academy Program Overview

What is the Microsoft IT Academy Program?

Providing Students with 21st Century Technology Skills

The Microsoft IT Academy Program is a college- and career-ready education program available to all accredited academic institutions, designed to provide students with the 21st century technology skills necessary to acquire certification and be competitive in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. The IT Academy Program also provides educators and staff with professional development opportunities. This subscription-based membership offers a world-class technology curriculum with lesson plans, E-Learning, student projects, and assessments. To date, there are more than 10,000 IT Academy members in more than 160 countries.

Resources available through the IT Academy Program give educators the opportunity to stay up-to-date on the latest Microsoft technologies and easily integrate these technologies into new or existing curricula. With these resources, educators can tailor classes to meet the needs of students of all ages and levels of experience.

Program Features

IT Academy offers the following:

The latest Microsoft software for labs, classrooms, and PCs used by students
Access to a wide range of Microsoft E-Learning courses and the Instructor Learning Management System (LMS) to help track and monitor student progress
Discounts on official courseware that is available to academic institutions only
E-Reference Libraries that offer instant access to over 127 Microsoft Press books online
TechNet subscriptions, which provide a wealth of resources for educators seeking to expand their professional development and students mastering IT professional concepts and skills
Marketing tools to promote the association with the Microsoft brand and official certifications

Find more details about the Microsoft IT Academy Program Benefits

Student Employability

Students of a Microsoft IT Academy receive hands-on experience with the latest Microsoft software and hundreds of web-based E-Learning courses. And because Microsoft Certifications are widely recognized by employers, the program can help your school give students an edge in today’s competitive job market. One example is Dunbar High School in Florida. The Microsoft IT Academy and Dunbar High School have worked together to award more than 850 technical certifications, with test scores that soar above the state average. In 2008, Dunbar became the first school in the world to have 100 percent of its IT Academy students achieve Microsoft Certifications.

Watch a video about Microsoft IT Academy at Dunbar High (.WMV file, length: 3:24)

What Membership Offers

IT Academy membership offers many valuable benefits. You can:

The Microsoft IT Academy Program has two membership levels: Essential and Advanced. The Essential membership focuses on applications and Microsoft Dynamics while the Advanced membership provides a fuller curriculum including technical training.

Essential membership benefits

The Essential membership is intended for institutions that teach Microsoft Office and Microsoft Dynamics courses. At this membership level, you are entitled to the following:

Unlimited access to E-Learning portfolio courses focused on the Microsoft Office applications plus Windows desktop courses. Learn more
The ability to administer content and manage your students’ progress with the online Instructor Learning Management System. Learn more
Essential computer skills training with Microsoft Digital Literacy. Learn more
Up to 50 lab licenses for Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010. Learn more
One complimentary enrollment in the Microsoft Certified Trainer program for a qualified educator at your institution and a 25 percent discount on enrollments for any additional instructors. Learn more
A 60 percent discount on the Full E-Reference Library, which is a collection of E-Reference Libraries for Microsoft Press. Learn more
Academic pricing on Microsoft Official Academic Courses (MOAC). Learn more
Academic pricing on Microsoft Certification exams. Learn more
Educator resources such as downloadable and customizable lesson plans to help you save class preparation time, personalized course completion certificates, and a free tool that enables you to create your own online courses. Learn more
Marketing resources to help you promote your IT Academy, such as inclusion in the IT Academy locator tool plus a welcome kit, posters, email templates, flyers, brochures, and much more! Learn more

Advanced membership benefits

The Advanced membership is for institutions that teach IT professional and developer courses for Microsoft Certification.

All the benefits listed above for the Essential membership
Unlimited access to E-Learning portfolio courses focused on Windows Server, Windows Client, SQL Server, Visual Studio, and many other Microsoft technologies. Learn more
Up to 100 lab licenses for Windows Vista, Windows 7, Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 x64, Microsoft Office Professional 2007, or Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010. Learn more
Five complimentary annual subscriptions to the Full E-Reference Library, which is a collection of E-Reference Libraries for Microsoft Press and a 60 percent discount for additional subscriptions. Learn more
One complimentary subscription to MSDN Academic Alliance (MSDN AA). Learn more
One complimentary, Not for Resale (NFR) version of Microsoft TechNet Subscription Professional. Learn more
Academic pricing on Microsoft Official Courseware (MOC). Learn more

Note If your institution has a Microsoft Campus and School Agreement (CASA) School Enrollment or Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES), you can add the Microsoft IT Academy Program during your agreement renewal or at any time during the agreement period. Contact Global Skills Oman for assistance.

Educator Development Opportunities

Educators and other staff members have the opportunity to improve their own knowledge base with complimentary resources and online courses, plus discounted software and certifications.

Learn essential computer skills training with Microsoft Digital Literacy. Learn more
Evaluate and familiarize yourself with Microsoft products and technologies through MSDN Academic Alliance and TechNet subscriptions that offer access to Microsoft platform, server, and developer/designer products plus software, knowledge base articles, service packs, how-to articles, security updates, resource kits, tools, and utilities. Learn more
Become a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) to thrive as both a technologist and an educator. Use the MCT program to build, maintain, and prove your expertise on Microsoft products and technologies, as well as prepare for, teach, and support learning solutions for your students. Learn more
Take courses and get certified to improve your own knowledge base and increase career success with the same discounts offered to students. Learn more
Learn how to create your own E-Learning courses to integrate into your classes with the Microsoft Learning Content Development System (LCDS). Learn more
Explore a wide selection of videos and Learning Snacks to expand your knowledge on any Microsoft technology:
- Learning Snacks in the Training Catalog
- Learning videos on the YouTube Learning Channel

Want to know more?

Learn more about available educator tools