Microsoft 365 Administrator (MS-102) Certification Preparation
This five-day course gets administrators ready for exam MS-102, the step to the Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert title. It covers tenant management, Microsoft Entra identities, threat protection with Microsoft Defender XDR and compliance with Microsoft Purview. Note that Microsoft retires both the exam and the certification on 30 November 2026, so this is a final-stretch session.
The essentials
Publisher : Microsoft
Certification : Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert
Exam code : MS-102
Duration : 5 days (35 h)
Level : Advanced
Formats : Live virtual class · In-person in Casablanca · On-site (intra-company)
Languages : French or English
Exam facts : Passing score: 700 out of 1000 · exam retires on 30 November 2026
Exam voucher: included or optional depending on the package — contact us.
Set up a Microsoft 365 tenant with its domains, licences and admin roles
Implement identity synchronisation between Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID
Harden sign-in with MFA, self-service password reset and Conditional Access
Work through Microsoft Defender XDR reports and alerts to respond to threats
Protect mail, endpoints and cloud apps with the Defender product family
Apply sensitivity labels, DLP and data lifecycle policies with Purview
Program
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant
Tenant and domain setup
Users, groups and licences
Roles and role groups
Identity and access with Microsoft Entra
Sync with Entra Connect and Cloud Sync
Authentication methods and MFA
Secure access and Conditional Access
Security and threats with Microsoft Defender XDR
Reports, incidents and alerts
Defender for Office 365
Defender for Endpoint
Defender for Cloud Apps
Compliance with Microsoft Purview
Information protection and labels
Data lifecycle and retention
Data loss prevention (DLP)
Prerequisites
Hands-on use of Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID
Day-to-day administration of at least one Microsoft 365 service (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint…)
Working knowledge of networking, DNS, Active Directory and PowerShell
To be awarded the Expert title: hold one of the Associate certifications Microsoft accepts (Endpoint Administrator, Teams Administrator, Identity and Access Administrator or Information Security Administrator)
Target audience
Microsoft 365 and systems administrators
Messaging and collaboration leads
Security engineers in charge of a Microsoft 365 tenant
Consultants rolling out Microsoft 365 for clients
The exam
Exam MS-102 is taken online with a remote proctor or at an authorised test centre, and you need a score of at least 700 out of 1000. It is offered in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Portuguese (Brazil). Passing it, together with an eligible Associate certification, earns the Administrator Expert title. Microsoft retires the exam and the certification on 30 November 2026 at 11:59 PM US Central time; after that date the title can no longer be earned or renewed, so book your slot early.
Preparation tips
Book your exam date as soon as you enrol: the window closes on 30 November 2026.
Practise in a test tenant, especially in the Defender and Purview portals.
Take the free Microsoft Learn practice assessment and try the exam sandbox.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is the MS-102 exam being retired?
Yes. Microsoft retires the exam and the Administrator Expert certification on 30 November 2026. You can still sit it until then.
What happens to my certification after retirement?
According to Microsoft, the title can no longer be earned or renewed after that date. Check your Microsoft Learn profile for its expiry date.
Do I need another certification to become Administrator Expert?
Yes. On top of MS-102 you need an Associate certification that Microsoft accepts, such as Endpoint Administrator or Identity and Access Administrator.
What comes after MS-102?
Microsoft has released exam AB-650 in beta, focused on administering Microsoft 365 and AI services such as Copilot. We can advise you based on your timeline.
Is the course available in French?
Yes, we teach it in French or English, live online, in Casablanca or at your premises. The exam is also available in French.
Securevalley training — online and in-person sessions. Contact us for pricing and registration terms.
Securevalley is not a training partner of Microsoft. Microsoft, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Purview are trademarks of Microsoft.