10/28/2003 -- With the release of Panther (OS X 10.3) last week Apple has announced updates to its Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC) and Apple Certified System Administrator (ACSA) titles, and has announced a new desktop cert.

With track 10.3, the lower-level ACTC title will once again require two exams: the new Mac OS X Help Desk Essentials v10.3 Exam (9L0-400) and the updated Mac OS X Server Essentials v10.3 Exam (9L0-505).

Apple had taken the ACTC to a one-exam title with the 10.2 track's release in Sept.2002. The title had required two exams when it debuted.

The Help Desk exam will also serve as the sole requisite for a new certification: Apple Certified Help Desk Specialist (ACHDS), which focuses on client-side support.

The ACSA will remain a two-exam track, requiring the following updated exams: System Administration of Mac OS X Clients v10.3 Exam (9L0-606) and System Administration Using Mac OS X Server v10.3 Exam (9L0-607).

Apple has also announced a $100 upgrade exam for those who want to take their 10.2 ACSA certification to 10.3.

While the Help Desk exam is scheduled to be released in "late 2003," the other exams will be debuting in "early 2004," Apple said. The 10.2 exams are scheduled to remain available through June 2004.

Objectives for the new exams have yet to be released.

More information on the changes above can be found here. -Becky Nagel