How to Obtain a Microsoft Certification

How to Obtain a Microsoft Certification

How to Obtain a Microsoft Certification

The Microsoft Certified Solution Developer certification is, according to Microsoft, designed for individuals who want to:

Demonstrate your expertise in developing leading-edge enterprise solutions by using the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0 and 1.1. The Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) certification validates your advanced skill set, demonstrating to customers and employers your ability to support their evolving IT needs.

Although this certification will never expire, unfortunately most of the exams required for obtaining it have been retired. Microsoft specifies that if you have passed an exam required for the MCSD, it can still be applied to earning your certification but if you have not you are generally out of luck, as you would have had to have passed each required exam prior to its retirement.

For newer technology (Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, 3.5 and 4.0 or Visual Studio 2005, Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Studio 2010) Microsoft has replaced the MCSD with the Microsoft Certiied Professional Developer (MCPD) certification. This certification is segmented into three subsets:

Microsoft Certfied Professional Developer: Windows Developer

Microsoft Certified Professional Developer: Web Developer

Microsoft Certified Professional Developer: Enterprise Application Developer

Each of these certifications require a prerequisite of attaining a Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist (MCTS). The MCTS requires one core exam: Exam 70-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework - Application Development Foundation. In addition a second exam must be passed depending on your area of specialization:

Exam 70-526: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Windows-Based Client Development

Exam 70528: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Web-Based Client Development

Exam 70-529: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Distributed Application Development

Once you have obtained the MCTS certification, you can then take one additional exam to achieve the MCPD designation, which again would be based on your area of specialization:

Exam 70-548: PRO: Designing and Developing Windows-Based Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

Exam 70-547: PRO: Designing and Developing Web-Based Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

Exam 70-549: PRO: Designing and Developing Enterprise Applications by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework

Note: these exams are associated with the MCTS and MCPD for Visual Studio 2005. To see the exam paths for Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Studio 2010 and to learn more about Microsoft Developer Certification, visit the Microsoft Visual Studio Certification page.

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