Microsoft Completely Revamps Certification Program

New program includes 3 levels of credentials. Current certifications remain valid.

Published 11/2/2005

Microsoft Corporation recently announced a major redesign of its certification program, complete with a new structure and new certification titles. According to Microsoft "The program provides shorter certification paths targeted to specific job roles or technologies, so individuals can more quickly acquire relevant credentials to prove their expertise and organizations can to quickly ensure that IT professionals have the right skills for their projects."

The new format is ready to go, and includes three levels of certification (in order of ascending difficulty): technology specialist, professional series, and architect.

The Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) designation is targeted at specific technologies and products. An MCTS is consistently capable of implementing, building, troubleshooting, and debugging a particular technology. There are currently five of these designations:

Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 2.0 Web Applications (2 exams)
Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 2.0 Windows Applications (2 exams)
Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 2.0 Distributed Applications (2 exams)
Technology Specialist: SQL Server 2005 (1 exam)
Technology Specialist: BizTalk Server 2006 (1 exam)

The next level, the Professional series, includes two designations: Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) and Microsoft Certified Professional Developers (MCPD). These are job role designations, with exams that will prove the ability to deploy, build, design, optimize, and operate technologies related to that job role. You must first earn MCTS certification before you can earn one of these.

The MCITP has three path choices:

IT Professional: Database Developer (2 exams plus MCTS SQL Server)
IT Professional: Database Administrator (2 exams plus MCTS SQL Server)
IT Professional: Business Intelligence Developer (2 exams plus MCTS SQL Server)

There are three MCPD paths:

Professional Developer: Web Developer (1 exam plus 2 MCTS exams)
Professional Developer: Windows Developer (1 exam plus 2 MCTS exams)
Professional Developer: Enterprise Applications Developer (1 exam plus 4 MCTS exams)

The Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA) level, previously announced, is a very high level designation requiring at least 10 years experience in IT, with at least 3 as a working architect. This designation is not earned by passing traditional certification exams, but instead involves assessment by a board of examiners.

Right now, all current Microsoft certifications remain valid and will be honored and supported by Microsoft. Microsoft offers the following advice, based on your current certification status:

MCP: unaffected

MCSE, MCSA, MCDST: When Microsoft releases the next version of the Windows client and server products, the related credentials will follow the new structure. Upgrade paths to the new credentials will be made available. Until then, you do not need to do anything.

MCDBA: Your current certification remains valid. You will have the chance to upgrade to the new credentials starting with Microsoft SQL Server 2005. The corresponding designation will be MCITP: Database Administrator. The upgrade exam is slated for release in mid-2006.

MCAD, MCSD: Your current certification remains valid. You will have the chance to upgrade to the new credentials starting with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. MCADs on Visual Studio can upgrade to the new MCPD: Web Developer or MCPD: Windows Developer credential (1 exam). MCSDs on Visual Studio can upgrade to the new MCPD: Enterprise Applications Developer (two exams). These upgrade paths are expected to become available in mid-2006.

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