How to Become a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer

The Microsoft® Certified Professional Program provides a way for developers to prove their command of current Microsoft products and technologies—Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) certification. Microsoft Certified Solution Developers are qualified to design and develop custom business solutions using Microsoft development tools and technologies.

To become a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer, you must pass a series of rigorous certification exams that provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise. These exams are developed with the input of professionals in the industry and reflect how Microsoft products are used in organizations throughout the world. The exams are administered by an independent organization—Sylvan Prometric—at more than 600 Prometric Authorized Testing Centers around the world.

The Microsoft Roadmap to Education and Certification contains complete information about the Microsoft Certified Professional program, including specific core and elective exam requirements for the MCSD certification. (To obtain the Roadmap, see the "For More Information" section below.)

Certification Requirements
MCSD Exam Preparation
Exam Registration
Benefits of Becoming Certified
For More Information

Certification Requirements

Microsoft Certified Solution Developers are required to pass two core technology exams and two elective exams. The core technology exams require candidates to prove their understanding of Microsoft Windows® 32-bit architecture, OLE, UI design, and Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA) components. The elective exams require proof of expertise with Microsoft development tools. The requirements are outlined below.

* Additional elective exams will be made available on an ongoing basis.

Microsoft Official Curriculum for MCSD Exam Preparation

Microsoft Official Curriculum courses can help you gain the skills needed for certification. These courses are available through Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Centers (ATECs) in both instructor-led and self-paced formats. For referrals to ATECs, call (800) SOL-PROV. Outside the United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft office.

Exam Registration

Sylvan Prometric administers all Microsoft Certified Professional Exams. You must register with Sylvan prior to scheduling an exam. Exams may be taken at any of the more than 600 Prometric Authorized Testing Centers around the world.

Have the following information available when you register:

• Name
  
  
• Unique ID number. This is usually your Social Security or Social Insurance number. However, Sylvan will create and assign a Sylvan ID number for you if you prefer.
  
  
• Mailing address and phone number
  
  
• Organization or company name
  
  
• Number of the exam you plan to take
  
  
• Method of payment (credit card number or check)

Note   Payment is due before an examination will be scheduled.

To register for an exam in the United States or Canada, please call Sylvan Prometric at (800) 755-EXAM or (800) 755-3926. For locations outside the U.S. and Canada, consult the table below.

If your country/region is not listed above, call the Sylvan Regional Service Center nearest you, from the list below.

Benefits of Becoming a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer

As a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer, you receive the following benefits:

• Industry recognition of your knowledge and proficiency with Microsoft products and technologies.
  
  
• Access to technical information directly from Microsoft. Microsoft Certified Solution Developers receive a discount toward a one-year MSDN™ Library or Professional subscription in the U.S. and Canada (worldwide implementation to follow.) MSDN subscriptions provide valuable development resources via direct, CD-based delivery of technical information, tools, and technology. For more information on MSDN, the Microsoft Developer Network, go to http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/.
  
  
• Ten free Priority Development and Desktop incidents with Microsoft Product Support and a 25 percent discount on purchases of additional Priority Development and Desktop support incident 10-packs. You gain access to support for any Microsoft product, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. This provides the opportunity—when you need it—to resolve customer issues with the help of Microsoft’s Product Support Engineers.
  
  
• A one-year subscription to the Microsoft Beta Evaluation program. This benefit provides you with up to 12 free monthly CDs containing beta software (English-only) for many of Microsoft’s newest software products, allowing you to become familiar with new versions of Microsoft products before they are generally available. This benefit also includes access to a private CompuServe forum where you can exchange information with other program members and find information from Microsoft on current beta issues and product information.
  
  
• A free subscription to the Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine, a career and professional development magazine created especially for Microsoft Certified Professionals.
  
  
• Microsoft Certified Solution Developer logos and other materials to let you indicate your Microsoft Certified Solution Developer status to colleagues or clients.
  
  
• A dedicated CompuServe forum that allows Microsoft Certified Professionals to communicate directly with Microsoft and one another.
  
  
• A quarterly newsletter from the Microsoft Certified Professional program, keeping you informed of changes and advances in the program and exams.
  
  
• Invitations to Microsoft conferences, technical training sessions, and special events.

Note   Not all benefits are available worldwide. Please check with your local Microsoft office to confirm available benefits in your country/region.

For More Information

For additional information on how to become a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer, please call Microsoft at one of the numbers below and request a copy of the Microsoft Roadmap to Education and Certification.

The Microsoft Roadmap to Education and Certification can also be found on CompuServe in the Microsoft Education and Certification forum (GO MSEDCERT, Library #5) or via the Internet at Microsoft's FTP site, ftp.microsoft.com, in the \MSEdCert directory.

For Microsoft training and certification information on the Web, connect to http://www.microsoft.com/train_cert/default.htm.

For referrals to Microsoft Solution Provider Authorized Technical Education Centers, please call: