Five new Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) and Developer (MCSD) specialties are being released. These credentials are aligned to Centers of Excellence, used by the Microsoft Partner Network to identify technical competencies that are widely recognizable by both Microsoft partners and customers.
The five new expert certifications are:
- MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure - focusing on skills validation for Windows Server and Microsoft Azure
- MCSE: Mobility - focusing on skills validation for Windows Client and Enterprise Mobility Suite
- MCSE: Data Management and Analysis - focusing on skills validation for both on-premises and cloud-based Microsoft data products and services
- MCSE: Productivity - focusing on skills validation for Office 365, SharePoint, Exchange, and Skype for Business
- MCSD: App Builder - focusing on skills validation for Web and Mobile app development
To earn each of these credentials, you must first earn a qualifying Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification and, then, pass a single additional exam from a list of electives associated with the corresponding Center of Excellence.
The resulting MCSE or MCSD certification will be added to your transcript and will never expire. Instead, the achievement date will signify your investment in continuing education on the technology. Every year, you will have the opportunity to re-earn the certification by passing an additional exam from the list of electives, demonstrating your investment in broadening or deepening your skills in a given Center of Excellence. Each time you earn the certification, a new certification entry will be added to your transcript. This process will replace the existing recertification requirement of taking a specific recertification exam every 2 years (MCSD) or 3 years (MCSE) in order to prevent your certification from going inactive.
Details on the exams required to earn each of the new MCSE and MCSD certifications can be found on the corresponding web pages and will be subjects of a series of additional BornToLearn blog posts over the next few months. You will find that many currently available MCP exams will map to one or more new expert-level certifications.
These certification changes apply only to MCSE and MCSD certifications. You will continue to earn and upgrade MCSA certifications as you do currently.
Transitioning to the New MCSE/MCSD Certifications
On the evening of 26-September, the new MCSE and MCSD certifications will be released and your MCP transcripts will be reevaluated. To recognize your efforts in keeping your existing certifications up-to-date, those individuals who currently hold active MCSE or MCSD certifications from the following list will earn the corresponding new MCSE or MCSD certifications for 2016 without having to take any additional exams.
- MCSE: Server Infrastructure
- MCSE: Private Cloud
- MCSE: Data Platform
- MCSE: Business Intelligence
- MCSE: Enterprise Devices and Apps
- MCSE: SharePoint
- MCSE: Communication
- MCSE: Messaging
- MCSD: Universal Windows Platform
- MCSD: Web Applications
- MCSD: SharePoint Applications
In addition, all individuals who have passed a qualifying elective exam since January 1, 2016 will be granted the corresponding new MCSE or MCSD certifications for 2016 without the need to take additional exams, if they have met all exam requirements.
From now through Dec 31, 2016, Individuals with inactive MCSE or MCSD certifications have the choice of taking a recertification exam or a new exam from the list of electives associated with the corresponding Center of Excellence to earn the new certification.
As the final part of the transition process, all existing MCSE and MCSD certifications (listed below) will be retired on March 31, 2017:
- MCSE: Server Infrastructure
- MCSE: Private Cloud
- MCSE: Data Platform
- MCSE: Business Intelligence
- MCSE: Enterprise Devices and Apps
- MCSE: SharePoint
- MCSE: Communication
- MCSE: Messaging
- MCSD: Application Lifecycle Management
- MCSD: Universal Windows Platform
- MCSD: Azure Solutions Architect
- MCSD: Web Applications
- MCSD: SharePoint Applications
After that date, these certifications will no longer be attainable but, if already earned, will remain on your transcript in either Active or Inactive state until retirement of the corresponding technologies, at which point the certifications will be moved to the Legacy section of your transcript.
