MCSD question

OspreyO · 26 Mar 2007 at 12:16

Has the MCSD changed? I thought it was four exams as per this

http://mcpmag.com/certbasics/cert.asp?cert=233

But on the MS site it now looks like 5?

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsd/requirementsdotnet.mspx

Has Core Exam: Solution Architecture been added?

Mr^B · 26 Mar 2007 at 12:49

The first one is MCAD, not MCSD.

OspreyO · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:05

Mr^B said:
The first one is MCAD, not MCSD.

Ah....Not much difference is there.

Mr^B · 27 Mar 2007 at 09:51

You only need 3 exams for MCAD, 5 for MCSD.

The main different exam being the "Analysing and defining solution requirements", which is nasty. Also you need to be cross-discipline for MCSD, both Web and Windows knowledge is tested (although there is a degree of overlap between them, with regards to things like ADO.Net).

davetherave2 · 27 Mar 2007 at 13:44

You may also want to look into getting the MCTS as these seem to be the next step in the MCAD/MCSD program. If memory serves me it's just one more exam to convert MCAD/MCSD to the MCTS

I'm currently studying for MCAD and then plan to upgrade it to the MCTS.

Although I don't think I will be taking the exams for this for at least another 12 months when I am more confident with the fundementals of c# and program methodologies.

pinkaardvark · 28 Mar 2007 at 16:55

MCSD is end of line and has been replaced with the MCTS certs and The MCPD level cert.

From the programming side of things you'll want to start by sitting the .net 2.0 foundation exam. Then pick either web,win or distributed exams to achieve an MCTS level cert in that flavour, then sit either the web, win or distributed PRO exams to gain an MCPD in that flavour.

so for an MCPD in windows .net 2.0 you sit 3 exams

The top level cert is the MCPD enterprise which requires the foundation exam, all 3 MCTS level 2 exams and the Enterprise PRO exam. So all in all 5 exams.

Note there is no PRO distributed exam

You can also get an MCTS level cert with a single exam pass in some of the non .NET related subject like SQL,Mobile 5.0 etc

There are also no language oriented exams anymore as you now get the choice of the code sample language format at the start of the exam.

I have an old track MCSD and have got 3 exam passes in the new MCTS track so can answer any questions if needed.

Mr^B · 28 Mar 2007 at 17:17

Hi,

Did you do the upgrade exams (MCSD -> MCTS/MCPD) or did you do the "normal" exams.

The reason I ask is that exam resources for the upgrade exams seems to be extremely limited - and you're stuck with the self-paced training guides for the "normal" exams (which may not be a bad thing) - but I would prefer to have something a bit more "directed" for the exams, rather than studying a lot of extraneous material that isn't going to appear in the exams.

If you did do the upgrade exams, how did you find the studying going, what resources did you find?

TIA!

pinkaardvark · 28 Mar 2007 at 20:11

Sorry I didn't as my MCSD was done under the VB6 track and not the .net 1.0 track so there was no current upgrade route.

As for studying well I have passed 10 mcp exams so far and I typically buy the MSPress book and study that for a week or so and then sit exam. I find MSDN a great resource also, ie MS always focuses on the latest features in these exams so all the .NET 2.0 ones will have a lot of questions specifically about what's new in .net 2.0 so reading up on the what's new articles is a great start

NB: I had been using VB3 through 6 for years before sitting the exams, and have been writing code in .NET for 5 years prior to doing an exam in it so my study methods usually involve just covering stuff I don't routinely do in my job and I find the books a useful framework for that, but sometimes the books can miss/gloss over key areas so backup MSDN study is worthwhile.