It seems there is constant news on the Microsoft certification front. Near the end of 2016, Microsoft shook up the entire MCP program with some amazing changes to how Azure certifications are integrated in the tracks, as well as the ability to renew MCSD and MCSE certifications annually with an elective exam. Now they are continuing to expand with new certification targeting the extremely popular realm of Machine Learning. The all new MCSA: Machine Learning certification is being added as an option to earn!
This exam is retired June 30, 2019.
What exams qualify?
With the new MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solution Associate) certification in Machine Learning there are 2 exam that are required to be passed to earn the certification. These exams cover Azure Machine Learning, and analyzing big data with Microsoft R.
Here’s the specific exams that are required:
- 70-773: Analyzing Big Data with Microsoft R
- 70-774: Perform Cloud Data Science with Azure Machine Learning
The MCSA: Machine Learning certification doesn’t have a large list of exams to choose from when earning it like some of the other certifications. This certification is more specific at the moment to center around Azure Machine Learning and Microsoft R.
From MCSA to MCSE Certification
Just like all the other MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solution Associate) certifications, the MCSA: Machine Learning also provides a foundational path to earning the bigger MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solution Expert) certification. There are multiple MCSE’s to choose from, each in a different specialization area. The MCSA: Machine Learning certification is a foundation on the path to earning the MCSE: Data Management & Analytics.
The way the path from MCSA to MCSE works is that you first earn an MCSA certification by passing the required exams. Then after earning the MCSA of your choice, you need to pick and pass an elective exam from the list of electives that count towards the eligible MCSE for that MCSA certification.
To simplify this, here’s the steps necessary to earn this MCSA and then upgrade to the bigger MCSE certification:
- Pass both the above mentioned certification exams (70-773 & 70-774) to earn the MCSA: Machine Learning
- Choose one of the MCSE: Data Management & Analytics elective exams, and pass it.
As you can see, if you take the MCSA: Machine Learning path to MCSE, you will be required to take and pass a total of 3 Microsoft certification exams. And, there are a number of elective exams for the MCSE: Data Management & Analytics certification.
Happy studying!
Update May 27, 2017: Microsoft announced that they’ve renamed the MCSA: Data Science certification to MCSA: Machine Learning.
About the Author
Chris Pietschmann
Chris Pietschmann is a Microsoft MVP, HashiCorp Ambassador, and Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) with 20+ years of experience designing and building Cloud & Enterprise systems. He has worked with companies of all sizes from startups to large enterprises. He has a passion for technology and sharing what he learns with others to help enable them to learn faster and be more productive.
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“This certification is more specific at the moment to center around Azure Machine Learning and Microsoft R.” Let’s hope they clear this mistake up quickly. R is for academics and Python is for the real world.