Coming soon: Windows Phone certification!
Windows Phone Overview
The Windows Phone Application Platform enables developers to create engaging consumer experiences. Windows Phone is built on existing Microsoft tools and technologies, such as Microsoft Visual Studio, Expression Blend, and Microsoft Silverlight. Developers familiar with these technologies and tools will be able to create new applications for Windows Phone without a steep learning curve. Industry forecasts indicate that Windows Phone will become the second most popular mobile operating system by 2015.
Read about Windows Phone predictions (pcworld.com)
View the MIX11 keynote covering Windows Phone
A new Microsoft Certified Professional Developer certification on Windows Phone is coming soon! This certification helps validate a candidate's knowledge and skills on designing and developing applications for the Windows Phone platform. Candidates can earn this MCPD by passing three exams: 70-506, 70-516, and 70-599. The last exam required for this certification is scheduled to release in mid-July.
Please note that while customers can begin earning the MCPD: Windows Phone Developer certification at any time by passing the exams below, the certification will not be visible on a candidate's transcript until September 2011.
Recertification Requirement
Windows Phone technology is updated frequently. As a result, the skills required to be a successful Windows Phone developer will evolve rapidly. To ensure that developers who hold the MCPD: Windows Phone Developer certification keep pace with the evolution of Windows Phone skills, they will be required to recertify every two years in order to demonstrate continued competence as the skills needed to develop applications on Windows Phone change. Through recertification, we can maintain the value of the certification as the technology changes over time. More information about this recertification requirement will be provided at a later date.
Training Materials and Learning Plans
Some great resources are available to help developers get started on the Windows Phone platform:
- Windows Phone Training Course
- Windows Phone Jump Start video
- Windows Phone Virtual Labs
- XNA Framework 4.0 for Windows Phones (MSDN)
- The Silverlight and XNA Frameworks for Windows Phone (MSDN)
See the table below for information about training materials and learning plans that map to these exams.
Exam |
Classroom training |
Microsoft Press books |
Learning Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
Exam 70-516 TS: Accessing Data with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
10265A: Developing Data Access Solutions with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 |
MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-516): Accessing Data with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
|
Exam 70-506 TS: Silverlight 4, Development |
10553A: Fundamentals of XAML and Expression Blend1 10554A: Developing Rich Internet Applications using Microsoft Silverlight 42 |
Not available |
|
Exam 70-599 PRO: Designing and Developing Windows Phone Applications3 |
Not available |
Not available |
1Releases July 2011
2Releases August 2011
3Note that candidates who earn the MCPD: Windows Phone Developer certification will be required to show continued competence in this technology area by completing a recertification exam every two years.