Microsoft’s exam 70-316, “Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual C# .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET� is a core requirement for the MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solution Developer) for Microsoft .NET certification and is a core or elective requirement for the MCAD (Microsoft Certified Application Developer) for Microsoft .NET certification. It is designed for candidates who “work on a team in a medium or large development environment that uses Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, Enterprise Developer Edition.� There is no specific prerequisite for this exam but Microsoft recommends that candidates have “at least one year of experience developing Windows-based applications� and have “a working knowledge of Microsoft Visual C# .NET.�

Exam 70-316 is also an elective for this other certification: MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) on SQL Server 2000.

This exam is moderately difficult and costs $125 USD. It may be taken from Pearson Vue or Thomson Prometric.

At one time this exam provided no pass score other than Pass/Fail, but this is subject to change. “Beginning with the release of the Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003•related exams, Microsoft will provide numerical scores on exams. By the end of September 2003, most exams will have the new score report format, which includes this numerical score... The new scale requires a minimum passing score of 700 on all exams. The maximum score on the exams will vary depending on the complexity of the skills being measured.� - Microsoft Exam and Testing Procedures FAQ

Note that Microsoft does not document the format of a particular exam: “Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented.� In the past, though, this exam was form-based multiple choice with around 58 questions.

The topics covered by this exam include:

• Creating User Services
• Creating and Managing Components and .NET Assemblies
• Consuming and Manipulating Data
• Testing and Debugging
• Deploying a Windows-based Application
• Maintaining and Supporting a Windows-based Application
• Configuring and Securing a Windows-based Application