To climb on to the SharePoint 2013 expert-level certification ladder, Microsoft have reinvented certifications to maintain their market relevance as the industry shifts to the cloud. Hence the new certifications are now focused on solutions rather than products, whether on-premises or in the cloud. There are three new certifications for server technologies:

MCSA: Solutions Associate
MCSE: Solutions Expert (require recertification every three years)
MCSM: Solutions Master (MCSD, lab and knowledge exams not released yet)

A key difference from the old certifications is that the expert-level certifications do not include a product version number because they may cover multiple versions of a single technology and multiple technologies as part of the solution. However, the transcript will show the actual version number with the technology name!

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification-overview.aspx

Routes to SharePoint 2013 Certification – MCSE: SharePoint Solutions Expert
ROUTE 1: You are MCTS or new to the certification path

1. Current MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists) or individuals new to certification are required to earn MCSA: Windows Server 2012 Solutions Associate by passing three exams 70-410, 70-411, 70-412 covering installation, configuration and administering Windows Server 2012http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/mcsa-windows-server-certification.aspx

2. Furthermore, two SharePoint 2013 exams are required to earn MCSE SharePoint Solutions Expert certification:
Core Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 (Exam 70-331)
Advanced Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 (Exam 70-332)

ROUTE 2: You are MCITP

1. Take one exam to earn MCSA: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows Server 2012 (Exam 70-417)

2. Two SharePoint 2013 exams are required to earn MCSE SharePoint Solutions Expert certification:
Core Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 (Exam 70-331)
Advanced Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 (Exam 70-332)

In view of the two routes above, it may be an advantage if you are MCTS in SharePoint 2010 to take the exam to earn MCITP SharePoint 2010 Administrator thus shortening the gap (@tbillinghurst thanks Tom) to transition to SharePoint 2013 MCSE certification (until April 2013, when the MCITP: Server Administrator certification will be discontinued).

Happy Learning!
@techChirag

This post first appeared here: http://blog.pointbeyond.com/2013/01/10/getting-ready-for-sharepoint-2013-certification/