Does your Microsoft MCSA Certification Counts Towards the MCSE?

The Microsoft MCSA certification is the mid level cert, the MCSE is the advanced cert.

Some of the exams overlap in these two certs, so some of the exams you have done in your MCSA you won't have to redo for your MCSE. Check the table below.

MCSA 2003
Core Networking exam	70-290	70-291
Core Client exam	70-270
Elective exam	Choose from a number of electives. If you have an A+ and Network+, this counts as the elective or choose another as listed on the Microsoft site.

MCSE 2003
Core Networking exam	70-290	70-291	70-293	70-294
Core Client exam	70-620	70-270	(you choose one of these)
Core Design exam	70-297	70-298	(you choose one of these)
Elective exam	if you have the security+ cert, this counts as the elective or you choose another one as listed on the Microsoft site.

If for the MCSA you choose an elective that is also applicable to MCSE, you won't need to do an elective then for the latter. So in essence, the MCSA doesn't really 'count' towards your MCSE. You don't need to do one first to do the other. You can go straight to the MCSA or straight to the MCSE. It's just that many exams overlap from one to the other so it's great to get both certs under your belt and onto your resume.