Software engineering courses can help you learn programming languages like Python and Java, software development methodologies, version control systems, and testing practices. You can build skills in code optimization, debugging, and collaborative project management. Many courses introduce tools such as Git for version control, Docker for containerization, and integrated development environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio Code, which enhance your ability to develop, test, and deploy software efficiently.

Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Software Design, Software Development Methodologies, Software Design Patterns, Development Environment, Unified Modeling Language, Software Engineering, Web Applications, Software Development Tools, Software Development, Application Deployment, Programming Principles, Front-End Web Development, Back-End Web Development, Python Programming
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Skills you'll gain: User Story, CI/CD, Software Development Life Cycle, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Continuous Integration, Istio, Linux Commands, Software Architecture, Cloud Computing Architecture, Application Deployment, Test Driven Development (TDD), Kubernetes, Gherkin (Scripting Language), Restful API, Git (Version Control System), DevOps, Grafana, Software Engineering, Data Import/Export, Application Development
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Skills you'll gain: Software Design Patterns, Requirements Analysis, Systems Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Acceptance Testing, Software Development Methodologies, Unified Modeling Language, Software Development Life Cycle, Configuration Management, Software Quality Assurance, Debugging, Software Design, Software Engineering, Software Testing, Object Oriented Design, Functional Requirement, Data Modeling, Systems Design, Project Management, Project Planning
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Duke University
Skills you'll gain: Java Programming, Software Design, Debugging, Software Engineering, Javascript, Computer Programming, Event-Driven Programming, Encryption, Algorithms, Image Analysis, Web Applications, Data Processing, Statistical Analysis, Data Import/Export, Predictive Modeling, Integrated Development Environments, Data Manipulation, Data Analysis, Web Servers, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Prompt Patterns, ChatGPT, Generative AI
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Linux Commands, Software Architecture, Bash (Scripting Language), Restful API, Shell Script, Git (Version Control System), GitHub, Flask (Web Framework), Software Design, Version Control, File Management, Application Deployment, Linux, Software Development Methodologies, Software Design Patterns, Data Import/Export, Programming Principles, Web Scraping, Python Programming
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

University of Alberta
Skills you'll gain: Software Architecture, Model View Controller, Unified Modeling Language, Object Oriented Design, Service Oriented Architecture, API Design, Systems Architecture, Web Services, Software Design Patterns, Software Design, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Microservices, Restful API, Software Design Documents, Software Visualization, Code Review, Solution Architecture, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Software Development, Java
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Microsoft
Skills you'll gain: CI/CD, GitHub, C# (Programming Language), HTML and CSS, Load Balancing, Continuous Integration, Git (Version Control System), Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Scalability, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Authentications, ASP.NET, Full-Stack Web Development, Web Development, Debugging, SQL, Application Deployment, Microsoft Copilot, .NET Framework, Graph Theory
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Software Development Life Cycle, Cloud-Native Computing, Istio, Software Architecture, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Cloud Computing Architecture, Application Deployment, React Redux, Node.JS, Responsive Web Design, Restful API, Django (Web Framework), Git (Version Control System), Server Side, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cloud Computing, Data Import/Export, Engineering Software
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Git (Version Control System), Software Development Methodologies, JUnit, Requirements Analysis, Version Control, Application Development, Software Development Life Cycle, SQL, Full-Stack Web Development, Test Driven Development (TDD), Software Development, Restful API, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Object Oriented Design, Database Management, MySQL, Digital Transformation, Relational Databases, Java Programming, Generative AI
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Vanderbilt University
Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, ChatGPT, Prompt Patterns, LLM Application, Productivity, OpenAI, Generative AI, Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Modeling, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Creative Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, Problem Solving
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Vanderbilt University
Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Anthropic Claude, Multimodal Prompts, Version Control, Generative AI Agents, Git (Version Control System), Generative AI, Software Quality Assurance, Software Development, Mockups, Test Automation, Software Documentation, Artificial Intelligence, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Automation, Software Testing, Software Design, Software Development Methodologies
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Browse the software engineering courses below—popular starting points on Coursera.
If you aim to become a software engineer or enhance your existing skills, understanding your goal is vital. Regular practice in coding, software design, and project management is crucial. Join online communities like Stack Overflow or LinkedIn groups for support and networking. Work on real projects like developing software or contributing to open-source projects. Coursera’s Software Engineering Specialization by University of Alberta provides a thorough grounding in software engineering principles and practices.
Yes. You can start learning software engineering on Coursera for free in two ways:
If you want to keep learning, earn a certificate in software engineering, or unlock full course access after the preview or trial, you can upgrade or apply for financial aid.
Take our quick quiz to find the software engineering course that fits your goals—whether you're building programming fundamentals, exploring system design, or working toward a full-time engineering role. Take the quiz to discover the best place to begin.
Software engineering courses on Coursera provide learners with essential skills for designing, developing, and managing software projects, including:
Coursera’s software engineering courses cater to learners with varying levels of programming experience:
Participating in software engineering courses on Coursera can lead to a variety of credentials that demonstrate your capabilities:
Proficiency in software engineering can open up numerous career paths within the technology sector, such as: