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  • Software Engineering

Software Engineering Courses

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.


Popular Software Engineering Courses and Certifications


  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    I

    IBM

    Introduction to Software Engineering

    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

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    4.3K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    Status: AI skills
    AI skills
    I

    IBM

    IBM DevOps and Software Engineering

    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

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    63K reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    T

    The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

    Software Engineering

    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

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    584 reviews

    Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    D

    Duke University

    Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals

    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)

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    22K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    I

    IBM

    Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics

    Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Prompt Patterns, ChatGPT, Generative AI

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
    ·
    7.5K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    I

    IBM

    Applied Software Engineering Fundamentals

    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

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    50K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

What brings you to Coursera today?

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Alberta

    Software Design and Architecture

    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

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    4K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    M

    Microsoft

    Microsoft Full-Stack Developer

    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

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    317 reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    Status: AI skills
    AI skills
    I

    IBM

    IBM Full Stack Software Developer

    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

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    59K reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    Status: AI skills
    AI skills
    A

    Amazon

    Amazon Junior Software Developer

    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

    4.4
    Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
    ·
    482 reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    V

    Vanderbilt University

    Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT

    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

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
    ·
    7.2K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    V

    Vanderbilt University

    Claude Code: Software Engineering with Generative AI Agents

    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

    4.9
    Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
    ·
    64 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Searches related to software engineering

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1234…834

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular software engineering courses

  • Introduction to Software Engineering: IBM
  • IBM DevOps and Software Engineering: IBM
  • Software Engineering: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals: Duke University
  • Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics: IBM
  • Applied Software Engineering Fundamentals: IBM
  • Software Design and Architecture: University of Alberta
  • Microsoft Full-Stack Developer: Microsoft
  • IBM Full Stack Software Developer: IBM
  • Amazon Junior Software Developer: Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions about Software Engineering

Browse the software engineering courses below—popular starting points on Coursera.

  • Introduction to Software Engineering: IBM
  • Software Engineering: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • IBM DevOps and Software Engineering: IBM
  • Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals: Duke University
  • Claude Code: Software Engineering with Generative AI Agents: Vanderbilt University‎

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:

  • Preview the first module of many software engineering courses at no cost. This includes video lessons, readings, graded assignments, and Coursera Coach (where available).
  • Start a 7-day free trial for Specializations or Coursera Plus. This gives you full access to all course content across eligible programs within the timeframe of your trial.

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:

  • Fundamental principles of software development and engineering
  • Best practices in writing clean, maintainable code
  • Techniques for software design and architecture, including UML and design patterns
  • Agile and DevOps methodologies for efficient project management
  • Testing and quality assurance practices to ensure software reliability
  • Understanding and implementing software security measures
  • Tools and technologies used for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD)‎

Coursera’s software engineering courses cater to learners with varying levels of programming experience:

  • Beginners: No prior programming experience is necessary for introductory courses that teach the basics of software engineering concepts.
  • Intermediate Learners: Those with some programming background will benefit from courses that expand on software development methodologies and advanced design techniques.
  • Advanced Professionals: Experienced programmers can deepen their expertise with specialized courses in areas such as system architecture, security, and agile methodologies.‎

Participating in software engineering courses on Coursera can lead to a variety of credentials that demonstrate your capabilities:

  • Course Certificates: Earn a certificate for each software engineering course you complete, showcasing your skills in specific areas of the software development lifecycle.
  • Professional Certificates: These are designed to prepare you for professional roles in the software industry by consolidating knowledge across multiple related courses.
  • Specializations: Dive into specific facets of software engineering with a series of related courses that culminate in a capstone project, providing hands-on experience.‎

Proficiency in software engineering can open up numerous career paths within the technology sector, such as:

  • Software Developer: Building and maintaining software applications.
  • Systems Architect: Designing robust software solutions that meet business needs.
  • Quality Assurance Engineer: Ensuring the quality and reliability of software through rigorous testing.
  • DevOps Engineer: Bridging the gap between software development and operations in project cycles.
  • Technical Project Manager: Overseeing software projects from conception to deployment, ensuring they meet deadlines and budgets.‎
This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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