Software engineers are in high demand. Nearly every company today is a tech company, with needs for skilled developers. Having software engineering skills will allow you to choose your own career path and maybe even go independent. With the assistance of our professional development center and staff, we'll help to make sure you are SET for Success.
Build on your basic computer programming knowledge to learn the best practices of software development and design while learning to implement these practices as software engineers. Over the course of a year, students learn the core concepts of computer science, spanning from fundamental data structures and algorithms, to software engineering, to object-oriented and systems programming through lectures and hands-on labs. Guest speakers from industry share experience and real-world perspective. The program concludes with a project-based capstone course emphasizing team-oriented full stack development.
Learning format
All courses are offered online on Saturdays (and available for review after class sessions). Students, classmates, and instructors interact online at set times for office hours, mentoring, and relationship/team-building.
Who should apply
The ideal SDE certificate candidate:
- has a bachelor’s degree, not in computer science
- has basic computer programming knowledge
- is looking to further extend their programming and software development skills
Career and networking resources
In addition to a rigorous curriculum in programming and software development, this certificate program provides career and networking resources.
- Career counseling
- Resume review sessions
- Job postings
- Networking opportunities
- Panel discussions
- Access to exclusive SET recruiting and networking events such as brown bags and presentations
How to apply
Visit the UW Grad School Application and select "Create a Profile" to begin the application process:
- Complete the corresponding applicant profile form, and continue to the Graduate School Application.
- In “Step 1” of the Application, choose "Graduate Non-Matriculated."
- In “Step 2” of the Application, choose "Computer Science & Systems - Tacoma (MS in Computer Science & Systems)" as the program.
Information Sessions
| Date/Time | Location |
|---|---|
|
Wednesday, May 25 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. PST |
Virtually via Zoom |
|
Tuesday, June 21 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. PST |
Virtually via Zoom |
Quick info
Contact usTo learn more about the certificate, including prerequisites and how to apply, please make an appointment with our graduate advisor. |
Testimonial from a former GC-SDE student
Rick Morrow was ready for a change.
“I kind of dabbled in coding most of my life, but didn’t have any formal credential. When COVID started, I decided it was a good time to make a career switch.
“I had done coding boot-camp things, but I wasn’t getting much traction with interviews. I decided I needed to do something more serious. I wanted a university program, but with a focus on enabling my career transition.
“The Graduate Certificate in Software Development Engineering from the UW Tacoma School of Engineering & Technology ended up being ideal for me. It’s a six-course program that takes a year. It’s optimized for working professionals. Classes meet on Saturdays.
“Even though my classes were remote because of the pandemic, we met in real time. I felt this was a key strength. The communal aspect of collaborating in teams and having a cohort of peers was one of the things I liked most. We all felt vested in each other’s success.
“For me, the student collaboration and community of alumni I am now a part of is as important as the course material. Having folks there that I can go through the material with, that I can talk about ideas with – that’s always been 90% of education for me.
“The program is structured around assignments, group projects and tests. The group projects really stood out for me. We were using all the tools that you would use in the workplace, and having to collaborate with people who might think a little bit differently than me about how to build something.
“The program also covers CS fundamentals, like algorithms, data structures and design patterns. None of the boot-camp experiences I had earlier gave that kind of coverage. With those fundamentals, I have a much better understanding of what I might build and why I might build it that way.”
Rick leveraged his SDE graduate certificate into a new full-time position with an e-commerce provider. And, armed with the certificate, he decided to continue his education at UW Tacoma – he is now doing coursework in the Computer Science & Systems master of science degree program.