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Why choose a software engineering bootcamp?

Software engineering is a rewarding career that allows you to have a big, visible impact on a company and its customers. Think of the last website, app, or product you used–a team of software engineers developed it and continues to maintain and improve it.

Since their skills are so crucial to organizations’ success in the modern world, software engineers have never been more in demand. Every company, from small to multinational, builds software for its customers, and software engineers earn high salaries and report top-notch job satisfaction. Software engineers are constantly intellectually and creatively challenged and get to use some of the newest and most exciting tech on the market.

The Software Engineering Bootcamp with University of Maryland Global Campus will teach you job-ready programming skills, make you an expert on the most important software engineering apps and tools, and give you all the support you need to land your dream job.

Colt Steele, an award-winning instructor, will teach you JavaScript, Python, React, Node, and much more. You’ll apply everything you learn to realistic projects that allow you to practice skills you’ll need in the workplace. Before you graduate, you’ll choose a capstone project topic based on your selected technology stack and areas of interest that will allow you to demonstrate all your new skills to hiring managers.

While most students graduate in about nine months, our fully-digital course doesn’t dictate when or how often you study; so, if you decide to complete extra hours of coursework each week, you can finish sooner. Your 1-on-1 industry mentor will be at your side throughout the entire bootcamp, meeting with you on regular basis to provide feedback on your work, answer questions, and share insider tips on how to break into software engineering. 

Finally, we offer nine optional career units to ensure that you have everything you need to land a great software engineering position once you’ve graduated. These units teach you how to network, research job titles and companies, write top-notch resumes and cover letters, and interview. You’ll also have access to a full 60 hours of prep for technical interviews, so you will feel confident and ready to go once you begin whiteboard and coding interviews. 

Read on to see how the Software Engineering Bootcamp with University of Maryland Global Campus can help you break into software engineering. 

Software engineering careers in DMV

There are a variety of career paths and specializations you’ll be able to choose between once you begin your journey toward your new career in software engineering. As you work through the course modules, it will become clear which skills you excel in and what interests you the most. Here’s a few examples of job positions, including average annual salary, that bootcamp grads like you will be fully equipped to take on:

  • Software Engineer - $97,536

  • Front-End Developer - $68,352

  • Back-End Developer - $93,500

  • Full-Stack Developer - $102,656

  • Web Developer - $105,216

Annual Median Advertised Salary. Source: Lightcast; Oct 2022 - Sep 2023; 0-3 years minimum experience required.

Curriculum

In this bootcamp you'll complete projects similar to the work software engineers do daily. You’ll develop a strong portfolio that shows your ability to work end-to-end on a development project. Plus, you’ll learn to collaborate with generative AI and code smarter and faster with a new AI learning unit. Preview some of the curriculum units below:

NEW! AI for Engineers: Prompt Engineering

Since the arrival of OpenAI’s GPT-3, there has been an increased awareness of the crucial role prompts play in shaping language model outputs. In this unit, you’ll gain an understanding of how language models like GPT-3 and GPT-4 work through interactive exercises, videos, and quizzes.

  • Learn techniques and best practices for crafting effective prompts to achieve desired outcomes from language models like Chat-GPT

  • Leverage prompts to assist with the process of efficient coding

Front-end Development with JavaScript
  • Build reactive web applications with Javascript using the Document Object Model

  • Maintain and share your code with GitHub and the Command Line

  • Verify the accuracy and functionality of your programs with testing best practices

  • Study the ins and outs of Object-Oriented Programming, the most popular programming paradigm

  • Learn how the internet works through various protocols and APIs

  • Tackle two large scale projects

Back-end Development with Python and Flask
  • Generate live web apps using Python and the Flask microframework

  • Get up to speed on best practices for writing back-end Python code

  • Preserve data in databases with SQL and SQLAlchemy

  • Create database schemas

  • Add authentication, authorization, hashing, and log-in to your applications for security purposes

  • Deploy Flask applications with Heroku

  • Design a clone of Twitter

Back-end Development with Node.js
  • Use Node and Express for back-end development with JavaScript

  • Master testing best practices

  • Create routes with Express

  • Integrate PostgreSQL with your Express applications

  • Validate the data being sent to an API

  • Build a large-scale Node/Express application

Front-end Development with React.js
  • Grasp the ins and outs of React.js - an in-demand JavaScript library - including component design and state management

  • Validate your React applications

  • Create routes in React using the React Router library

  • Finish a large scale Node/Express application

  • Construct a custom project of your choice in React

Data Structures and Algorithms
  • Build apps with optimal runtimes using BigO notation 

  • Master the sorting and search algorithms you’re most likely to encounter in a job interview

  • Become an expert on data structures like stacks, queues, hash tables, trees, graphs, and more

Customized, real-world projects

Apply the skills you learn along the way to projects and construct a custom capstone project using the tech stack of your choice.

Capstone project

Show off everything you’ve learned in the bootcamp in this cumulative project. You’ll pick a language and framework of your choice and create a data-driven web app, completing ideation, API selection, database design, coding, polishing, and documentation phases along the way. 

Jobly

Build an app similar to Indeed in this project. Produce an API, create a data model for users and jobs, fashion the back and front end, and add authentication. Ultimately, you’ll have constructed a web app that connects job seekers with new roles.

Warbler - A Twitter Clone

Clone Twitter and expand its functionality in this project. You’ll need to read an unfamiliar codebase and extend functionality - something software engineers often need to do.

Hack-or-Snooze - A HackerNews Clone

Produce a clone of HackerNews in this project. Build out functionality that gives the user the power to add, favorite, and delete stories. You will also add in log-in and authentication.

Personalized student support

During the entire duration of the Software Engineering Bootcamp with University of Maryland Global Campus, you’ll have support from people who know your name, your passions, and your goals, including:

Your student advisor: Your advisor will be at your side from day one through graduation, and is always there to answer questions that come up. They’ll also match you with an expert software engineering mentor who is the best fit for your needs and interests. 

Regular 1-on-1 mentor: Through mentor calls, gain insider knowledge and career guidance, as well as feedback on your assignments and projects. 

An online community: Build a connection with your classmates and exchange feedback and ideas as you progress through the program.

Your career coach: Tackle your job hunt with an expert 1-on-1 career coach at your side and take advantage of our optional career units.

University of Maryland Global Campus

Learn with a 1-on-1 expert mentor

Refine your knowledge and skills with the help of your software engineering mentor, who already works in the industry.

  • Regularly 1:1 video calls: Fine tune your projects, address any obstacles, and discuss your professional goals. 

  • Accountability: Your mentor will keep you on track so you can achieve your learning goals. 

  • Dedicated mentor calls: Get additional 1:1 help from other cybersecurity expert mentors in our community, at no extra cost.

Earl Friedberg Headshot
Lahiru G.
Software Engineer
Jessica McElroy Headshot
Jessica McElroy
Software Engineer
Roy Zheng Headshot
Roy Zheng
Sr. Software Engineer
Eddy Sayar Headshot
Eddy Sayar
Software Engineer

The impact of mentorship

"Shannon's guidance extended beyond the confines of the bootcamp itself. She provided crucial advice on how to stand out to potential employers, ultimately facilitating my transition into the job of my dreams," - Aaron Mitchell, Technical Consultant at Intact Technology.

Read Aaron's full story

University of Maryland Global Campus

Is this software engineering bootcamp right for you?

Prior coding experience is not required for acceptance into our Software Engineering Bootcamp. 

  • If you are new to coding, you can enroll in the Foundations+Core version of the program, where you’ll equip yourself with the technical skills you need.

  • If you already have basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills, you can test directly into the more advanced Core version of the course.

FAQ

What is software engineering?

Software engineering is the application of a systematic, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software–essentially applying an engineer’s mindset to software. Every website or app that you have ever used was built and continues to be maintained by a software engineer. Software engineers can also create more complex software, like operating systems, but our course focuses primarily on the development of websites and apps.

Is software engineeering a good career in DC, Maryland, or Virginia?

Yes, software engineering is a lucrative and in-demand career in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area, with ample opportunities in the tech industry, government, and defense sectors. The region boasts a robust job market, competitive salaries, and a favorable quality of life for professionals in the software engineering field.

What does a software engineer do?

Software engineers design and test the code that makes up our digital world. Apps often consist of hundreds of files, and software engineers both create them and verify that they work correctly. Engineers also deploy code to a server and debug, maintain, and upgrade live apps.

Is software engineering hard?

All you need to master software engineering is a lot of determination. The complexity of software engineering can seem intimidating, but it also creates a plethora of opportunities for creative problem solving. Creating programs is usually simpler than debugging programs. Software engineering is a lifelong learning journey; even experienced software developers are always learning new things or surmounting new challenges.

Is software engineering in high demand?

Organizations have never needed software engineers more than they do today. Tech is advancing faster than companies can hire developers, and this trend is only going to continue. Once you equip yourself with the skills you need, you can expect a highly-paid career with outstanding job security.

What is the salary of a software engineer?

Software engineers are some of the highest-paid workers at every company. Entry-level developers can expect to earn $100K, with experienced engineers earning very high salaries, especially in tech hubs where competition for software engineers is high, such as New York or San Francisco.

How quickly can I become a software engineer?

Software engineers learn the trade in many different ways, but through this bootcamp, most students land jobs within 13 months of starting the course. Our course takes about nine months to complete, and then you can expect to do a few months of job hunting and interviewing before landing a job.

How do you become a software engineer?

A computer science degree isn’t required to become a software engineer. You just need to build coding skills in an in-demand language and develop a strong portfolio of real work that will show hiring managers what you can do.

What type of jobs can you do after a software engineering bootcamp?

As a University of Maryland Global Campus Software Engineering Bootcamp grad, you’ll have developed the skills necessary to obtain roles such as:

  • Web developer

  • Software engineer

  • Full-stack developer

  • Front-end developer

  • Back-end developer

More questions about the program?

Complete the “Apply Now” form to schedule a call with our Enrollment team, email Carolina, our Enrollment Advisor, who will help you think through the decision, or explore more frequently asked questions.

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