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    • Software Design

    Software Design Courses Online

    Learn software design for developing robust applications. Understand design patterns, object-oriented principles, and user-centered design.

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    Explore the Software Design Course Catalog

    • 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 Visualization, Code Review, Solution Architecture, Software Systems, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Java, Software Development

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.9K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Colorado System

      Secure Software Design

      Skills you'll gain: Database Design, Software Design, Application Security, Vulnerability Assessments, Unified Modeling Language, Unit Testing, Threat Modeling, Usability Testing, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Vulnerability Management, Databases, Software Architecture, Secure Coding, Software Design Patterns, Systems Design, Software Engineering, Software Development Tools, Software Development Life Cycle, Technical Design, Security Engineering

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      433 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • 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, Engineering Software, Software Design, Process Driven Development, Quality Assurance, Software Testing, Object Oriented Design, Functional Requirement, Data Modeling, Systems Design

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      471 reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Minnesota

      Software Development Lifecycle

      Skills you'll gain: User Story, Agile Software Development, Software Design Patterns, Design Thinking, Software Development Methodologies, Agile Methodology, Agile Project Management, Process Mapping, Software Engineering, Kanban Principles, Software Development Life Cycle, Application Security, Scrum (Software Development), Object Oriented Design, Software Architecture, Software Quality (SQA/SQC), Requirements Analysis, Application Deployment, Lean Methodologies, Lean Manufacturing

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      9.6K reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Alberta

      Design Patterns

      Skills you'll gain: Model View Controller, Software Design Patterns, Software Design, Unified Modeling Language, Object Oriented Design, Code Review, Software Architecture, Programming Principles, Maintainability, Java, Android Development, Software Development

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.3K reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • D

      Duke University

      Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals

      Skills you'll gain: Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Java, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Software Design, Data Structures, Debugging, Web Design and Development, Software Engineering, Cryptography, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Web Development, Programming Principles, Javascript, Encryption, Algorithms, Program Development, Web Applications, Front-End Web Development, Statistical Analysis, Computer Programming

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

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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      U

      University of Alberta

      Software Product Management

      Skills you'll gain: Requirements Analysis, Agile Software Development, Agile Methodology, Kanban Principles, Requirements Elicitation, Sprint Retrospectives, Requirements Management, Functional Requirement, Business Requirements, Sprint Planning, Software Development Methodologies, Project Risk Management, Software Development Life Cycle, Scrum (Software Development), Software Technical Review, Software Development, Product Management, Agile Project Management, User Story, Backlogs

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      11K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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      T

      The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

      Software Engineering: Software Design and Project Management

      Skills you'll gain: Software Design Patterns, Systems Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Quality Assurance, Engineering Software, Software Design, Process Driven Development, Quality Assurance, Software Engineering, Systems Development, Systems Analysis, Software Design Documents, Object Oriented Design, Systems Design, Maintainability, Systems Architecture, Unified Modeling Language

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      137 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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      Status: [object Object]
      AI skills
      I

      IBM

      IBM Full Stack Software Developer

      Skills you'll gain: Istio, Node.JS, Software Development Life Cycle, Unit Testing, Cloud Computing Architecture, Server Side, Application Deployment, Kubernetes, React Redux, Cloud Services, Django (Web Framework), Object-Relational Mapping, OpenShift, Git (Version Control System), Full-Stack Web Development, HTML and CSS, Cloud Computing, Jupyter, Generative AI, Interviewing Skills

      Build toward a degree

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      53K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Placeholder
      I

      IBM

      Introduction to Software Engineering

      Skills you'll gain: Software Development Life Cycle, Development Environment, Software Engineering, Software Architecture, Software Design, Programming Principles, Unified Modeling Language, Agile Methodology, Software Development, Scrum (Software Development), Web Development, Cloud Development, Integrated Development Environments, Application Development, Back-End Web Development, Front-End Web Development, Computer Programming, Python Programming

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.9K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Placeholder
      Status: [object Object]
      AI skills
      M

      Microsoft

      Microsoft UX Design

      Skills you'll gain: Storyboarding, User Research, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Design Thinking, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Persona (User Experience), Wireframing, Design Research, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Interaction Design, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Human Centered Design, Usability, User Interface (UI) Design, User Centered Design, Figma (Design Software), Design, Mockups

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      316 reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Placeholder
      U

      University of Alberta

      Object-Oriented Design

      Skills you'll gain: Object Oriented Design, Unified Modeling Language, Software Design, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Java, Maintainability, Software Architecture, Programming Principles, Android Development, Technical Design, Conceptual Design

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.3K reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    Software Design learners also search

    Software
    Software Development
    Software Engineering
    C
    Software Project Management
    Software Engineering Projects
    Development
    C Programming
    1234…688

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

    • Software Design and Architecture: University of Alberta
    • Secure Software Design: University of Colorado System
    • Software Engineering: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    • Software Development Lifecycle: University of Minnesota
    • Design Patterns: University of Alberta
    • Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals: Duke University
    • Software Product Management: University of Alberta
    • Software Engineering: Software Design and Project Management: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    • IBM Full Stack Software Developer: IBM
    • Introduction to Software Engineering: IBM

    Skills you can learn in Software Development

    Programming Language (34)
    Google (25)
    Computer Program (21)
    Software Testing (21)
    Web (19)
    Google Cloud Platform (18)
    Application Programming Interfaces (17)
    Data Structure (16)
    Problem Solving (14)
    Object-oriented Programming (13)
    Kubernetes (10)
    List & Label (10)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Software Design

    Software design is the process of creating a plan to guide the development of a software solution based on an assessment of user requirements determined through research and testing. It is a very important phase of the software development lifecycle, as software design provides the foundation for subsequent coding and implementation by programmers and software engineers.

    The software design process may encompass many aspects including planning for software architecture, design of user interfaces and other visual elements, and the selection of software design patterns and other components. Application security is another critical consideration for software design, and implementing secure practices as early as possible in the software development lifecycle can help ensure that the final product provides adequate protections for business and customer data.‎

    An understanding of software design principles can be a terrific asset for a career in software development, as it provides an overarching view of the entire software development lifecycle. In some ways, you can think of the software designer as the architect whose vision directs the work of a team of engineers and construction workers. According to Glassdoor, software designers in the U.S. earn an average annual salary of $92,046 - significantly more than software programmers, whose average salary according to Glassdoor is $76,526.‎

    Certainly. Taking online courses on Coursera has become an incredibly popular way for students from around the world to learn about a wide range of computer science topics, including software design. Top-ranked schools like the University of Alberta, the University of Colorado, and the University of Minnesota offer individual courses as well as Specializations spanning multiple courses covering software design and related topics such as application security and software design patterns. And, since you can view lessons and complete coursework on a flexible schedule, you can build these valuable, job-ready skills regardless of whether you’re a student or a mid-career professional looking to upgrade your skill set.‎

    The skills and experience you might want to acquire before starting to learn software design would include practical knowledge and work experience in all kinds of software development work, from websites to apps to network maintenance and more. You may already have skills or experience in designing, developing, and installing software for enterprise information systems via an internship or job role.‎

    Some of the common career paths for someone in software design might include starting out in junior roles in web design and development, and possibly moving into creative director roles for gaming systems (if on the creative side), or software analysis manager, if more geared to the operational side of the business. Software design workers could also possibly branch off into deeply analytical roles like computer science engineer, or information research scientist, depending on the company and industry.‎

    The kind of people best suited for roles in software design are computer science enthusiasts, who love programming and are excited about creating new software possibilities. These people are often creative, focused, and cerebral individuals who know programming languages such as Java, SQL, and Python. These languages are important to know as a software designer’s work may include developing software projects and programs for external clients or internal company usage. They might also write code, create charts and diagrams to represent the software, and may even supervise a team of programmers.‎

    Learning software design may be right for you if you love design challenges, love working with new software tools, and are interested in building a lucrative career in software design. You may be able to earn a good income in software design, as jobs for software developers are expected to rise by over 20% in the next decade, according to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you find passion in work that involves designing computer systems, projecting network capabilities, and determining performance interfaces, then learning software design may be a good step in the right direction.‎

    Online Software Design courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Software Design skills. Choose from a wide range of Software Design courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.‎

    When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Software Design, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

    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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