Software Engineering and Quality
Putting quality first
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certificate Description
Learn QA methodologies. Build a strong SQA team. Save on costs.
Software errors cost companies millions of dollars. The longer it takes to discover bugs, the more costly the corrective action. When you study quality assurance in the UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Software Engineering and Quality certificate program, you learn to methodically and thoroughly test and manage software projects. You learn to minimize defects early in the life cycle and influence product development to improve the customer experience.
Our rigorous approach to quality assurance complements the latest and established practices in software engineering and user experience design with proven techniques in software testing.
Three QA tracks
We offer three tracks of study to help you prepare for your next software quality assurance job.
Software Engineering
A focus on software architecture, software system design, and modeling
Quality and Testing
A study of software test automation and quality assurance methods
User Experience Design
The practices and methods required to create successful user experience for software across various platforms
Software Engineering and Quality certificate program objectives
- Demonstrate competence in the software development lifecycle, from requirements to release
- Design and model software systems using object orientation
- Develop test plans and quality assurance strategies that minimize defects in software systems
- Apply accepted software development techniques, such as Agile, in planning a software system’s development
- Design clean and consistent user interfaces
Our Students
The students in our Software Engineering and Quality certificate program include:
- Software developers who want to build a foundation in software engineering, architecture, and developmental process.
- Software QA and test professionals seeking adaptive SQA and testing knowledge and skills.
- Software project leaders and managers overseeing their team’s on-time delivery of high-quality products.
Recent online events
How to get a job in software
Pick up some great tips for your job search and career advancement from two instructors in our Software Engineering Quality certificate program. (May 2023)
Program Overview
Estimated Cost: Starts at $4,625. (You pay only for courses you enroll in.) | International Tuition Cost
Program Requirements: 5–7 courses (minimum 14 quarter units). Take 3 core courses (6.5 units) and 3–4 electives (minimum 7.5–9 quarter units). End with certificate of completion review.
Minimum Hours of Instruction: Minimum 140 hours of instruction.
Estimated Duration: A full-time student can complete the certificate in 9–12 months.
Special Programs:
Courses
1. Required Course(s):
2. Electives: Software Engineering [Only 1 'Data Structures and Algorithms' course may be applied towards the certificate
3. Electives: Quality and Testing
4. Electives: User Experience Design
5. Completion Review:
Meet Our Instructors
Certificate Inquiry Form
Recommended Course Sequence
Flexible course sequence
Courses may be taken in any order provided the prerequisites are met.
Substitutions
Shared credits
Some Engineering and Technology courses may be listed in more than one program. However, only one course may be shared between two E&T certificate programs unless otherwise noted.
To receive your certificate
Advisory Board
Certificate Program Chair
ALKA JARVIS, M.B.A., a Distinguished Quality Engineer/senior director at Cisco Systems. She has authored 10 books and is an Exemplar Global certified auditor. Jarvis served as the chair for nine years for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group, which develops ISO 9001 series of standards. She has taught at local universities for more than 22 years and is a recipient of Silicon Valley’s Corporate Woman of the Year Award.
Requisite Knowledge
Please review the course descriptions to ensure that you have taken necessary prerequisites or meet the requirements through job experience or previous education.
Required. Experience with a programming language is required as well as a degree in computer science or engineering or equivalent experience in software development, testing, QA, or project management.
Establish Candidacy
Who should establish candidacy?
- People who are pursuing a certificate (and have enrolled in a course in the program).
- People who want to lock in the current requirements of a certificate or specialization.
4 Simple Steps to a Certificate or Specialization
- Complete a course in your selected program.
- Establish candidacy. Click on the Establish Candidacy button on your program page.
- Take all required courses for certificate completion.
- Once your grades are posted on your final course, enroll in the certificate review fee.
A Benefit of Establishing Candidacy
Program requirements may change. Once you commit to a program by establish your candidacy, you will not have to change your plans to meet new requirements. They are locked in for you. Timeline: 4 years to get it done (or 3 for a specialization) You must complete all the necessary units in a certificate within a four-year window. The clock begins on the first day of your first course in the certificate program. For example, if you started a course on Sept. 5, 2023, you would have to finish by Sept. 4, 2027.
Note: Establishing candidacy does not trigger the beginning of the four-year window. It begins the first day of the first course in your chosen certificate program. The Certificate Completion Review process does not have to occur within the four-year timeframe.
Exceptions to the four-year requirement
- If you Established candidacy prior to Jan. 1, 2024, you will have five years to complete a program.
- Students participating in a special program, such as workforce, international, or our curriculum partner programs, such as the Legal Studies courses (CLS by Barbri) and sales and business courses (Ziplines Education) have shorter completion requirements.
Grade Requirements
Please note that only letter grades of C or higher may be applied to a certificate, and in some programs, students may have more stringent requirements. Students in most employer- and government-sponsored payment programs, such as workforce development, as well as international students on F-1 visas, need to maintain a B average to meet their requirements. Personal Financial Planning students have additional grade requirements for individual courses to attain a certificate.
See Grading and Credits Policy for further information.