One of the fastest growing professions is software development. This growth is happening on a national and global scale, which is a reflection of our growing reliance on technology and the services that keep it intact. Within the United States, job openings for this role have opened most frequently in Texas, New York, Virginia, Illinois, and Florida.
In New York alone, there has been a 20% annual growth of software development. This is no surprise when considering the vast amount of industries that this job serves, including auto, finance, medicine, architecture, and many more.Â
Getting an MS in Software Development
Thanks to both this job growth and the development of multiple pathways to receive an education, becoming a software developer has never been easier. It used to be table stakes for a budding developer to have to earn a Bachelor’s or MS in software development degree from an accredited university. Now, there are certification programs appearing that are able to equip their students with skills that are equivalent to a professional with two to three years of experience, in as little as 10 months. These programs are also cheaper than a traditional degree, with costs that are able to be offset with aid from FASFA.Â
Conclusion
Most of these programs are able to cram so much learning into a condensed timeframe because they place a huge emphasis on developing hands-on experience with the skills they are building, rather than only learning from a textbook or a lecture. Students are required to build out a project portfolio that showcases their talents to future employers.
There is also a lot of dedicated time to open a lab, where for about 40% of the program’s duration, professors and peers provide hands-on mentorship to students. There are two main curriculum tracks that students can focus on during the program: real time software development and full stack development.Â
Source: YU Global
