Types Of Software Development Degrees

Choosing a career is hard enough, but when you consider that every field of study has multiple subdivisions and specialization opportunities, it makes this choice even harder. The only way for you to choose a career path that is best suited for you is to make an informed decision. That is what this article serves to do.

If you are hoping to pursue a career in computer science and if technology and the digital space are what fascinates you most, then perhaps the study of software engineering or development is best suited for you. But even in this field, there are multiple career options and subfields for you to pursue.

There are several types of software development degrees that you can pursue including a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. But even beyond that, there are subdisciplines that you can pursue within software development such as Programming, web development, software application development, and project management to name a few.

Now, knowing that all these degree options and possible career paths exist might make you more confused than provide you with a viable path to pursue. But let us delve deeper into each type of degree and what you could do with each.

Different Degrees In Software Development

The first type of degree that you can pursue in software development or software engineering is a bachelor's degree. It is the most common academic option for those seeking to pursue a career in software development, and it is also the most common degree in the traditional sense of the word.

From tools to skills, a bachelor's degree serves as the foundational concept that is probably required by most organizations as a qualification. This program takes four years to complete and can be done under a science degree or a computer science degree program.

Once you have a bachelor's degree in hand, you may consider pursuing a master's degree in software engineering. While not a requirement for most organizations, master's degree programs provide you with greater and deeper insights into software development and give you the opportunity to pursue specializations in the field.

With this advanced degree, you will uncover coding and digital programming techniques that may not have been easily accessible at a bachelor's degree level. A master's degree also better equips you with the real-life application of the theoretical skills you will acquire from your qualification.

From project management to quality assurance, metrics, and verification, a master's degree will allow you to gain an understanding of each aspect of software development.

However, it may be interesting to know that a traditional degree in the form of a bachelor's or master's degree isn't always necessary to pursue a career in software development. You may consider a software engineering boot camp which is a fast-paced career orientated program that allows you to learn and work at the same time.

These boot camps give you access to career opportunities as well as mentorship opportunities and community support. This means that your chances of finding employment are made easier through networking opportunities.

If none of these options tickle your fancy, you may consider pursuing a certificate in software engineering and this can be done through online study offered by a variety of institutes. This also means that you can focus on a specific aspect of software development and the courses are much shorter, meaning your access to employment is expedited.

Types Of Fields In Software Development

Software development

Pursuing the field of software development will allow you to develop and establish applications, and computer and device software, and it will allow you to work with others in the industry to develop updates and contribute to advancements within software development.

Web Design And Development

We all know that we cannot access any website that hasn't been properly developed. Websites are also not just a source of information. While you can access knowledge, you can also make purchases from sites, you can conduct live processes such as live and real-time calculations, and much more.

Studying web design and development means that you will be able to not only design and structure websites, but also maintain them.

Information Security

Within the business industry, many companies and organizations deal with a lot of internal and client data, and most often, this data is extremely sensitive and usually exists in the digital space. This means that companies and organizations will hire information security specialists to protect their data from possible hacks and data thefts.

Software And Systems Architect

While this career has a nice ring to it, people in this role will have the responsibility of building software processes from the ground up. This means that you will do front-end, back-end, and full-stack developments and you will do the maintenance of the software development you make. This is a very sought-after skill that many people look for in their companies and organizations.

Which Degree To Pursue

The degree and path that you would choose to pursue will ultimately depend on what you are hoping to do for your career. You would need to have the correct expertise to carry out some operations and functions in software development and this will largely impact what you choose to specialize in.

Ultimately, this comes down to your personal preferences and what career you are hoping to pursue.

What Skills Do Software Developers Need?

Granted, you will be taught a number of skills when you pursue a qualification in software development, but you would need to have a natural inclination toward problem-solving, a unique combination of analytical and creative skills, design, manufacturing, and a working knowledge of software development. Naturally, you would also need to have a strong inclination toward computers and working with computers.

FAQs

What Are The Salary Expectations For Software Developers?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers earn a median annual salary of $109,020.

What Is The Job Outlook For Software Developers?

The BLS states that software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers can expect to see an overall employment growth of 25% over the next decade.

What Is The Work Schedule For A Software Developer?

The BLS states that in most cases, software developers work full-time roles.

Conclusion

With a plethora of career options to choose from, you may find yourself spoilt for choice and not know what career in software development to pursue. At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference and the career you are hoping to follow.