Male student working on laptop at home

Software Development Online Associate Degree Program

can be completed in as little as

7 terms*

*2 terms per semester; each term is 7 weeks

Tuition

$335/credit

$1,005 3-credit course

Active Duty Military

truED Preferred Tuition

Credit Hours Required

60

 

Summer Term 1 Application Deadline

April 25

Upcoming Start Dates

Summer 1: May 6

Summer 2: July 1

Explore Software Development

Software development is an in-demand and high-paying field, and is an ideal career path for driven individuals with technical aptitude. Champlain's online software development associate degree is designed to build upon your existing technical skillset and provide you with a solid foundation of knowledge to confidently move forward in the world of software development.

 

Build Your Career Future

Through a software development online degree program that emphasizes hands-on learning putting theory into practice, and working with cutting-edge technologies, you'll gain critical technical skills (including knowledge of 8+ key applications, platforms, and programming languages, listed below) in addition to valuable soft skills such as communication and leadership that will help you stand out as a well-rounded software development professional.

This software development degree online program is ideal for those looking to enter the software development field, or for those who have found themselves in a related role and are looking for formal training and knowledge.  Plus, the software development associate degree offers a solid stepping stone toward a full bachelor's degree in software development for those who are returning to school after time away, or embarking on their first degree.

Fast Start Formula Career Offerings

Increasing the career mobility of our students is at the center of everything we do. As an associate degree student, you get free access to Fast Start Formula Career Bundle for getting noticed and getting hired, taught by Jen Morris, a leading executive career coach that partners with us to support our students in their job search journeys. 

Take the next step

Academic Excellence and Recognition

US News & World Report Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs

Champlain College Online is consistently ranked among the best online programs by US News & World Report

Ranked amount the most affordable online software engineering bachelor's degrees

Ranked among the Most Affordable Software Engineering programs

Ranked amount the best online software engineering bachelor's degrees

Ranked among the Best Online Colleges for Value for Software Engineering Bachelor's Degree programs

Intelligent.com ranks Champlain College Online among best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees

Ranked among the best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees by Intelligent.com

Move Your Software Development Career Forward

Software development occupations are projected to grow 22% between 2020 and 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual salary for this in-demand field is over $110,140.*

Graduates of Champlain's online software development associate degree program will be prepared to work in a variety of industries, including computer systems design, manufacturing, finance and insurance, software publishing, and engineering.

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2020; job titles: computerscience.org, 2020

Top Jobs for Associate in Software Development Graduates

  • Computer and Information System Manager
  • Computer Programmer
  • Computer Support Specialist
  • Computer System Analyst
  • Information Security Analyst
Software Development professional at the office in front of white board

Program Details

Learn more about Champlain's 100% online software development associate degree, designed for working professionals.

Champlain's online software development courses encompass the top skills needed by today's software professionals. Graduates of the program are required to complete the following courses.

Professional Courses (36 credits)

General Education Courses (21 credits)

  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Inquiry & Analysis
  • Quantitative Literacy
  • Scientific Literacy: Natural Sciences
  • Social Sciences or Arts & Humanities

General Electives (3 credits)

Note: Some of the courses in this program are available in 15-week terms only. Please contact your advisor for details.   

Software Development Course Descriptions:

Professional Courses:

From storyboard to form creation, students walk through the steps to create a basic four to five-page website to specification in this course that introduces HTML5 and CSS. Hands-on assignments reinforce skills development and best practices in design: navigation, column layout, image editing and usage, fonts and tables.

This course provides students with an understanding of the many different devices and technologies, from historical to emerging, that are required to design and build networks. In a broad survey of concepts and terminology, students will learn about topology, communications, protocols, and security, and to diagram basic networks to specification.

This course covers the fundamentals of systems analysis while emphasizing the role of communication and other soft skills needed in IT and in business overall to be successful. The topics are useful for anyone who is involved in developing software system requirements and architectures (e.g., users, technical managers, product managers, technical leads, programmers, other software project team members, and clients).

Prerequisites

CMIT-135, CMIT-200, MGMT-260

From day one, students in this course are problem solving, first in terms of algorithmic design and then as early as week two via programming in the latest version of Python, using PyCharm. Students begin by writing a program to have a conversation, having strings and numbers as input, and advance, by week seven, to building a working password saver program, capable of looking up, adding (and encrypting), and storing passwords.

This course will introduce students to programming concepts, using a major industry programming language, C++. SDEV-240 covers the history of programming languages, the essentials of the C++ programming language, and how to write effective and efficient programs to solve a variety of real-world problems.

Prerequisites

CMIT-135

Learn the basics and more in this course on Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) and SQL (Structured Query Language). Students propose a final project in the first module and then work, week-by-week, to design, create, and populate the database. Then, students learn to create queries and stored procedures.

Prerequisites

CMIT-135

The focus of this course is to cover the robust and powerful features of C++ and Object Oriented Programming. These skills will serve as a foundation to transit to develop Client/Server, Database driven applications and simulations.

Prerequisites

SDEV-240

In this course, students will learn about correct, efficient data structures and algorithms, and how to design, analyze, and implement them in software applications. Various abstract data types including linked lists, stacks, queues, and trees will be covered in detail. Algorithms for searching, sorting, and implementing data structures will be examined using diagrams, animations, pseudocode, and C++ code.

Prerequisites

SDEV-340, MATH270

Websites have three functions - to facilitate, enable and persuade - and are only useful if they can connect people and achieve definite goals. In this course, students learn to understand the concept of usability, and the roles of interaction, users, communication and collaboration as well as how to evaluate usability, and observe and test users.

Prerequisites

WEBD-215 OR SDEV-230

Presents the basic concepts of differential and integral calculus. Topics include limits and the derivative, curve sketching and optimization problems; the product, quotient and chain rules; indefinite and definite integrals; integration by substitution and parts; and differentiation and integration of the exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions. Appropriate applications are considered.

Prerequisites

MATH-125 or high school equivalent

Students will learn the concepts, techniques, and structures of discrete mathematics necessary for the software engineer, including logic, sets, functions, relations, Boolean algebra, and combinatorics. The course also introduces the concept of mathematical proof.

Prerequisites

Complete MATH-125 with a minimum grade of B- OR complete MATH-210

Choose One:

Project Management is the formal application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project-based activities to meet organizational requirements. Project management is accomplished through the use of processes such as Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Project managers can divide projects into these phases to provide better management control with appropriate links to the ongoing operations of the organization. Collectively, these phases, known as the project life cycle, form the foundation for the practice of project management and are guided by the Body of Knowledge from the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Project schedules allow managers, team members, and stakeholders to track progress, set and manage expectations, communicate, control costs, and collaborate. Tasks and deliverables can be monitored and controlled to ensure timely delivery-and if any delays do occur, project managers can easily gauge their impact and make the necessary adjustments. Central to the schedule is a detailed understanding of the project budget, and working to control costs and manage stakeholder expectations.

Prerequisites

Take MGMT-260

Written Communication

Complete these two courses, unless a specific course is required by your program:

This course introduces students to the foundational concepts needed to communicate effectively in writing for academic study and professional development. Students will also learn to read critically to evaluate an author's message. Students will be introduced to rhetorical modes and their role in the development of written communication. Students will also learn how to use revision strategies to create written communication that meets its intended purpose for its intended audience

This course builds on students' proficiency in the writing process and rhetorical modes to introduce the use of sources in written communication. Students will practice information literacy as they learn to determine information needs from sources, develop effective search strategies, and incorporate sources in written communication, legally and ethically.

Prerequisites

Complete ENGL-100

Oral Communication

Complete this course, unless a specific course is required by your program:

This course draws on fundamental concepts of contemporary communication research to help students identify and develop strategies to become effective and versatile communicators across media and settings. Students will examine and respond to a range of interpersonal situations through the critical evaluation of the three essential components of all communication: its purpose, audience, and context. Students will leave the course with the ability to reflect on and adapt their strategies to successfully and consistently communicate for a range of purposes across diverse settings.

Inquiry & Analysis

Complete this course, unless a specific course is required by your program:

Students will learn and apply critical inquiry skills to analyze persuasive communication created by others and to develop persuasive communication/arguments of their own to solve problems in professional, civic, social, and personal contexts. Specifically, students will learn to recognize fallacies in logic; apply inductive and deductive reasoning strategies to the interpretation and development of persuasive communication; evaluate the validity of sources; and develop logically sound persuasive communication. Students will explore the roles of self-awareness, empathy, and ethics in the context of critical inquiry and the development of arguments.

Prerequisites

Complete ENGL-110.

Quantitative Literacy

Choose any one of the following, unless a specific course is required by your program:

Mathematical reasoning, when applied to everyday and professional lives, has two dimensions: logic for deterministic situations and probabilities for non-deterministic situations. This course aims to help students develop these mathematical reasoning skills.

Accurate and appropriate visual data representation is increasingly critical in today's work environments. Students will develop skills in data organization, manipulation and interpretation in a way that supports data-driven decision-making and effective communication of numerical data

Scientific Literacy: Natural Sciences

Complete any one of the following, unless a specific course is required by your program:

Introduces students to the biochemistry and physiology of nutrition and exercise. Emphasis will be placed on human body systems such as musculoskeletal, digestive, respiratory and circulatory, and their relationship to nutrition and fitness. Students will also study the biochemistry of energy conversion as it relates to exercise physiology. Laboratory sessions are designed to reinforce, by a hands-on approach, the principles discussed in lecture. Course includes two laboratory hours per week.

Students learn the biology, genetics, chemistry, and physics involved in the forensic investigation of crimes. A wide range of topics are studied including DNA, entomology, fingerprinting, trace evidence, serology (blood, saliva, and semen), blood spatter, and chemical analysis of drugs, alcohol, and other compounds. Students apply their new knowledge of forensic science through the use of case studies and laboratories. This course includes two laboratory hours per week.

Students will develop the ability to apply scientific methods to understand the natural world, to identify scientific aspects of daily life, and to evaluate the quality of scientific information based on its source and the methods used for its generation.

Social Sciences or Arts & Humanities

Complete any one of the following courses, unless a specific course is required by your program:

With pressure and release, a window opens and closes, recording light on a sensor. The simple action captures the instinct, judgement, and skill of the person behind the lens. This class will begin a study of the art and craft of photography. Students will develop their vision and their understanding of how to achieve it. Solid skills will be learned and many doors will be opened.

A survey of the continuing change experienced in art since the 15th century. Students will examine how an image is achieved as well as the significance of the subject represented. Individual inquiry concerning the nature of art is encouraged.

Students learn to appreciate films through the critical analysis of various elements of mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing and sound. The course introduces the conventions of classical Hollywood cinema, considers the work of one major director (auteur), and surveys selected international and independent films. Students view and discuss films each week.

Students will apply communication theory and research to address the particular challenges to communicating effectively in organizations. Students will learn how to identify organizational communication problems, analyze those problems, and generate effective solutions. Students will examine the relationship between organizational structure and specific communicative practices, and how communication practices by organizational members establish, maintain, or change organizational culture. They will also learn how to anticipate communication deficiencies in organizations, and use communication as a means to facilitate organizational development and innovation.

Prerequisites

Complete COMM-130

Provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamentals of substantive criminal law. Students will learn the essential elements of crimes and the rationale underlying criminal law. The nature of jurisdiction, the criminal act, the criminal state of mind and matters affecting responsibility for criminal conduct are included.

This course focuses on the rules and procedures governing how the American criminal justice system must process individuals suspected, accused, and convicted of law violations.

This course provides students with a broad overview of the history, theory, and fundamentals of criminal investigation. Students are introduced to the basic responsibilities of investigators and protocols for report writing, evidence collection, and preparation of cases for trial. They also learn specific investigative techniques for different types of crimes, such as crimes involving violence and property, terrorism, and hate crimes, and, where appropriate, compare investigative protocols from other legal cultures.

Prerequisites

Take CRIM-120, CRIM-121.

Principles of Economics introduces the fundamental concepts of economics - the study of how people manage resources, and how they react to scarcity. This course focuses on both microeconomics (the behavior of consumers and companies) and macroeconomics (large-scale economic factors such as employment and interest rates), so that you'll gain a broad understanding of how a modern market economy functions, how decisions in business settings are informed by economics, and how economics applies to your everyday life.

Students will study important themes in the social history of the United States since the Civil War. This course allows students to expand their critical thinking skills through an examination of primary and secondary sources. Themes might include: the evolving status of women; the immigrant experience; the concept of the American dream; the paradox of freedom vs. slavery; the minority experience; the tensions between social classes. Students will be evaluated primarily on writing assignments.

Students will learn how to create conditions for successful conflict engagement, a necessary skill for any professional. The course focuses on the foundational capacities to remain calm and connected with oneself and others. In this state students can access helpful ideas and responses and be their best selves regardless of environment. Improving facility for conflict creates stronger relationships and reduces fear. By the end of the course, students will understand that disagreement and difference can become a source of personal and interpersonal growth.

Ethics refers to accepted standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do in various contexts, typically in relation to rights, obligations/duties, benefits to society, fairness, consequences, and virtues. In this course, students will explore both theoretical and practical dimensions of ethics in order to 1) define ethics and identify ethical positions and principles, 2) critically reflect on how ethics impacts individual and collective responsibility, decision-making, and action, and 3) apply ethics to the personal, civic, and professional contexts.

Prerequisites

ENGL-110

In this course, students will explore broad, foundational knowledge in psychology, including its history, major theorists and a survey of psychology subfields such as developmental, cognitive and social psychology. Students will also describe and assess the role of ethics and social responsibility in the study and application of psychological theory and practices.

In this class, students will explore how social relationships, groups, societies and culture develop and change over time. From a sociological theory foundation and employing the sociological imagination, students will examine the impact of social structures, institutions, and systems on individual lives. Students will apply sociological research methods to investigate sociological phenomena in their own lives.

This course explores the complex and evolving relationship between human beings and technology. Through a multi-disciplinary approach that draws on fields such as sociology, psychology, philosophy, and history, students will examine the ways in which technology has shaped human culture, identity, and values, as well as how humans have influenced and continue to influence the development, adoption and use of technology.

Graduates of the software development associate online program will demonstrate the following industry-specific skills, knowledge, and competencies:

  • Apply fundamental computer theory to software development practices.
  • Manipulate data efficiently to make optimal use of computing resources.
  • Apply principles of human-computer interaction, especially user experience (UX), in the design and usability of computer interfaces.
  • Identify and analyze user needs and take them into account when selecting, creating, and evaluating computer-based systems.
  • Effectively use project management tools and techniques to complete tasks on time and on budget.
  • Acquire in-demand technical, analytical and soft skills employers want - such as communication, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration - in general education courses that are a part of this degree.
  • C++
  • CSS
  • HTML5
  • Object Oriented Programming
  • PyCharm
  • Python
  • Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS)
  • SQL (Structured Query Language)

Champlain College Online's software development faculty, led by Program Director Richard Pickering, are expert practitioners in the field. Their industry expertise ensures that our software development curriculum is aligned with the needs of employers, and reflects the skills today’s software development professionals need for success. Classes led by our seasoned experts will give you real-world insight into the field, and create a rich community of career-focused learning.

Alumni of the Champlain College Online associate in software development program work in corporations, small businesses, government organizations, and nonprofits nationwide, including:

  • GE Healthcare
  • IBM Corporation
  • IBM Microelectronics 
  • Physician's Computer Company
  • Social Security Administration 

 

Titles our alumni hold include:

  • IT Specialist
  • Sr. Production Technician 
  • Software Engineer
  • Software Support Technician
  • Technical Analyst

Many students come to us seeking ways to get noticed at their current employers or to get hired in a new field. Given that, we are hyper focused on increasing the career mobility of our students and that's why we developed the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle, a suite of career offerings designed to help our students get noticed, get hired and land jobs they'll love.

Valued at over $1,000, the career bundle is offered to Champlain College Online students and includes:

  • Fast Start Formula Course: The Fast Start Formula Course for getting noticed and getting hired is taught by Jen Morris, an executive career coach that we've developed a partnership with to support our students in their job search journeys. This course is online, self-paced and full of tips and tricks to land a job you'll love.
  • Live Webinars: Log-on to ask your specific job search questions, get live “hot seat” coaching and gain valuable insights from leading career coach, Jen Morris.
  • Landing A Job You'll Love Ebook: Download this ebook full of tips and tricks for standing out from the competition. From how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, to insider information on how recruiters work and bypassing the automated application websites, you’ll be sure to learn how to rise to the top.

Upon enrollment in a degree or certificate, your access to the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle will made available to you.

Tuition & Costs

Online Undergraduate Tuition Fall '23 - Summer '24

$335 per credit
$1,005* per course
$290** per credit for alumni who earned a degree from Champlain, on-campus or online
$250 per credit for military service members (family members see truED tuition)
$150 One-time graduation fee

*Based on a 3-credit course; cost will vary if course is a different number of credits

** Starts Summer 2024, not retroactive 

See the undergraduate cost of attendance and fees here

What To Expect at Champlain Online

Expect Convenience

Go to school wherever and whenever is best for you, on the device of your choice.

Expect A Career Focus

Relevant and immediately applicable coursework gets you ready for your next career move

Expect Support

Your dedicated academic advisor provides the support you need to meet your academic goals

Expect Superior Faculty

Learn from practitioner faculty working in the field, with real-world experience and knowledge.

Why Champlain

Shane Dalziel, Bachelor's Degree in Computer & Information Systems

Flexibility

"I chose Champlain because it gave me the flexibility I needed. The accelerated format offers a great way to reach your goals faster, and makes earning your degree or certificate a realistic achievement that truly is obtainable."

Shane Dalziel Bachelor Degree in Computer & Information Systems
Director of Operations, VIP Media Co.

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Get Your Software Development Program Guide

Learn what you can expect from our associate in software development program.

Sunset over Lake Champlain from Champlain College campus in Burlington, Vermont

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