Frequently Asked Questions

No, the graduate certificate program enrolls for autumn quarter only. The application deadline is posted on our Admissions page.

Yes. To earn the Graduate Certificate in Software Design & Development, you need to complete ALL six courses at UW Bothell with a 2.7 GPA or higher in each course and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Yes. You will need to enroll as an undergraduate non-matriculated student at UW Bothell. Keep in mind that courses may fill quickly, and non-matriculated students are the last to enroll. You can also take equivalent courses at local community colleges to fulfill the prerequisites. View program course equivalencies.

At UW Bothell, the Division of Computing & Software Systems in the School of STEM typically teaches CSS 142 and CSS 143 every quarter. View the time schedule for the latest course offerings.

Yes, but you need to be comfortably familiar with the concepts taught in that course. Remember, the grade in your calculus course will be reviewed as part of your application materials.

No. If you are only missing one prerequisite and you are enrolled in that prerequisite for summer, please submit all your application materials by the July deadline. You will need to include a transcript or registration receipt that shows the summer quarter classes you are registered for. You will need to include a note in your Personal Statement explaining your summer quarter schedule.

Applicants enrolled in their final prerequisite in summer have their application put on a hold status by our office until summer quarter grades are submitted (typically at the end of August). Applicants will receive instructions from our office on how to submit those final grades. Admission review for applicants on hold status will be made after all final grades have been submitted. This does NOT mean you can turn your application in late. Only applicants who submitted their complete applications by the July deadline will be reviewed.

For very few, this may be possible. Your work experience will have to show strong programming skills in either Java or C++, and you need to be comfortable with object-orientation, recursion, inheritance, generic programming, constructs (lists, stacks, queues) and algorithms (searching, sorting). If you would like us to review if your work experience is equivalent to the required computer programming prerequisites, email our office a copy of your transcript and resume. To see an example of the coursework taught in the GCSDD, please view our Sample Homework Page.

The GCSDD does not meet the minimum enrollment requirements for students studying in the United States on an F-1 Visa.

Tuition is charged on a cost-per-credit basis and structured the same way as our master’s program courses. View details on current tuition and fees. The cost for the GCSDD program is the same for both the online or on-campus courses.

Graduate certificate alumni are working in a role that is directly or somewhat related to their education, and of those who report an increased salary, the average salary growth is up to 22%. Alumni work in software engineering roles and have position titles such as software engineer, software developer, security engineer, systems engineer, and development engineer.

Alumni have also gone on to continue their education into the Master of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering (MSCSSE) or Master of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering (MSCYBER) at UW Bothell as well as other master’s and doctorate program. We cannot guarantee that completion of this certificate will satisfy prerequisite requirements for other programs, so we recommend discussing with the admissions department of your program of interest. Read more about alumni student experiences by visiting the career page under each program’s website.

No. The GCSDD is 18 credits of coursework derived from 35 credits of the core courses in the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering. It is intended as a way for students who desire to pursue the Master of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering or Master of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering and other master’s programs to solidify critical programming and software design knowledge to prepare for continued studies. Please note that we cannot guarantee that this program will satisfy prerequisites for programs outside of UW Bothell, and students should confirm with the institution to which they are applying if this program will satisfy their prerequisite requirements.

The GCSDD gives students who may be considering a post-baccalaureate degree an opportunity to switch careers and prepare to enter the software engineering industry. This graduate certificate program breaks down barriers and creates access to new job opportunities for those who may have felt discouraged pursuing software engineering in their undergraduate bachelor’s program.

The GCSDD curriculum uses C++ to teach object-oriented programming, data structures and algorithms, and programming aspects of operating systems and network communication.

No, the graduate certificate is a standalone credential. These classes do not count towards the degree requirements for the master’s degree, but they do meet the prerequisites for admission to the master’s programs.

No. The master’s program has a competitive admission review and each candidate will receive a holistic review of their application materials. Students who successfully complete the GCSDD coursework with a strong academic record have completed the prerequisites for admission to the MSCSSE or MSCSE.

No. The GCSDD curriculum is designed so that each course in the programming and design sequence are prerequisites for each other. To earn the graduate certificate you need to complete the full six-course requirement: CSS 501, 502, 503, 506, 507, 508.

Ratios change on a yearly basis, and are dependent upon the enrollment level. On average, there are about 40 students per course with a ratio of 1:40.

Faculty in the Division of Computing & Software Systems regularly rotate teaching schedules every year. This ensures that students receive a mix of tenure and teaching track faculty instruction. On occasion, the division may also hire affiliated faculty who specialize in specific course content.

Faculty will outline their preferred method of contact in their syllabus, but typically they are available via email, Canvas messages, and offer regular office hours where they are easily available for students. Both online asynchronous and on-campus courses offer a high-contact student to faculty interaction that is part of the overall mission of UW Bothell.

The GCSDD is an intense series of courses that is intended to teach the core concepts derived from a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science & Software Engineering in just nine months. Students are expected to learn challenging material at an accelerated rate. Students have reported spending, on average, between 10-25 hours per week. Students will have weekly homework and/or lab work outside of class. For those working full time, adjusting to taking classes is a different process for everyone. For some, it’s similar to taking on another part-time job, and for others it is exactly the type of challenge and change of environment they need.

Yes! A student who is not local to the Seattle area or who is unable to travel to campus for class sessions can participate 100% online asynchronously. Students who select all 100% online asynchronous courses will never be required to come to campus.

This program features courses that are 100% online asynchronous and on-campus. You will work with your academic advisor to select the course that best fit your needs.Our 100% online asynchronous courses feature content that is prerecorded and accessible through Canvas, so students may access the material when it’s best for their schedule. Students may take part in real-time Zoom interactions with faculty or student groups. For classes that do not have an on-campus section, there are optional weekly on-campus office hours with the faculty member or teaching assistant. On-campus classes have live class sessions in person at UW Bothell every week. Students taking on-campus classes are required to attend weekly in person class meetings as well as potentially participate in exams, in-class assignments and labs.

For online asynchronous courses, all exams are given online in an environment that verifies student identity and controls exam access to ensure integrity.

For on-campus classes, each faculty member may have different exam policies. Some classes may have exams during class time, and some may host exams online using the same environment and policies as our online asynchronous course.

No, some of the video content faculty create is reused, much like the contents of a textbook might be applicable in many spaces. Frequently, faculty create content, video and otherwise, that address specific course questions that arise in a given course. In addition, faculty regularly revise and update course materials, so some fraction of the course content will change with each offering.

Yes, most courses include some group work. Employers consistently report that they are looking to hire individuals who can solve problems as part of a team. Technologies like Canvas, Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Office, and Google G Suite make collaboration in online and on-campus courses possible and help keep everyone connected.

Absolutely! Our professors love meeting with their students, regardless of whether they attend class online or on campus. Contact your professor to set a time to meet.

Yes, each quarter you will work with your academic advisor to select the course that works best for your needs. However, once registered, students are strongly discouraged from switching after the first day of class and are prevented from switching after the 2nd week of class.

Online and on-campus courses move at different paces and course content is not the same each week. If an unforeseen circumstance should arise, please contact your academic advisor for assistance.

Most students will have access to the course format of their choice. However, students are encouraged to register as early as possible to secure space in the format. Online classes will always have space available, but space for on-campus classes may be limited due to classroom size.

Yes! Online students have access to the same campus resources as on-campus students. There are many services and resources available to students such as academic advising, specialized graduate certificate career resources, veteran’s services, Diversity Center, disability resources for students, Writing & Communications Center, Quantitative Skills Center, library services, counseling center, clubs & organizations, and more! Contact your academic advisor to determine which campus resources may be best for your needs.

No, it does not distinguish between online or on-campus on your transcript or graduate certificate.