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Software & Web Developer Diploma
Become a full-stack developer — build real applications with Python, JavaScript, databases, modern frameworks and mobile apps.
On this pageProgram overview
The program
Program overview
The Software & Web Developer Diploma takes you from programming fundamentals to building and deploying complete web and mobile applications.
Every course is project-based — you will build real apps (games, interactive web pages, data apps and a hosted final project) using Python, JavaScript, SQL, modern frameworks and agile practices, graduating with a portfolio that demonstrates your skills to employers.
Is this program right for you?
The Software & Web Developer Diploma is a good fit if:
- You enjoy building things and solving logic puzzles
- You want a job-ready portfolio, not only a credential
- You are changing careers into tech without a four-year degree
- You can commit to regular practice — programming is learned by writing code
What you’ll learn
- Write clean code in Python and JavaScript
- Work with arrays, objects, classes and data structures
- Build interactive web pages and understand web protocols
- Design and query databases with SQL
- Apply Agile development and the SDLC
- Develop mobile apps
- Build with modern JavaScript frameworks
- Ship a complete, hosted final project for your portfolio
Curriculum
12 focused courses totalling 960 hours of guided online learning.
- Foundations
CS101Foundations of Computing for Developers50 hrsCS102Programming Logic with Python and JavaScript75 hrsCS103Arrays, Lists, Objects and Classes80 hrsCS104Web Networking and Protocols75 hrsCS105Management Systems90 hrsCS106Python90 hrs- Advanced Development
CS201Database Development & SQL80 hrsCS202Agile Development & the SDLC80 hrsCS203Application Development with Data90 hrsCS204Mobile App Development80 hrsCS205Modern JavaScript Frameworks80 hrsCS206Final Project90 hrs- Total instructional hours960 hours
Admission requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent (mature-student admission may be available)
- English language proficiency
- Basic computer literacy
- Reliable computer and high-speed internet for online study
How much time will it take?
Ucademy is flexible and largely self-paced. As a guide, you can study part-time at about 12–15 hours a week and finish in roughly 15 months, or go faster full-time and finish in around 8 months. You choose the pace that fits your work and family life — and you can start whenever you are ready.
Careers
Career outcomes
Graduates are prepared for junior developer roles across web, software and mobile.
- Junior Software Developer
- Web Developer
- Front-End Developer
- Back-End Developer
- Mobile App Developer
- Junior Full-Stack Developer
Career outlook & salaries in Alberta
Typical roles and wage ranges for related occupations in Alberta. Source: Government of Canada Job Bank & Alberta alis labour-market data.
Software Developer
$29.81–$76.92/hrmedian $48.08/hr · NOC 21232Design, build and maintain software applications.
Web Developer
$25.89–$58.39/hrmedian $40.23/hr · NOC 21234Build and maintain websites and web applications.
Application Programmer
$29.81–$76.92/hrmedian $48.08/hr · NOC 21232Develop features and fix issues on development teams.
Wages vary by employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed. Figures are Job Bank Alberta hourly wages (low–high and median, 2023–2024) for related occupations, provided for general guidance.
The numbers behind this career
Official data about software developers and programmers (NOC 21232), the main occupation this program prepares you for. It describes this job across Alberta — not what Ucademy students will earn — and it shows the less favourable figures as well as the good ones.
Source: Job Bank outlook and key facts — NOC 21232 · recent trends Jul 28, 2026.
Hiring figures: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 21232 · employer survey, 2023.
Benefits: Job Bank wages page.
View the data as a table
| Area | Low | Median | High | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $29.81/hr | $48.08/hr | $76.92/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Athabasca–Grande Prairie | not published | — | — | — |
| Banff–Jasper | $31.32/hr | $46.64/hr | $68.69/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Calgary | $26.00/hr | $48.08/hr | $76.92/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Camrose–Drumheller | not published | — | — | — |
| Edmonton | $30.00/hr | $40.87/hr | $72.12/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | $30.27/hr | $42.37/hr | $60.01/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Red Deer | $33.67/hr | $44.25/hr | $63.96/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | not published | — | — | — |
| Canada | $30.00/hr | $48.08/hr | $76.92/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
Alberta, Calgary, Edmonton and Canada are Labour Force Survey results for 2023–2024; Banff–Jasper, Lethbridge–Medicine Hat and Red Deer are model estimates for 2024 (marked *). Calgary shows the same median ($48.08) and high ($76.92) as Alberta and Canada, so treat that row as the provincial figure rather than a local finding. Job Bank does not publish Athabasca–Grande Prairie, Camrose–Drumheller or Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake. Wages depend on the employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed.
Source: Job Bank wages — NOC 21232 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
| Alberta | Athabasca–Grande Prairie | Banff–Jasper | Calgary | Camrose–Drumheller | Edmonton | Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | Red Deer | Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developer / programmer NOC 21232 | Moderate | Limited | Limited | Moderate | Undetermined | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Undetermined |
Job Bank expects a moderate number of new positions but not many openings from retirements, and says most opportunities will be in Calgary or Edmonton. The outlook is Limited in Athabasca–Grande Prairie and Banff–Jasper, and Undetermined in Camrose–Drumheller and Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake.
Source: Job Bank outlook · updated Dec 10, 2025.
| Starting | Overall | Top | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers and programmers (21232) | $33.52 | $43.84 | $48.90 |
“Starting” is the median pay employers report for entry-level positions with that job title — not what any program’s graduates earn. This is a separate survey from Job Bank, so the numbers differ. Do not read the gap between this table and the Job Bank wage chart as an experience effect: the two surveys use different years and methods.
Source: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 21232 · employer survey, 2023.
- Computer systems design services 68%
- All other sectors 32%
Job Bank lists only this one industry; the remaining share is spread across many other sectors.
Source: Job Bank, workers by industry (NOC 21232) · Alberta.
View the data as a table
| software developers and programmers | all occupations | |
|---|---|---|
| Above bachelor’s level (master’s, doctorate) | 18% | 9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 55% | 21% |
| College certificate or diploma | 16% | 19% |
| High school | 10% | 28% |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate | <5% | 13% |
| No high school diploma | <5% | 10% |
This is a degree-heavy occupation: a bachelor’s degree is the highest education for 55% of people in it, against 21% across all occupations.
Source: Job Bank, educational attainment (NOC 21232) · Alberta.
Data checked October 19, 2026: Job Bank wages updated Nov 19, 2025, outlooks Dec 10, 2025, recent employment trends Jul 28, 2026; Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023. Occupation data, not a program outcome. Ucademy has no graduates yet.
Where graduates work in Alberta
Developers work at Calgary and Edmonton tech companies and start-ups, in the IT departments of energy, finance, insurance and logistics firms, at digital agencies, in government, and remotely for employers across Canada.
| Role | Occupation group (NOC 2021) | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Junior software developer | NOC21232Software developers and programmers | Software Developer Career Guide: Skills, Salary & How to Start in Alberta |
| Web developer (front-end, back-end or full-stack) | NOC21234Web developers and programmers | How to Become a Software Developer in Alberta Without a University Degree |
| Web designer / front-end developer | NOC21233Web designers | How to Build a Tech Portfolio with GitHub Projects (No Degree Required) |
| Junior database developer | NOC21232Software developers and programmers | Database Administrator & Developer Careers in Canada: Complete Career Guide |
NOC is the National Occupational Classification used by Job Bank and alis. You can look up wages and outlooks for each group in our Alberta salary calculator or on alis. Job titles and hiring vary by employer; Ucademy does not guarantee employment.
Working conditions
What the work is usually like day to day. It varies by employer, so ask about it in interviews.
- Hours. Mostly standard business hours; hybrid and remote work are common in this field. Occasional after-hours work happens when something breaks in production.
- The work itself. Long periods of focused computer work, deadlines and code reviews, and constant learning as tools change.
- Teamwork. Most developers work in teams with designers, testers and product owners, using shared tools like Git.
Where this career can lead
Junior developers typically grow into intermediate and senior developer roles as they take on larger features and mentor others. Some specialise in front-end, back-end, mobile or data; others move toward technical leadership, DevOps or product roles. A strong, growing portfolio matters at every step.
Studying
A typical study week
Ucademy is self-paced, so you decide when you study. Studying part-time at the recommended pace, a week usually looks like this:
- Watch short lessons on a concept — for example JavaScript functions, a database query or an API
- Write code every day: small exercises first, then features for your course project
- Commit your work to GitHub so your portfolio grows week by week
- Get feedback on your project from an instructor and fix what needs improving
You can slow down during busy weeks and speed up when you have more time. Learner success staff check in if you fall behind.
Skills, tools and industry certifications
What you will practise and use throughout the program:
- HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Python and modern back-end development
- Databases and SQL
- Front-end frameworks and mobile app development
- Git and GitHub for version control and your portfolio
Certifications
In software development, employers care most about what you can build. The program is project-based so you graduate with a portfolio on GitHub; optional vendor certifications (for example cloud fundamentals) can be added later.
How you will study
You learn by building: each course ends in a project you can show employers. Lessons are online and self-paced, with instructors reviewing your work and answering questions.
Cost & next steps
Software development program online: how it works
This software and web development program is online coursework you complete at your own pace: 12 courses that start with computing foundations and programming logic in Python and JavaScript, then move through data structures and classes, web networking and protocols, databases and SQL, Agile development and the software development life cycle, application development with data, mobile app development and modern JavaScript frameworks. It finishes with a final project, so you leave with work you can show employers.
It suits career changers, people who have tried self-teaching and want structure, and anyone who wants a recognized college-level route into development without a four-year degree.
What to compare between online coding programs
- Is the program licensed in Alberta? Here is how to check a college’s licence.
- How many instructional hours, and which languages and frameworks are taught?
- Will you build real projects for a portfolio?
- What support do you get from instructors while studying at your own pace?
- What is the total cost?
Job Bank lists the usual requirement for software developers and programmers (NOC 21232) as a bachelor’s degree or a college program in computer science or a related field, and rates the outlook in Alberta as Moderate for 2025–2027. More in How to Become a Software Developer in Alberta Without a Degree and Front-End vs Back-End Development.
What else to budget for besides tuition
- A computer, webcam and headset that meet the technology requirements, and reliable high-speed internet.
- Textbooks, e-books and software. Your enrolment contract will list exactly what is included in tuition and what is not.
- Portfolio hosting is optional — free options such as GitHub Pages are usually enough.
Tuition and any fees will be published before enrolment opens, and no tuition is collected before then. The funding finder shows which ways to pay may fit you.
Paying for your program
Most students combine more than one source of funding. Options to explore:
Your next steps
- Read the syllabus.Download the full program outline from the panel at the top of this page.Download syllabus
- Check the fit.Take the 1-minute program quiz or compare programs side by side.
- Talk to an advisor.Book a free info session — no cost, no commitment.Book an Info Session
- Stay informed.Request information and we will tell you as soon as intakes open.Request Information
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