How to Become a Software Developer (With or Without a Degree)

Demand for software developers remains robust in the United Kingdom in 2024 and will likely stay strong for years. Additionally, this position has the potential to offer solid earning power. According to Glassdoor’s October 2024 data, the average annual salary for software developers in the UK is £40,591 [1]. 

You have more than one path to choose from when pursuing a career as a software developer. Options include teaching yourself, earning a certification, taking online classes, or enrolling in college to earn a degree. To achieve your goal, consider one or a combination of these options to help you succeed. Use the following guide to learn more about the paths that can lead you to a career in software development.

What is a software developer?

Software developers research, design, and develop software and applications using different programming languages. While creating these programmes, they’re also responsible for testing the software to make sure it works. After the project goes live, a software developer's job is to fix bugs, refactor old code, make updates, and more. 

How long does it take to become a software developer?

The time you can anticipate spending on your career journey depends on your chosen path. For example, enrolling in a formal degree programme might take three years. Other options may offer a shorter timeline, while others take longer depending on your investment time. Many software developers enter the profession by completing a university course, college course, apprenticeship, a graduate training scheme, or, in some cases, a coding boot camp.  

• University route: Consider earning your higher national diploma, foundation, or undergraduate degree. Most prospective software developers earn undergraduate degrees in software development or a related field like computer science or information technology. It takes two to four years to earn one of these credentials, depending on whether you attend full-time and which university you attend. 

• College route: You could earn a certificate in software development through a college course. Common college courses for prospective developers include Level 3 Certificate in Programming, A Level in Computing, Higher National Certificate in Computing, or T Level in Digital Production, Design, and Development. On average, it takes up to six months to earn your certificate. 

• Apprenticeship: Another pathway to becoming a software developer is through an apprenticeship in software development or a related industry. An apprenticeship can get you into an entry-level position or as a trainee developer while you build experience. You typically need 5 GCSEs and work at least 30 hours weekly to complete the programme. This path lets you earn while you learn, gaining work experience and qualifications simultaneously.

• Graduate training scheme: Ideal if you have just earned your degree and need to gain experience, a graduate training scheme is a structured training programme offered by a company or organisation. Once you have your degree, it typically takes about two years to complete. 

• Coding boot camp: Coding or software engineering boot camps are intensive programmes various entities offer, typically online. The completion time for coding bootcamps is around 12 weeks. If you enroll in a coding boot camp, research the organisation offering the credentials to ensure you get the best outcome possible. Remember that coding boot camps are rarely the sole qualification for becoming a software developer. Instead, they serve as a valuable means of building skills. 

It’s worth bearing in mind that you can also take the self-taught approach. s also an option. However, your studies may take longer, as you’ll be solely responsible for setting the pace and balancing your studies and other areas of your life. 

Bachelor’s degree programmes for aspiring software developers.

Though not a firm requirement, a bachelor’s degree is helpful for many who want to become a software developer and beyond. A few of the most common majors for software developers earning a bachelor’s degree include: 

Software engineering

With a degree in software engineering, you focus more on developing technical skills such as designing, building, and employing software. The courses required for this degree often overlap with those required for a computer science degree.

Computer science

A computer science degree combines maths, science, and engineering to study and develop everything—from software to networks and computers. You can pursue a computer science degree to become a software engineer, but it also affords opportunities for many other careers in the field. 

Information technology (IT)

Information technology students study the development of networks, databases, computer systems, web applications, and more. You will also study the hardware required for all those digital processes. A background in IT can help you build the skills needed to become a software engineer.

Certificates for aspiring software developers.

Many different software development certificates are available that you can earn to gain the requisite software developer skills. Online courses often allow you the flexibility to learn at your own pace, making it easy for those looking to make a career change or further their education while working full-time. 

Certificates are for more than just novice software developers. They help developers of all experience levels stay up-to-date in this quickly evolving field. The list below outlines a few beginner-level certificate programmes you can use to master the essentials of software development:

• Software Development Processes and Methodologies: You can complete this globally available course offered by the University of Minnesota in approximately 22 hours. While earning a certificate for your CV, you'll also learn how software teams work, what processes drive software development, and how to apply software engineering practices to solve problems.

• Meta Android Developer Professional Certificate: You can complete this Professional Certificate programme in eight months with seven hours of study per week. You'll gain the skill set you need to become an entry-level Android developer, including coding in Kotlin, user interface (UI) design, and cross-platform mobile app development with React Native.

• Meta iOS Developer Professional Certificate: You can also complete this Professional Certificate programme in eight months, with seven hours of study per week. You'll gain the skill set you need to become an entry-level iOS developer, including programming fundamentals for iOS systems and how to manage the mobile application lifecycle. By the end, you'll have created a portfolio with projects demonstrating your ability to deploy and maintain apps.

Expert tip

Many developers rely on a combination of educational sources to stay up-to-date on the latest technologies. "You want solid CS fundamentals, enabling you to comprehend things deeply. On the other hand, you also want experience with the tools commonly used in the industry," says Mari Batilando, a software engineer at Meta.

Since degree programs focus on theoretical and foundational understanding, Batilando has attended boot camps to keep his knowledge current throughout his eight-year career. "I actually pursued an iOS boot camp after college since I never had the opportunity to learn it while I was a student. Fast forward to now, I’ve had a fruitful career on iOS," he shares. "I still occasionally take a boot camp whenever something interests me. This year, I took an NFT boot camp and was part of the team to release Facebook’s first NFT feature!"

How to become a software developer with no experience

Developing your skill set and choosing an area of focus can help guide your path forward. As a software developer, your role will involve turning a client’s idea into a working application. You may also work with a team, tackling bug fixes or action items that consist of developing small pieces of code that fit into a larger application.

If you're brand new to the field of software development, start by learning some of the basic skills shared by all types of software developers:

• Communication skills: As a software developer, you will need to instruct others while working on projects. You'll also have to explain how things work and answer questions clients and supervisors may have. Clear and effective communication with stakeholders and the rest of the development team will make for a much smoother project.

"Communication is the most important skill in this role. We work with a lot of different people to build features," says Laila Rizvi, a Meta software engineer. "And even when we build features alone, we need to build for a diverse audience."

• Adaptability: Adaptability demonstrates the ability to handle changes commonly encountered during the software development life cycle. It’s essential to be versatile and ready to shift focus as plans change and technology evolves.

• Problem-solving: Issues inevitably arise when developing software. Much of the software development process is iterative, meaning you'll revisit steps and phases as often as necessary to improve a product. Excellent problem-solving skills can help you handle issues quickly, independently, and efficiently without significant disruptions to the project. 

• Attention to detail: Developing software can be tedious and time-intensive. Developing, testing, and deploying the project can be an excellent test of patience. After completing the project, it may need updating or debugging. 

• Programming skills: All software developer jobs require some level of coding skills. There are many different programming languages, although some may be more approachable than others for beginners. Learning about programming languages that align with specific software development goals helps. Consider reading through each one and starting with the one most closely aligns with your interests.

Choose an area of focus.

Nearly every modern business employs software developers. As a result, you have a variety of industries to choose from. It can be challenging to know where to start as a beginner. However, selecting a niche area of software development can help you sharpen your focus to hone your skills. Check out a few to consider.

How to become a game software developer

You’ll likely need an IT qualification and relevant work experience to become a game software developer. Formal degrees are sometimes a requirement, depending on the employer. 

If you want to learn how to develop games, you might consider learning to program in C++, one of the most popular game-developing languages. It's known for its flexibility and controllability. Game development includes everything from virtual reality (VR) development to mobile apps, console games, and software.

How to become a full-stack developer

To become a full-stack developer, consider earning a foundation or bachelor’s degree in development or related fields. You can also pursue other means of entry into this role via certification courses or an apprenticeship.

A full-stack developer is essentially a jack of all trades. Prospective employers value full-stack developer skill sets because they indicate that you can work with an application's back end (server-side) and the front end (customer-facing side). As a full-stack developer, you will also need to know UX/UI, databases, and sometimes graphic design. It also helps to be familiar with a few widely used languages like Python, Ruby, HTML, and JavaScript. Having these technical skills allows you to create and fix almost any part of an application.

If you're interested in obtaining the full-stack skill set, you can master the fundamentals with an industry leader in technology through the IBM Full Stack Software Developer Professional Certificate. While building your own GitHub portfolio, you'll gain practical knowledge in deploying scaling applications using tools and languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.

What is GitHub, and why do I need to use it as a software developer?

Git is free version-tracking software for code and is the industry standard. It allows developers to save snapshots of code (commits) as they work on a project and roll back to an earlier version of the project. This enables developers to experiment safely with new features with a reduced risk of introducing bugs. GitHub is a code-hosting platform that allows collaboration on projects from anywhere, sending code after commenting. Familiarity with both tools is essential in working as a software developer.

General-purpose programming

General-purpose programming languages are highly versatile and can be used for various applications. Your chosen language may depend on what you want to build with code. Python is very popular and has a reputation for being easy to learn, while Swift is great for building iPhone apps. Video games are typically built with C++, Godot, Unreal Engine, or Unity. 

Continue building skills to become a software developer on Coursera

Begin building your career as a software developer with online courses. With or without a degree, online courses help you learn, develop, and build essential software developer skills. They’re an excellent opportunity to gain practical knowledge while adding credentials to your CV. 

Online courses can be an excellent starting point if you're on a job hunt or want to learn how to create software development projects independently. For example, you can build a solid foundation of software developer skills with Google's online course, Crash Course on Python.