Intro to Mobile App Development

Cost: No-cost

Timeline: 8 weeks (Spring 2023)

Commitment: 2 hours per week

Skill Level: Beginner

Introduces students to the complete process of mobile application development: covering design, planning, implementation, and testing. Includes panel events with professional software engineers, giving students a well-rounded exploration into product design, app development, and exciting opportunities in the tech industry.

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Course Details

Program Dates & Times

Sept. 6 - Oct. 25 (Every Tues at 6 - 8 pm PT)

Application Deadline

August 28, 2022 at 11:59 pm PT

Location

This is a virtual course.

Two black students working together at a laptop

Two students of color working on computers in a classroom

About the Course

This course is designed to expose beginner computer science students to the possibilities of a career in technology. Students will learn how to conduct product planning sessions, design basic wireframes and prototypes and write product specs to create an MVP (minimum viable product). Students are also led through the process of gradually developing a Flashcard mobile app from scratch.

Upon course completion, students will know how to build an app of their own design and have a better understanding of how tech teams create software products and services. Many of our students proceed onward to take CodePath's advanced iOS and Android mobile development courses.

You Should Take this Course If...

You have experimented with coding, and you are curious about a career in tech, but not yet sure if tech is for you

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Your college or university's computer science courses, are too theoretical and you are craving a more hands-on, interactive and inspiring experience

Icon of a person behind a laptop with a code symbol

You are looking to build something for fun or build a portfolio to show future employers

What You'll Learn

Build a mobile product or service from the ground up

Core coding concepts used to build simple iOS or Android apps
Product planning activities such as brainstorming, schema design, and user stories
Using version control (Git and Github) to store and collaborate on code

Gain a preview of real-world software engineering roles and challenges

Fireside Q&A chats and info sessions with professional software engineers from companies such as Slack, Pinterest, and Facebook
Learn what it's like in the day-to-day of different roles in tech
How you can be part of an industry that is changing the world and contributing to advancements in many areas of life

Tech Excellence for All

At CodePath, we believe access to relevant, hands-on technical training, career guidance, mentors, and community—created by engineers, for engineers—can help give tomorrow’s technology leaders the edge they need to launch successful, life-changing careers. As a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, we strive to increase diversity in tech by making successful, meaningful careers in software engineering accessible to all, and by transforming college Computer Science education to make students career-ready.

Our programming centers the needs and success of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and low-income Computer Science students.

Did You Know?

Icon of a smartphone with a book over it

111000

The average mobile software engineer takes home a base salary of $111,000 (Glassdoor).

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1.6

Software and web developers represent the fastest growing category of tech jobs, at 1.6 million (CompTIA).

30.7

Mobile app developer jobs will grow 30.7 percent over the next decade (Burning Glass).

Eligibility

First-year students and Sophomores interested in majoring or minoring in Computer Science or other forms of Computing related subjects
Students who have already taken an Intro to Programming course or know the basics of a programming language
Students who are currently enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year college/university in the US
Students who can commit to 2 hours of online classes every Saturday during the 8 weeks of the course

Those who identify as Black, Latinx, Indigenous, or are the first in their family to attend college are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

The application is a 2-step process:

Fill out a 10-15 minute questionnaire about your previous exposure to coding, your interest in a career in tech, and general information about you as a person.
Applicants will then set up their working environment as pre-work for the course. This will take approximately 1-2 hours, and applicants who do not complete this step will not be admitted to the course.

Apply ASAP. Admission is determined on a rolling basis, with decisions released every week starting the week of July 11th.

CAREN CHANG

Android Engineer, Google

DAN NDOMBE

Co-founder and CEO, Soundwave

MARINA TANASYUK

Senior Android Engineer, Instacart

PAULINA RAMOS

Senior Software Engineer, Tik Tok

Hear from Our Alums

ABDURAHMAN ABDURAHMAN

Explore Intern, Microsoft

University of Minnesota

"This is one of the classes that I’ve actually looked forward to every week! I was interested in diving into app development and CodePath really taught me everything I need to know. The structure and format of the class were very easy to follow along making it a great learning experience. Working with people with the same goals as me was inspiring!"

HEBA SATTAR

University of Illinois at Chicago

"I loved how the CodePath course was structured. It taught me so much without being too overwhelming. It also introduced us to many concepts so we could get a feel for them but still explore and learn on our own. I would strongly recommend this course to someone who is interested in Mobile App Development and needs a push in the right direction!"

DREW RONK

Penn State University

"CodePath's unique emphasis on technical and soft skills is something I found very rewarding. The experiential learning involved has altered my perception of the apps I use daily, and has led me to consider a career in Mobile."

FAWZIYAH ALEBIOSU

University of Maryland Global Campus

"I think mobile development is very, very much a good vehicle for accessibility because everybody has a mobile phone. You can reach so many people with that. And so for me, learning how to do mobile development through CodePath was like a game changer because I got a whole new set of skills I literally did not have before. And it’s really fulfilling my values and my mission."

GRANT COMMODORE

Incoming SWE Intern @Google

Morehouse College

"CodePath helped me improve my skills in mobile app development and understand the numerous factors one must consider when building an app. The labs were not only fun to do but also provided a challenge. I also appreciated the collaborative component of the class as it allowed me to interact with people from across the country."

SAJID AHMED

Global Technology Intern, Nike

North Carolina A&T State University

"Taking the CodePath Mobile App Design course was a great experience. Building an app from the ground up has helped spark my interest in Mobile Development as I learned about key concepts such as UI’s, passing and saving data, libraries, animations, and more. The CodePath team was incredibly helpful and responsive in making sure we got the help we needed to succeed. In addition, we were given the opportunity to grow our network by attending industry panels with top professionals. Thank you CodePath!"

CALEB WHEELER

Intern, Google

University of Maryland, College Park

"Prior to taking the course, Android development always seemed so foreign to me in comparison to other projects I have done. I was not around very many people that had any experience with it, so even though I had an interest in it, I did not really know where to start with learning it. What I like about CodePath is that the course gave me not just an understanding of the basic concepts in Android development, but also the caveats and utilities of different techniques. It finally allowed me to gain the tools I needed to learn on my own, and I am sincerely thankful for that."

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FAQs

What is the CodePath Intro to Mobile App Development Course?

Intro to Mobile Product Development is a free 8-week, hands-on course meant to inspire students to learn about the possibilities in a tech career. Part entrepreneurship, part design, and part coding, the course will expose students to the fundamentals of building software products and mobile apps - how to conduct product planning sessions, design basic wireframes/prototypes, and write product specs to create an MVP (minimum viable product). Students will also participate in a series of coding labs to build a mobile application (either iOS or Android) of their own. It is intended to supplement the coursework of college freshmen and sophomores who are considering majors/minors in computer science or computing related subjects. The class will connect students with tech leaders from Silicon Valley through industry panels and a guest speaker series.
How do I apply to take this course?

First, you must fill out a questionnaire about your coding exposure, your goals in school, your professional aspirations, and about yourself in general. Secondly, you will need to complete pre-work for the course by setting up your working environment before you will be admitted to the class.
Who can apply for the course?

This course is specifically for freshmen and sophomore college students or community college students who are pursuing their bachelors' degree. Applicants will need some basic familiarity of a programming language (i.e. for loops, if statements) and are considering majoring in computer science or computing-related subjects.

If you are a junior or senior college student, and you are interested in taking one of CodePath's courses, please see our more advanced iOS, Android or Cybersecurity courses.
Do I need to be familiar with any specific programming language to apply for the course?

Familiarity with Swift or Java would be helpful, but we don't expect students to know these languages coming into the course. The coding labs do not assume you have any prior experience with Swift or Java.
When does the class meet?

Classes will take place every Tuesday from September 6 - October 25 at 6 pm to 8 pm PT. During the sessions, students will hear from industry professionals, participate in coding labs, learn about product development or participate in small breakout rooms with teaching assistants to facilitate more individual help.
How much time will I need to complete the assignments?

Students do not need to spend much time outside of class to work on the assignments. The requirements are designed to be contained within the session. Students that have extra time will have a wide range of optional features and stories to implement into their coding labs.
Who will the instructors be?

The course instructors will be professional software engineers from major technology companies and start-ups.
Where can I find the syllabus for this course?

You can find the syllabus here.
Is the course offered for credit?

This is a non-credit course.

While this course is not offered for credit, students often tell us how much they love our courses for the in-demand skills they learn, inspiration, and access to the tech industry.
What if I need additional help during the class?

CodePath teaching assistants will be available to help you with your assignments. You will also be added to a Slack channel. If you have extra questions, you will be able to message the teaching team in Slack or email support for help.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion of the course?

Yes, you will receive a certificate of completion upon completion of the course with a grade of 60% or higher. Many of our students will post and share their certificates on LinkedIn, and we encourage you to do so!
Is this class really offered for free? How are you able to do that?

Yes! CodePath is a non-profit organization that is backed by major companies such as Andreessen Horowitz, Cognizant, Comcast, Facebook, and Walmart. Thanks to their generous support, we are able to offer our courses to any eligible student for free.
How can I get more information about this course?

Please email admissions@codepath.org with any questions.