By Dil Sidhu, Chief Content Officer at Coursera

Automation and technology are disrupting jobs worldwide while also  creating a strong demand for software engineering and IT professionals, and Latin America is no exception. The region currently has an estimated shortage of nearly 450,000 IT professionals, with a gap of more than 25,000 individuals in Colombia alone. 

To help address this critical skills gap, we’re excited to announce plans to develop a master’s degree in software engineering* from Universidad de los Andes, a leading institution in Colombia. This is Latin America’s first fully online master’s degree in software engineering from a top-ten university and the first Spanish-language degree on the Coursera platform. The degree will prepare Spanish-speaking learners — even those without a bachelor’s degree in computer science — to lead high-performance software development teams. 

Expected to begin admissions by August 2020 and launch in 2021 after official approval from the Colombian Ministry of Education, the graduate-level program will focus on high-demand skills like agile software development, DevOps, and project management. For the final module, students will be able to choose among topics like software automation, machine learning, data analytics, and visualization, so they can master the latest industry trends. In addition to teaching the theoretical foundations of software engineering and the latest technological thinking, the degree will also offer opportunities to work on live projects and collaborate with industry leaders so that students can apply their new skills to real-world situations. Notably, the program will not require a previous degree in computer science, though basic proficiency in programming is preferred and experience in software development is necessary.

“Businesses today need software engineers that can lead teams, coordinate complex projects, and bring new ideas to the forefront but there aren’t enough qualified graduates in Latin America to help move the industry forward,” said Alfonso Reyes, Dean of the School of Engineering at Universidad de los Andes. “We are thrilled to partner with Coursera to develop our first online degree to empower students everywhere to pursue advanced roles in the field. The curriculum will be designed to meet the needs of the next generation of software engineers and address the skills deficit in Colombia and beyond.”

At Coursera, we’re particularly excited to partner with a top-ranked university like Universidad de los Andes to launch this cutting-edge degree program. Known for innovation and research, the institution is in the top 1 percent of the QS World University Ranking. The School of Engineering retains a high-quality teaching staff with strong academic backgrounds — 76 percent of professors have Ph.D. degrees.  

Software development is one of the most valuable skills in today’s job market, but Spanish-speaking learners need more options for flexible, high-quality education to help them pursue roles in the field. With this advanced degree program from Universidad de los Andes, we look forward to helping Spanish-speaking learners — including those without a previous degree in computer science — succeed in this highly sought-after field. 

To learn more about the degree, please visit https://www.coursera.org/degrees/maestria-ingenieria-software-uniandes           

* The online master’s degree in software engineering from Universidad de los Andes is subject to approval from the Colombian Ministry of Education

The post Universidad de los Andes Will Develop Latin America’s First Top-Tier Online Master’s in Software Engineering on Coursera appeared first on Coursera Blog.