This article was published on March 30, 2011

Want to learn to build a mobile app? There is a class for that


Want to learn to build a mobile app?  There is a class for that

The University of California San Diego Extension Offers new certificate program in App Development to help meet the need for app developers for cell phones and other wireless devices.

The Mobile Applications Certificate Program is led by the Digital Arts Center, the one-year, two-night-a-week certificate is an advanced training program for smartphone application enthusiasts and industry professionals.

If you are interested in pursuing a carrer in mobile app development, this certificate is aimed at to expand your design, programming and software development skills. Students in the one-year professional certificate are required to take eight courses with a tuition of $1,400 per course.

Comprehensive training
The mobile applications development certificate program is designed to give students comprehensive training encompassing programming, interface design and interaction design. It is important to note that the subject matter is not pure theoretical; the certificate program really focuses on a hands-on approach with practical uses.  During the final two quarters, students produce a complete mobile application for devices including iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android-based smartphones.

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The course reflects the shift of consumers and business people that recognize mobile applications help users streamline and organize their lives with a touch of a screen. Apps can provide a wide range of services from educational to informational, and social to recreational, helping users navigate their lives as well as their surroundings.

Susan Varnum, director of the Digital Arts Center at UCSD Extension states:
Mobile applications are produced by thousands of mobile application companies across the world. Our mobile apps program is a great complement to our already successful casual gaming program and both curriculums address the booming mobile media industry. Through our comprehensive training in game and app development, we offer individuals the skills needed to engage with and succeed in this rapidly evolving billion dollar industry.”

This is hardly a new focus for the school, The Digital Arts Center, a branch of UC San Diego Extension, offers professional training in various digital media art fields such as game design, graphic design, mobile apps development, video production and web design.

From their experience they have evolved the classroom setting to better suite the modern student. Students work directly with instructors who are practicing mobile application developers. In unison they conceive individual and group concepts for mobile applications and execute the prototypes in a team-based or individual setting.

If you live in the San Diego area and want to step up your game this seems like an excellent opportunity to work with industry experts and like-minded people.  Heck, if you are just looking for a good excuse to move to the city constantly rated as the best weather in the US it is worth it.

For the burgeoning mobile app developers out there, would you consider this program?  We would love to get your feedback.

You can review the course requirements by visiting the UCSD Extension site.

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