25 Best Software Engineering Courses Online
Software engineering blends programming, system design, testing and maintenance to create reliable applications. Studying the field online gives you access to core concepts such as algorithms, data structures, version control, software architecture and emerging concerns like ethics in generative AI. The material is typically delivered through video lectures, practical exercises and quizzes, allowing you to work at your own pace while building a portfolio of code. The ten courses shown here are offered by Coursera, Udemy and edX, with listed prices from $19.99 up to $871.50. They cover a range of entry points: Java fundamentals with Duke University, interview preparation from UC San Diego, data‑structures practice using Python and C++, a focused module on UML class diagrams, and a full‑scale DevOps programme on edX. If you prefer a university‑affiliated credential, options from Duke, UC San Diego, the University of British Columbia and the University of Colorado System are included; otherwise shorter, skill‑specific courses are available on Udemy. Pricing and content focus are the main variables to consider when comparing these options.
- Courses compared
- 25
- Price range
- $19.99 – $871.50
- Providers
- Coursera, Udemy, edX
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 25 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, Udemy, edX, matched to "software engineering" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $19.99 to $871.50, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Mastering the Software Engineering Interview
Offered by University of California San Diego
You’ve hit a major milestone as a computer scientist and are becoming a capable programmer. You now know how to solve problems, write algorithms, and analyze solutions; and you have a wealth of tools (like data structure...
$79.00listed price -
2
Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals
Offered by Duke University
Take your first step towards a career in software development with this introduction to Java—one of the most in-demand programming languages and the foundation of the Android operating system. Designed for beginners, thi...
$49.00listed price -
3
Ethics in GenAI for Software Engineering Training
Offered by Simplilearn
This beginner-friendly course explores the ethical and legal foundations of using Generative AI in software engineering. Learn key ethical frameworks, understand common types of bias in AI-generated code, and explore the...
$49.00listed price -
4
Software Engineering 101: Data Structures with Python & C++
Welcome to Software Engineering 101: Data Structures with Python & C++ course. This is a comprehensive project based course where you will learn the fundamentals of data structures and algorithms like arrays, linked...
$19.99listed price -
5
Software Engineering Tools and Practices
Offered by Codio
This specialization is intended for those who want to take their skills beyond just coding. The act of writing software is a large ecosystem of skills, tools, and philosophies. These six courses introduce you to a system...
$49.00listed price -
6
DevOps and Software Engineering
Offered by IBM
This course provides a hands-on exploration of DevOps principles alongside software engineering practices. You'll learn how to integrate development and operations, improving collaboration and productivity throughout the...
$871.50listed price -
7
UML Class Diagrams for Software Engineering
Offered by KU Leuven
Learn how unified modeling language (UML) class diagrams are created and used to visualize and conceptualize the design of a system.
$59.00listed price -
8
Software Engineering Basics for Everyone
Offered by IBM
Build the foundation for an in-demand Software Engineering related career. Explore fundamental software engineering principles, processes, architecture, tools, and stacks. Hear from software experts discuss what it takes...
$99.00listed price -
9
Software Engineering: Introduction
Offered by University of British Columbia
Learn software engineering principles that are applicable to the breadth of large-scale software systems.
$125.00listed price -
10
DevOps, DataOps, MLOps
Offered by Duke University
Learn how to apply Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) to solve real-world problems. The course covers end-to-end solutions with Artificial Intelligence (AI) pair programming using technologies like GitHub Copilot to bui...
$49.00listed price -
11
Software Design Principles
Offered by Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
Master the essential principles and patterns that form the foundation of modern software development. This comprehensive course guides you through the evolution of software design, from understanding the Software Enginee...
$49.00listed price -
12
Information Systems Foundations
Offered by Northeastern University
The Information Systems Foundations specialization provides an immersive experience into software development and information systems across four courses. Designed to progressively build from basic concepts to advanced a...
$49.00listed price -
13
AI Agents with Model Context Protocol
Offered by Vanderbilt University
This Specialization teaches learners to build production-ready AI agents using TypeScript and the Model Context Protocol (MCP), focusing on the agentic patterns that make agents reliable, efficient, and autonomous. Learn...
$49.00listed price -
14
Introduction to C++ Programming and Unreal
Offered by University of Colorado System
This course is all about starting to learn how to develop video games using the C++ programming language and the Unreal Engine on Windows or Mac. This course assumes you have previous programming experience in some other...
$49.00listed price -
15
IBM DevOps, Cloud, and Agile Foundations
Offered by IBM
DevOps is more than just a fusion of development and operations. It is the cultural change that organizations everywhere are adopting to become more agile and innovate at scale. It makes it easier to deliver software and...
$49.00listed price -
16
Data Structures and Algorithms
Offered by University of California San Diego
Computer science legend Donald Knuth once said “I don’t understand things unless I try to program them.” We also believe that the best way to learn an algorithm is to program it. However, many excellent books and online...
$79.00listed price -
17
Coding Data Models with AI
Offered by University of Virginia
In this final course in the ‘Coding with AI’ specialization, we’ll close with an integrated approach to building full applications with a working Data Model, View (UI), and set of Controllers (or ‘algorithms’). As an MBA...
$49.00listed price -
18
Object Oriented Programming in Java
Offered by Duke University & University of California San Diego
This Specialization is for aspiring software developers with some programming experience in at least one other programming language (e.g., Python, C, JavaScript, etc.) who want to be able to solve more complex problems t...
$49.00listed price -
19
Concurrency in Go
Offered by University of California, Irvine
Learn how to implement concurrent programming in Go. Explore the roles of channels and goroutines in implementing concurrency. Topics include writing goroutines and implementing channels for communications between gorout...
$69.00listed price -
20
Introduction to AutoSAR
Offered by EDUCBA
This course covers every aspect of automotive software development, including the principles of AutoSAR, more complex AutoSAR ideas, non-AutoSAR use cases, and in-depth ECU abstraction development. You will examine the f...
$49.00listed price -
21
Building and Fine-Tuning LLM Applications
Offered by Packt
This course features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the co...
$49.00listed price -
22
Software Development Lifecycle
Offered by University of Minnesota
This Specialization is designed for people who are new to software engineering. It's also for those who have already developed software, but wish to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying context and theory of sof...
$49.00listed price -
23
Introduction to Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
Offered by University of California San Diego
Discrete Mathematics is the language of Computer Science. One needs to be fluent in it to work in many fields including data science, machine learning, and software engineering (it is not a coincidence that math puzzles...
$79.00listed price -
24
Node.js Patterns: Streams, Design Patterns, and Testing
Offered by Packt
Modern Node.js applications demand more than functional code—they require scalable architectures, maintainable designs, and reliable testing practices. This course explores advanced Node.js patterns and architectural str...
$49.00listed price -
25
Holistic Web Development: Responsive UIs, Logic, Deployment
Offered by Board Infinity
This specialization equips learners with comprehensive knowledge in web development, focusing on responsive UI design, server-side logic, and scalable deployment strategies. Participants will master essential skills in m...
$49.00listed price
Best Software Engineering Courses Online compared
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 25 priced courses on this page run from $19.99 to $871.50, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $851.51. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from Coursera, Udemy and edX. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 12 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of California San Diego, Duke University and University of British Columbia — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 18 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.