Information security is an extremely important topic in our world today. As individuals, we seek to protect our personal information while the corporations we work for have to protect suppliers, customers, and company assets. Creating secure software requires implementing secure practices as early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) as possible. This Specialization focuses on ensuring security as part of software design and is for anyone with some workplace experience in software development who needs the background, perspective, and skills to recognize important security aspects of software design. You’ll consider secure design for multiple SDLC models, software architecture considerations, and design patterns. You’ll understand how to identify and implement secure design when considering databases, UML, unit testing, and ethics. Mindsets and attitudes of successful designers—and hackers—are presented as well as project successes and failures. Always at the core of front-end design will be user experience and you will have the opportunity to ensure clean and effective user interfaces that also serve to provide the best security. Back-end development topics such as database design are also covered.
Secure Software Design Specialization
Design and maintain secure software.. Acquire the attitudes and skills needed to produce designs of secure software.
Offered By
What you will learn
Secure design
UML, unit testing, and ethics
Effective user interfaces
Database design
Skills you will gain
How the Specialization Works
Take Courses
A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.
Hands-on Project
Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.
Earn a Certificate
When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.
There are 4 Courses in this Specialization
Software Design as an Element of the Software Development Lifecycle
This course talks about software development lifecycles a description/prescription for how we write software. Design is a step in this life cycle, and the course explores the implications of this. Design has a role in the life cycle; it is always there, regardless of the kind of life cycle we’re talking about. Why is that? Why was design considered as a step in this life cycle?
Software Design as an Abstraction
The design step in developing software has some unique characteristics. First of all, it’s the only step where drawing pictures of things is the norm. Why is that? What do pictures do that other representations cannot do? Pictures have varying levels of detail; pictures have context. Pictures…paint a picture. Why are these things important? In this course, too, we begin looking at other disciplines (building architecture is a favorite one) for lessons on design.
Software Design Methods and Tools
Since many software developers are compulsive coders, they have created software over the years to help them do their job. There are tools which make design and its associated tasks easier. The course introduces some basic tools and techniques to help you with design. Tools aren’t always tangible, however. The last two lessons of this course discuss questions of Ethics in software development. The purpose here is, as with tools, to equip you to better carry our your responsibilities as a designer. Students will be required to have a prior knowledge of writing and delivering software and some programming knowledge in java.
Software Design Threats and Mitigations
The design step in developing software has some unique characteristics. First of all, it’s the only step where drawing pictures of things is the norm. Why is that? What do pictures do that other representations cannot do? Pictures have varying levels of detail; pictures have context. Pictures…paint a picture. Why are these things important? In this course, too, we begin looking at other disciplines (building architecture is a favorite one) for lessons on design.
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See terms and conditionsInstructor
Albert Glock
InstructorAbout University of Colorado System
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Can I take the course for free?
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
There are four courses, each of which can take up to
What background knowledge is necessary?
You must know how to code (in some language) and since this is a graduate course, it is helpful if you have some workplace experience in software development.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
If you are entering with the minimum knowledge needed, then following the courses in order is important. If you are an experienced software develop
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
Not at the beginner's level
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
You will be able to design software that has a better chance of being secure. Recognize that in this business, your success depends on how you perform against a changing
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
