As of January 2019, there were 5 billion unique users of mobile devices worldwide! People prefer spending time in apps because they offer an almost infinite range of services — from online shopping to reading books to playing games. Literally, there’s an app for any task. There are tools for budgeting, for traveling, for enterprise planning, for simulating goals, etc.
Statista reports that the global mobile platforms’ revenue is expected to surge from $460 billion in 2019 to almost $1 trillion in 2023. It’s a highly lucrative market not only for businesses but for mobile app developers, too. People who create mobile applications and platforms are in high demand today.
And let’s face it, you’re actually reading this because you want to build apps and earn some money. Hence, proceed to our guide that includes tips & tricks on choosing the best courses in mobile application development.
What to Look for When Choosing?
There are tons of offers from various schools, colleges, and universities that promise to teach you mobile development. It’s easy to get lost in this sea of information. That’s why our first hint is pretty simple. Take your time, read about programs, evaluate your eligibility, and only then enroll for the most suitable course. For this, you should understand what you want to learn.
If you don’t know where to start, here are a few pieces of advice from our experts:
- Access platform-based courses. Yes, feel free to use official resources from Android/iOS app developers. They can provide the necessary basics of how to create apps. You can use these sites to create hybrid or native apps.
- Find other sources of information. Don’t forget about YouTube channels, video and text tutorials, blogs, social media, forums for mobile app developers, and so on. Most likely, your teachers will share the list of sites that you can refer to.
- Get involved in internships. While this form of cooperation implies non-paid work, you can still get valuable experience in development and digital marketing. Opt for the best offers from companies like Google or Apple if you feel that you can meet their requirements.
- Choose reputable institutions. Schools and universities should be accredited and have a good reputation. To find top offers, check reviews and talk to other students. Figure out whether some of their graduates work in leading mobile app development companies.
- Select courses with relevant content. If you want to know the basics, choose courses covering popular languages for Windows or Android/iOS app development. If you want to learn about mobile security or master React Native mobile framework by Facebook, search for pro courses.
With this in mind, let’s focus on the best colleges that offer such courses in the USA.
So, What Are the Options?
Thanks to the progress and widespread use of mobile products, you can find numerous mobile-related courses. Experienced tutors teach students how to code, design intuitive interfaces, and even monetize apps. Thus, newbies can easily jump into this industry.
Still, if you want to get the best offers, it may be a challenging task. Without proper research on experts, universities, and technologies, you can barely distinguish a good educational program from the bad one. Fortunately, we’re here to help. Enjoy our list of five top colleges!
Lone Star College
It is located in the heart of Texas, Houston. Many consider it to be one of the most popular colleges in the whole country. Often, students say that Lone Star is attractive because of the nice balance between tuition fees and quality. Annually, the institution attracts almost 100,000 attendees – and it’s a great result.
It offers a course called Mobile/Web Application Development AAS Degree. It’s a 2-year program dedicated to various programming, managing, and general-knowledge aspects. Students learn nuances of running a development agency, B2B, B2C, and C2C interactions, study languages and various techniques of custom software development.
Important info about this course is just below:
- Benefits for students: average tuition fee of $862 per semester, wide career opportunities, on-campus study, different courses.
- Spheres and skills: security, computer science, algebra, digital marketing, management, web design, system analysis, native apps, cross-platform apps, etc.
- Key languages and technologies: C#, Java, iOS/Android.
University of California, San Diego
Part of the large UC network, the college is located in San Diego and is fully focused on science. It offers top-notch courses on how to build mobile apps. Packed with the practical UCSD Extension module and affordable fees, the institution is a hit among tech students.
It provides a 1-year Mobile Applications Programming & Design course. It’s more suitable for those who already have some knowledge in this field and want to get more skills. A college degree would be a big plus. UCSD focuses on both iOS and Android app development, as well as custom courses.
The following basic points are included:
- Benefits for students: industry experts as teachers, project-based methodology, training on the basis of real tools, online study, suitable for career changers.
- Spheres and skills: security, business apps, app design, user experience/user interface (UX/UI), front-end programming, product integration, AR, frameworks.
- Key languages and technologies: Android Java, Android Studio, Apple Xcode IDE, Swift, Java, Objective-C.
Tulsa Tech
This one was created as a public school in 1965. Today, it’s a tech center of Oklahoma. The college has seven campuses, numerous educational programs, and issues different certificates. Particularly, it provides courses in the sphere of custom software development.
The course in Tulsa is relatively short and is available to adults and local high-school attendees. Adults spend nine months studying on a part-time basis so they can continue working. Students spend one school year, from August to May. Later, the earned credits can be used to enroll for other programs.
Tulsa Tech’s course provides the following opportunities:
- Benefits for students: credits accepted by other colleges, help with further education, employment options, on-campus study, acceptable for working adults.
- Spheres and skills: security, analysis, fundamentals of technology, programming concepts, app design, testing, capstone programs.
- Key languages and technologies:
Madison Area Technical College
As the biggest institution in the WTC system, this one works for over 40,000 attendees! It was established in 1912 but has already evolved into a really large educational establishment. Here, students can apply for over 150 certificates, including tech courses that help you learn how to build mobile apps. Madison College imposes pretty low tuition fees per credit.
The IT-Mobile Applications Developer course is an AAS degree that helps students get the required skills for their future IT career. It offers both tech and general-knowledge modules, helps to learn the main principles of mobile development and find a job quickly. Graduates are offered to work for top mobile app development companies in Madison, Wisconsin, and the whole Midwest.
The college’s course features the following points:
- Benefits for students: entry-level skills for different industries, full or part-time education, on-campus study, transfer opportunities.
- Spheres and skills: information technology, security, web development, databases, user experience/user interface (UX/UI), Agile methodology, psychology, finance, cloud computing.
- Key languages and technologies: PHP, ASP.NET, JavaScript, AJAX, MySQL, XHTML, XML, HTML5, CSS, C#, Kotlin, Android, iOS, Windows.
Tri-C College
In 1963, this was the first educational facility of this type in Ohio. Today, it offers around 200 programs and works with over 55,000 students yearly. This place is one of the top-rated establishments in Ohio and the whole country.
Their short-term course focuses on helping young developers start their career in IT. It includes only 21 credits but gives all the necessary basics in design, development, and testing. Applicants don’t have to provide other diplomas but can switch to full AAS programs after finishing this course.
The most important points about the course are below:
- Benefits for students: short but exhaustive course, quick employment, transfer options to AAS degrees, on-campus study.
- Spheres and skills: business apps solutions, information technology, programming, data science.
- Key languages and technologies: Java, iOS, Android.
Conclusion
Smart devices are everywhere today. And thus, we see more opportunities pop up for all those wishing to create apps, learn advanced mobile apps development techniques, or master React Native and other frameworks. You can start with short educational programs to grasp the basics of iOS/Android app development or jump right into AAS. It depends on your background and end goals. Some colleges even offer options for working adults. Moreover, tuition fees are affordable, especially for locals.
If you need more advanced info, feel free to consult the experts. Our guide is just an entry point that shows where you can start. Luckily, the USA education system offers numerous options, from small schools to giant Ivy League universities. It’s possible to find the course for every taste and budget. Don’t hesitate to research on program details, contact support teams by email, talk to development agencies, and collect feedback on social media. Be smart and build apps with true passion!
