Overview
In this career, your responsibilities may include:
- Developing computer applications, or the systems that run computers and control networks.
- Working closely with computer programmers, who write the actual code for the frameworks the software developer designs.
Job Titles
In your job search, you may find job listings for this career under different titles. You can find some examples of these, as well as more information about this career, at Career One Stop.
Academic Requirements
Typically requires a bachelor’s degree, although some employers prefer to hire candidates with a master’s degree. Obtaining a master’s degree can make you eligible for careers with greater responsibility and higher salaries in this career pathway, if you do not already have the U.S. equivalent of a master’s degree.
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Certification
Certifications not required if you have a portfolio of work to show your skills. If you do not have a portfolio of work to show potential employers, then certifications could make employers more likely to hire you or offer you a higher salary.
You may be eligible for one of the following certifications:
Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)
Oracle Java SE Certification, several options available
Oracle Certified Professional, Java EE 7 Application Developer Certification
Microsoft Technology Associate: Developer Track, several options available
AWS Certified Developer – Associate
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Licensure
Licensure is not required to work as a Software Developer.
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Mutual Recognition Agreement
A Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) is an agreement between two or more jurisdictions to accept the educational or professional credentials granted under each other’s authority. This means that if you graduated with a specific degree or earned certain professional qualifications in a country covered under an MRA, your credentials may be automatically recognized here in the U.S.
The Seoul Accord is an MRA between accrediting organizations in multiple countries to recognize each other’s academic qualifications. If you graduated from an accredited computing or other IT program in one of the 8 non-U.S. jurisdictions covered by the Seoul Accord, then your degree may already be declared substantially equivalent to a degree from a U.S. program, and you may not need to obtain a credential evaluation. However, individual state licensing boards have the final authority on whether or not a particular degree meets their specific requirements for licensure. MRAs are not legally binding, and some states may choose not to recognize credentials covered under an MRA.
- In addition to the U.S., the jurisdictions that have signed to the Seoul Accord are: Australia; Canada; Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China; Japan; Korea; Mexico; Taiwan, Republic of China; and United Kingdom.
Contact us with any questions you might have.