Launching a new Nanodegree program is one of the most exciting things we get to do. Everyone involved—and there are ALWAYS a lot of people involved!—is acutely aware of what a new Nanodegree program means: new students, new stories, new achievements. We know lives are changed by these programs, and this knowledge permeates every decision we make and every action we take as we move towards launch day.
Three New Nanodegree Programs
So you can only imagine what it’s been like here at Udacity recently, what with the impending launch of not one, not two, but THREE new Nanodegree programs! That’s right, Udacity is launching three new Nanodegree programs, and they are all live today, and ready for you to enroll!
They are:
2D Mobile Game Developer | LibGDX
Taken together, these three combine to cover a remarkable range of interests, skill levels, and opportunities. Wherever your objectives are on the spectrum between personal betterment and career advancement, and whether you’re new to programming or already employed in the field, there is something vital here for you.
Beginning Ruby
If you ARE new to programming, you couldn’t pick a better way to get started than our new Beginning Ruby Nanodegree program. Ruby is an incredible programming language favored by start-ups across the globe, and it’s especially appealing to beginners because it reads almost like “regular” English. Ruby on Rails—a powerful web framework that powers sites like GitHub, Twitter, and Groupon—uses Ruby, and demand for Ruby on Rails developers is growing at exponential rates. So while this specific Nanodegree program isn’t a career-track program (because it’s for beginners), it IS an excellent starting place to build your Ruby programming foundations. Plus, it’s the first of a three-Nanodegree-program suite that does indeed prepare graduates for top employment in the field, so if your long-term goal is to become a professional developer and you need to get your programming skills together first, this is the place to begin.
2D Mobile Game Developer | LibGDX
Built in close partnership with Amazon Appstore, this Nanodegree program serves as an excellent example of how personal interests can impact professional trajectories. As the developers of this program proudly state, “Making and playing games is easily the most fun you can have with a computer, but there are real career opportunities here as well.” And that’s exactly what this Nanodegree program is all about, transforming your love of games into a successful profession. Whether your goal is to independently develop new games, or you’ve got your sights set on joining a gaming studio as a professional game developer, this is the perfect opportunity to master the skills you’ll need to succeed. The ability to release a game across a variety of devices and operating systems is critical, and the curriculum focuses on learning and using LibGDX, a powerful cross-platform game development framework that makes cross-platform functionality possible. Basic Java proficiency is a requirement to enroll, but after that, the sky’s the limit in terms of where your creativity will take you as you work your way towards creating your very own game using LIbGDX.
Senior Web Developer
You could say our Senior Web Developer Nanodegree program starts where the Front-End Web Developer Nanodegree culminates, in that it affords students the opportunity to build on existing Front-End Developer skills to master the newest and most innovative technologies available. Students learn how to select the best tools, frameworks, and technologies for the applications they’re going to build, and refine their abilities to analyze available toolkits and make informed decisions. Ultimately, the Senior Web Developer Nanodegree program is about securing a position as a Senior Web Developer, and this curriculum—built in close partnership with Google—is designed to equip graduates with exactly those skills they’ll need to succeed in the field. Over the course of the program, students will build a number of projects that use incredible new features like Promises, Service Worker, and other access APIs, all of which provide native-like functionality to web applications. If your goal is to secure a top position as a Senior Web Developer, this is absolutely the right path for you.
A Welcome To New Students
We are so excited to announce these new programs to you, and we can’t wait to see who enrolls where. Every new Nanodegree program represents the opportunity to meet new learners, and share in their futures, and with three new Nanodegree programs launching, anticipation is running very, very high in the halls of Udacity about all the new students we’re about to get to know. Since you’re just reading this now, it may be slightly premature to welcome you to the family, but we’re going to do it anyway! On behalf of all at Udacity, we happily welcome our new Beginning Ruby, 2D Mobile Game Developer, and Senior Web Developer students!
