Learn how to build software for the modern web
Our Full Stack Engineering course teaches students how to build modern web applications from the ground up. Our students learn how to research and solve technical challenges so that they can continue upgrading their skills to stay relevant in an ever changing technology landscape.
Full Stack Engineering
Professional Development
Mentorship
Connections
Upcoming Cohorts
Minsky Cohort
March 18, 2024 - August 1, 2024
Neumann Cohort
July 15, 2024 - November 28, 2024
"O" Cohort
November 4th, 2024 - April 10th, 2025
2X
is average salary increase for a student who has graduated and secured a job
90%
of students searching for jobs get placed within 6 months
$ 15,500
Duration: 20 Weeks
Location: Fargo, ND
Application Deadline: June 24th, 2024
Start Date:
July 15th, 2024
Course Content
Our curriculum
An immersive 20-week experience that prepares students for entry level software development positions. We use modern technologies like HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, git, React, and Node.js to teach foundational web concepts and techniques.
The curriculum is designed to emulate the on-the-job training experience that an entry level developer would receive in the first few months at work. Students will create connections to their fellow classmates, guest speakers, and local employers that they will be able to call upon throughout their career.
We have students work through a few modules on Free Code Camp. Tier 1 in our program is about reviewing JavaScript, while Tier 2 is jumping in with even deeper and more complex topics. So, we want you to be prepared in every way possible to ensure your success. The students who have truly taken the time to dig into these before starting EDA have been more successful and more engaged throughout the program.
The first six weeks of the program focuses on foundational skills and ramping up to the full time classroom experience. Tier 1 ensures that all students come into the classroom on the same page and with a shared learning context. In addition to learning about how the web and browsers work together, students will learn how to code with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
You will work on your own schedule, learning through online training and weekly coding assignments. There are weekly video chat checkins with your instructor and classmates and a chat channel for homework help. Throughout Tier 1 there are opportunities to meet in the classroom for the weekly checkin, if your availability allows it.
Goals, Topics + Outcomes
- Understand foundational concepts: how browsers, servers, and the web work.
- Understand programming concepts: conditionals, loops, variables, functions
- Gain familiarity with programming tools like the command line, source control, programming environment, and browser debugging
- Learn HTML5 and CSS
- Learn basic and intermediate JavaScript
Time Commitment
- 15-25 hours per week
- online with weekly online video chats
In the classroom full-time, you will dive into the more advanced concepts of software engineering. You will learn about new technologies in a hands-on environment, with guidance from your instructors, advice from mentors, and support of your fellow cohort-mates.
Throughout the course, guest speakers from industry will present to the class, further exposing students to industry processes, real-world experience, and the technology that powers the businesses and teams in our region.
Each day presents unique sets of challenges and learning opportunities.
Goals, Topics + Outcomes
- Learn about the modern "web stack", including frontend and backend technologies and concepts
- Practice developing full stack web applications with JavaScript
- DOM manipulation with jQuery
- Building frontend apps with React
- Building backend systems with Node.js
- Learn about SQL and Databases
- Develop your research skills by studying how to learn new technologies and frameworks
- Survey of other languages for comparison and exposure (like C#, Java, Ruby, or Python)
- Gain exposure to industry processes and techniques from our guest speakers and mentors
Time Commitment
- 60+ hours per week
- In class from M-F, 8:30am - 5:00pm + homework
Goals, Topics + Outcomes
- Demonstrate working ability to build full stack web applications
- Polish up your professional profile by completing portfolio projects, updating your resume, applying for jobs, and completing mock interviews
- Complete your solo project that is unique to your interests and abilities
- Meet with community client to scope, design, and build a real web app
- Practice real-world team skills, including project communication, time management, conflict resolution, collaborative source control, and task prioritization.
- Gain confidence and practice your public speaking by presenting your project to your client in a public demo
- Participate in career day, making connections to local employers who are hiring.
Time Commitment
- 60+ hours per week
- In class from M-F, 8:30am - 5:00pm + scheduled team sessions
Download your copy of the program syllabus.
Required Hardware
Having access to your own computer is an important part of becoming a technology professional. All coursework will be completed on your computer. For consistency, we highly recommend a mac using the latest version of OSX, although a laptop running Linux would work as well (Ubuntu). If you have questions about your computer's specifications or would like help picking one out, please contact us. We will provide each student with an extra monitor for use during class.
Career support
EDA connects students with employers searching for new teammates, but we don’t send you in unprepared. We’ll work with you to build a resume and a portfolio of work that you can show off. You’ll receive coaching on interviewing strategies, actionable feedback from industry recruiters, and local hiring managers who spend time with you at a mock interview day. EDA's industry network are always connecting job seekers and alumni with fresh opportunities.
Resume buliding
Creating a resume can be challenging when you start thinking about all the information you need to share with prospective employers. Our staff works with students on best practices when writing a resume, cover letter and applications so that our students can have the best outcome.
Mentorship
Success after EDA sometimes depends more on who you know than what you know. Through our mentor program we introduce you to smart, supportive professionals from the local tech community. We pair small groups of students with a few working professionals. You’ll meet bi-weekly with your mentor group for advice and insights to help kick-start your new career
Career Day
The culmination of all this preparation is career day, a remarkable opportunity to interview with multiple employers excited about EDA and eager to speak with you. EDA's network of employers means there are always companies ready to talk to you about open positions. Not every student lands their first breakthrough connections from career day, but every graduate benefits by shaking off their entry-level interviewing butterflies and gaining confidence in speaking about themselves and their portfolios.
Tuition & Financing
Tuition + financing
Your tuition supports Emerging Digital Academy's staff, development of our employer network and ongoing curriculum development. Tuition covers instruction and required software. Students are responsible for their own transportation, meals and living expenses during the program.
Please note that financing need not be finalized when you apply. Once accepted into the program, we’ll work with you one-on-one on your best option! Below are some options of financing.
Self-Financing
Students who wish to self finance can work with their financial institution to evaluate personal loans. Nerd Wallet has more information. Up front payment comes with a $500 discount.
Payment Plan
Reach out to our staff for more information about setting up a payment plan.
CEAL Loan
Through a unique partnership with Bank of North Dakota, students can apply for a loan through their Career Education & Alternative Learning (CEAL) Program, which provides funds for tuition and living expenses while attending Emerging Digital Academy. Learn more.
Click below to download our Financing Guide, which will walk you through all of our financing options in more detail.
Scholarships + support
Emerging Digital Academy offers scholarships and other financial support, for more information about potential financial support please contact us.
Veterans Discount
Emerging Digital Academy is applying to be an educational partner for the VA's Vet Tec pilot program. The program is designed to support GI Bill eligible veterans pursuing high value, non-traditional programs like EDA. Until we are approved, we are offering a $500 discount for veterans. Plesae contact us for more information.
Scholarships
Emerging Digital Academy provides a number of scholarships to support students seeking to attend our programs. EDA and our partners are committed to building a diverse tech community where we may have additional aid programs, grants, and scholarships available to you. Please contact us for more information.
Career Builders
Emerging Digital Academy provides a number of scholarships to support students seeking to attend our programs. Prime and our partners are committed to building a diverse tech community.
To encourage people of color pursuing tech careers, Emerging Digital Academy grants a $500 scholarship to each person of color accepted into the program.
Important Things to Note
Applying to the Program is Free
Applying to Emerging Digital Academy is free and always will be. You do not need to have financing figured out to be accepted to the program. On top of that, applying does not mean you are committed. Once accepted to the program, you are free to choose any upcoming cohort (or none at all). We encourage students who are interested in the program but are not sure about their future schedule to apply anyway.
$1,500 Down Payment Saves Your Spot in the Cohort
Your $1500 down payment is due when you confirm your acceptance into the program before your part-time portion (tier 1) of the program begins and this confirms your spot in the cohort! Your remaining tuition of $14,000 (sans scholarship/discounts) is due on your first day of full-time class (tier 2).
There is Time
Study your options to understand how financing could work for you, but remember that you don’t need to actually apply for a loan or have these details finalized when you submit your application to Emerging Digital Academy. Applying for financing often takes less than a couple weeks. You have time to figure out your options. Just make sure that once you’re ready, you secure your spot in your selected cohort by making the refundable down payment.
FAQ’s
Frequently asked quetions
The term "full stack" refers to a software developer's ability to understand, design, and work with software at all layers of the modern web "stack", including both frontend (web browser) and backend (server/database) layers. There are many different software components that can make up a web stack. Once you master the domain knowledge of a particular set of technologies (like Node.js, Express, React, or PostgreSQL), the ideas and high level patterns that you learn are applicable to other environments. An experienced full stack engineer may work in a dozen or more technology configurations in their career. Learning how to navigate and research new technologies is crucial, which is why developing this skill is an integral part of our curriculum.
Are you a problem solver? Then - yes! You do need some HTML and CSS skills to apply; however, we give you all the resources you need to complete the admissions application. If you’re accepted, you’ll spend the first six week of the program learning the basics of web and programming. We also provide prerequisite study material prior to the start of the program to give you a head start on new material.
Our tuition is $15,500 for the entire 20-week experience. However, you have options. Discounts and scholarships could be available to you. Financing options include self-financing, applying for an Income Share Agreement, or applying for Bank of North Dakota's CEAL Loan. You can download our Financing Guide to get more information!
To complete the program, it is estimated that students put in 800+ hours of work over 20 weeks. In Tier 1, students work independently on foundational skills and preparing for full-time class experience, up to 25 hours/week. Tier 2 and Tier 3 require 60+ hours of classroom (weekdays 9am-5pm) and project time dedicated to learning the advanced concepts. Students aren’t able to hold full or part-time jobs while taking the course due to the time commitment.
After graduation, graduates enter into our Alumni Program. Our Alumni Program is open to all graduates and is built to support job searchers, provide networking opportunities with the broader community, and share professional development possibilities including meet-ups, workshops, potential speaking engagements, and more.
Still have questions? Contact us for more information.
Testimonials
Hear from our graduates on how attending Emerging Digital Academy impacted their lives.
"Emerging Digital Academy has taught me how to push myself to be the best I can be for myself and those around me. It has taught me what it looks like to laugh and have a lot of fun in the midst of the biggest learning experience of my life."
Eyan Anderson
Application Developer, Doosan Digital Innovation America"Emerging Digital Academy has completely changed my life. When I decided to quit my job and join the program, it felt pretty intimidating, but now I've landed a job at the place I used to dream about when I first started. It's been a game-changer, and I couldn't be happier with how things have unfolded."
Alyssa Nichols
Software Developer, Scheels"I’m very grateful for my time at EDA because it was a step towards my goals of developing a high-tech escape game! I had the game in mind for years but I lacked the technical skills to pursue it and the costs of purchasing a high-tech escape game can range $20,000 to $50,000. Perhaps the most beneficial thing I learned at EDA was a confidence to take on new languages, as we learned several during the course. My goal of building my dream escape room has become feasible thanks in large to Emerging Digital Academy."
