About
A ten-week certificate program covering software testing strategies and tools and techniques for software test automation
The software testing landscape is undergoing seismic changes due to the increasing availability of open-source tools, security threats, and the move towards shift left and shift right testing. This program will cover successful approaches to automated software testing for the web using such test tools as Python and its packages such as BeautifulSoup, Selenium, and Pytest as well as Postman and JMeter. It is ideally suited for technical professionals with some programming experience who wish to learn the skills to build and deliver automated testing solutions. Students will gain an understanding of how to use tools available for software testing as well as the underlying concepts of automated software testing. Students will also learn how to perform load testing, do visual testing, and how automated testing fits in with continuous integration.
Program content includes lectures, demos, and hands-on exercises. Students are required to bring their laptop computers for hands-on coding to every class.
Students in this program will be able to:
- Use Python and related testing libraries to run: functional tests, unit tests-BDD and TDD, visual tests, and perform website scraping
- Configure Python environment with Git/GitHub, Linter, Pytest, and various other libraries
- Understand Internet/browser architecture to know what type of test is appropriate for a particular situation
- Be able to explain Selenium architecture
- Know the difference between TDD and BDD and be able to explain the strengths/weaknesses of both. Also, be able to write TDD software tests
- Understand visual testing and its advantages over traditional automated Selenium tests
- Understand the strengths/weaknesses of automated testing and explain when an automated test is warranted
- Understand and explain the test automation pyramid
- Understand performance testing and explain the differences between a)load testing, b)stress testing, and c)soak testing and explain the various metrics to be collected and how they differ from AI testing
- Demonstrate the ability to write test cases and implement them in Selenium using XPath and CSS selectors
- Understand continuous integration and its benefits
In order to successfully install the various software packages used in the program, the student's laptop must have the following minimum specifications: operating system Windows 7 or later, Windows 10 is preferred; processor 1 GHz or faster processor or SoC; RAM 1 GB for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit; hard disk space 16 GB for 32-bit or 20 GB for 64-bit; graphics card DirectX9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver. Students must have full administrator rights to their personal computers in order to successfully install and use the software. Unfortunately, we have found other operating systems (such as MAC OS) to be
not compatible with the software used in the program.
For a complete program description,
download the program's brochure.
Dates
Autumn Quarter 2023:
Fall 2023 dates to be announced.
Fees
Autumn Quarter 2023
Tuition
Full payment of tuition must be received before the start of the program. Students who elect to pay tuition using a credit or debit card will be assessed a non-refundable 2.75% convenience fee.
Refund/Cancellation Policy: DePaul reserves the right to cancel any program before that program’s first scheduled meeting, in which case tuition fees (but not convenience fees) will be refunded. The university's refund policy allows a return of 100% of tuition if the student drops the Automated Software Testing Program within the first two weeks of the program (convenience fees will not be refunded).
Notice for Current DePaul Students
- Undergraduates: Please be aware that the tuition fee for this program is not included in the university’s full-time term package pricing.
Application Fee
Each program requires a $40.00 (non-refundable) application fee that can be paid online (via credit card) during the online application process. If you need to pay this fee by check or money order, please make the check or money order payable to DePaul University and send it to:
DePaul University Institute for Professional Development
243 S. Wabash Avenue
Room 301
Chicago, IL 60604
Textbooks
Textbooks are a separate purchase to be made by students.
Reading materials for certificate programs consist of textbooks and supplementary handouts. Textbook readings are considered preparatory in nature and are typically assigned prior to lectures; supplementary handouts are frequently distributed in class to provide additional information.
There are no required textbooks for this session.
Payment Options
Fees are payable by check made out to DePaul University, or by credit card. Students who elect to pay tuition using a credit or debit card will be assessed a non-refundable 2.75% convenience fee.
Applicants who are eligible for a tuition reimbursement program offered by their employer and are interested in deferring their tuition payment using the university's Employer Tuition Deferral Plan must return the Employer Tuition Deferral Plan application to the Institute for Professional Development Office. Submitting this application to any other DePaul office may delay the student's registration process. Information about this plan, along with an application form, is found
here.
Applicants who wish to use the university's Single Term Payment Plan or a third-party billing arrangement should contact the Institute for Professional Development office at (312) 362-6282 for details.
Admissions
Admission Requirements
Applicants should have at least six months of IT-related work experience, along with experience programming in a modern language (for example, Java, Python, or C++). Basic experience with a personal computer running Windows is assumed. Students are required to bring their laptop computers to class.
Course Credit
The Automated Software Testing Program is catalogued as a non-credit course of DePaul University. A certificate of completion from DePaul University is awarded to those who successfully complete the program's requirements. Program requirements include in-class lab work as well as homework assignments and projects. No midterm or final exams are conducted.
The Automated Software Testing Program is a graded course. A final grade letter as well as a DePaul transcript (upon request) will be available upon program completion.
Application & Registration Procedure
All interested parties should apply for admission by completing the
online application; or, download and complete the
Application Form and email the form to ipd@cdm.depaul.edu. Upon admission, the Institute office will contact the prospective student with registration information and instructions.
You do not have to be an existing DePaul student to take this certificate program. Registration is restricted to individuals who apply for admission to the program and receive an acceptance letter. IPD staff will register applicants upon receipt of payment and registration form.
Regular DePaul students cannot register themselves via the university's registration system. If interested in enrollment, regular DePaul students should begin by submitting an application for admission. Students must meet the program's admission criteria.