Real Skills for Real Software Challenges

Week By Week Curriculum

WeekMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday
Week 1 – What Is Programming?

Goal: Comfort with computers + thinking logically
· What software engineering is
· How computers work (high level)
· Installing tools (VS Code, Git)
· First program: print("Hello World")
· Variables & values
· Numbers vs strings
· Basic math
· Lab: calculator script
· Conditionals (if/else)
· Boolean logic
· Lab: grading program
· Loops (while, for)
· Common loop mistakes
· Lab: number guessing game
· Review day
· Mini project: text-based game
· Git intro (init, add, commit)
Week 2 – Programming Fundamentals Deep Dive

Goal: Thinking like a programmer
· Functions
· Parameters & return values
· Scope
· Debugging techniques
· Errors vs bugs
· Reading stack traces
· Problem-solving patterns
· Pseudocode
· Whiteboarding basics
· Mini challenge day
Week 3 – Python Basics

Goal: Comfort writing Python
· Python syntax
· Data types
· Lists
· Indexing
· Dictionaries
· Real-world modeling
· Sets & tuples
· Choosing the right structure
· Project: contact list app
Week 4 – Python Control & Structure· Nested logic· Functions refactor· File I/O (read/write)· Exception handling· Project: log analyzer
Week 5 – Python Projects & Testing· Modules
· Virtual environments
· Intro to testing (pytest)· Writing test cases· Refactoring for readability· Assessment + project demo
Week 6 – Data Structures (Beginner Level)· Arrays vs lists· Stacks & queues· Hash maps· Big-O intuition· Whiteboard exercises
Week 7 – Web Basics· How the internet works
· HTTP
· Requests & responses· JSON· APIs explained· API consumption project
Week 8 – Python Backend (FastAPI/Flask)· Web servers· Routes & handlers· Request validation· REST principles· CRUD API project
Week 9 – Databases· SQL basics· Tables & schemas· Queries· ORM usage· API + DB integration
Week 10 – Authentication· Auth vs authz· Password hashing· JWT· Protected routes· Secure API project
Week 11 – Software Engineering Practices· Clean code· Code reviews· Git workflows· Documentation· Refactor week
Week 12 – Python Capstone· Full backend project· Presentation· Technical assessment
WeekMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday
Week 13 – Go Basics· Go tooling· Syntax· Structs· Functions· CLI app
Week 14 – Go Deep Dive· Pointers· Interfaces· Errors· Testing· Refactor lab
Week 15 – Go HTTP Servers· net/http· Routing· JSON· Middleware· API project
Week 16 – Go + Database· DB drivers· SQL in Go· Migrations· Auth· Production API
Week 17 – Concurrency· Goroutines· Channels· Worker pools· Race conditions· Concurrent app
Week 18 – Performance· Profiling· Benchmarks· Caching· Optimization· Performance lab
Week 19 – Architecture· Monoliths· Microservices· API versioning· Message queues· System design practice
Weeks 20–24 – Backend Capstone· Go OR Python backend
· Real-world features
· Code reviews
· Deployment-ready app
WeekMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday
Week 25 – JavaScript Basics· JS syntax· Functions· Arrays & objects· Loops· DOM project
Week 26 – Async JavaScript· Event loop· Promises· Async/await· Error handling· API frontend app
Week 27 – TypeScript· Types· Interfaces· Generics· Refactoring JS → TS· Typed app
Weeks 28–31 – React· Components
· Hooks
· State
· Forms
· Routing
· API integration

Weekly React Projects
Week 32 – React Testing & Performance
Weeks 33–36 – Fullstack App· React frontend
· Go/Python backend
· Auth
· Deployment
WeekTopics
Weeks 37–38 – DevOps· Linux
· Docker
· CI/CD
· Logging
Weeks 39–46 – TEAM CAPSTONE· Agile sprints
· Standups
· PR reviews
· Demos
Weeks 47–48 – Job Prep· Resume
· Portfolio
· Mock interviews
· System design (junior)

Program Structure (High Level)

Weekly Time Split (30 hrs):

  • 15 hrs — Instruction + guided labs
  • 10 hrs — Project work (pair & solo)
  • 5 hrs — Code reviews, whiteboarding, debugging, career prep

Core Pillars

  1. Programming Fundamentals
  2. Backend Engineering (Go & Python)
  3. Frontend Engineering (JS, TS, React)
  4. Databases & APIs
  5. Systems, Testing, DevOps basics
  6. Capstone & Job Readiness

1-Year Curriculum Breakdown

WeekTopicsProjects
Weeks 1–2: Programming & Engineering Foundations

Goal: Learn how engineers think
· Data types, loops, functions
· Lists, dicts, sets
· File I/O
· Exceptions
· Modules & virtual environments
· Unit testing with pytest
· Contact manager
· Log file analyzer
· REST client script
Weeks 7–10: Python Backend Development· HTTP & REST fundamentals
· Flask or FastAPI
· Routing & middleware
· Request validation
· SQL basics (Postgres)
· ORM (SQLAlchemy)
· Authentication basics
· CRUD REST API (users + resources)
Weeks 11–12: Computer Science Essentials· Data structures (arrays, stacks, queues, hash maps)
· Recursion
· Sorting & searching
· Memory & references
· Intro to concurrency concepts
· Whiteboarding
· Refactor previous projects
WeekTopicsProjects
Weeks 13–16: Go Fundamentals· Go syntax & tooling
· Structs & interfaces
· Pointers
· Error handling
· Packages & modules
· Testing in Go
· CLI tools
· File processing app
Weeks 17–20: Go Backend Engineering· HTTP servers
· REST APIs in Go
· JSON & validation
· Middleware patterns
· Authentication (JWT)
· Database integration
· Migrations
· Go REST API (production-style layout)
Weeks 21–22: Concurrency & Performance· Goroutines
· Channels
· Worker pools
· Race conditions
· Benchmarking
· Profiling
· Concurrent data processor
· Rate-limited API
Weeks 23–24: Systems & Architecture· Monolith vs microservices
· API versioning
· Caching (Redis concepts)
· Background jobs
· Message queues (conceptual)
· Architecture diagrams
· System design interviews (junior-level)
WeekTopicsProjects
Weeks 25–27: JavaScript Fundamentals· JS runtime & event loop
· Closures
· Async/await
· Promises
· Error handling
· Browser APIs
· Vanilla JS apps
· API consumption
Weeks 28–30: TypeScript· Types & interfaces
· Generics
· Type narrowing
· TS with backend & frontend
· Refactoring JS → TS
· Typed frontend app
· Shared API types
Weeks 31–35: React· Components & JSX
· Hooks
· State management
· Forms & validation
· Routing
· API integration
· Error boundaries
· Dashboard app
· Auth-enabled frontend
· Backend integration
Week 36: Frontend Testing & Performance· Component testing
· E2E testing concepts
· Performance profiling
· Accessibility basics
WeekTopicsProjects
Weeks 37–38: DevOps & Deployment· Linux basics
· Docker
· Environment variables
· CI/CD concepts
· Cloud basics
· Observability & logging
Weeks 39–46: Capstone ProjectTeam-based, real-world app

· Go or Python backend
· React + TypeScript frontend
· Auth
· Database
· Deployment
· Monitoring
· Documentation
Weekly Deliverables

· Standups
· Sprint planning
· Code reviews
· Demo days
Weeks 47–48: Career Readiness· Components & JSX
· Resume workshops
· GitHub portfolio review
· Behavioral interviews
· Technical interviews
· System design (junior)
· Negotiation basics
Final Output
· Polished portfolio
· Deployed capstone
· Mock interviews