Applied Software Development (ASD)

Associate Certificate Part-time School of Computing and Academic Studies

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Overview

The Applied Software Development (ASD) Associate Certificate covers best practices and industry standards in application development. Learn to program with Python and move on to Java, business analysis and systems design. Electives include application development with C, Java, C#, and C++, plus Agile scrum methods, QA, and software testing.

About the program

3 intakes: September, January, and April
Classes at night after 6pm and on weekends
Course-by-course registration, pay as you go – you could complete this program in as little as 2 years with 1 course per term
Includes 6 of the most popular programming languages
May be completed concurrently with Applied Computer Information Systems (ACIS), which offers complementary skills in computer and file management, web development, mathematics, database and communications
Provides the foundational skills to move on to advanced software development – ASD is a sub-set of the CST FLEX Diploma from BCIT Computing and only functions as an entry-to-practice credential for those with other post-secondary IT education or related work experience

See the Program Details to learn more.

Who should complete the ASD Associate Certificate?

This program might be for you if you:

You are a legacy programmer upgrading to current development environments in C, Java, C++, and C#
You have post-secondary education in Computing and IT and want to learn programming languages for application development
You are also completing ACIS on route to the CSC and CST Diploma.
You enjoy problem-solving, communicating, and working in teams

If any of these sound like you, please check the ASD Entrance Requirements.

What Applied Software Development graduates can do

By earning your ASD, you will have gained hands-on skills in software development in multiple programming languages.

You will be able to:

Use best practices to create software applications to industry standards
Design code using the most popular programming languages: Python, Java, C, C#, and C++
Contribute and communicate effectively as a member of a software development team
Apply logical, critical, and creative thinking to effectively solve Computing and IT-related problems
Learn independently and adopt new tools, current technologies, and methods to stay on top of the latest technologies
Be admitted to the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC) or the advanced Web and Mobile Application Development (WMA) Associate Certificate, if you already have a diploma or degree – ASD students moving on to the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC) should choose electives accordingly, starting with COMP 2511 and COMP 2833

Learn industry standards to create scalable and secure software applications.

Start with just one course: COMP 1516 – Programming Fundamentals Part 1 (Python)

Entrance Requirements

Prerequisites:

COMP 1002 or equivalent knowledge managing files on a PC
BC High School Grade 12 English and Grade 12 Math, or equivalent knowledge.

ASD alone is not designed for those students just out of high school with no other education or work experience, those students should consider completing a Diploma or Degree in order to be well-positioned in the job market.

Mature students with other post-secondary education, or related work experience who do not need a diploma, may use ASD to upgrade with new skills for increased job opportunities,

Start with just one course:

COMP 1516 – Programming Fundamentals with Python.

NOTE: If you achieve less than 70% in COMP 1516 then you should repeat COMP 1516 before attempting COMP 2501. After completing COMP 1516 with 70% or better you may register in COMP 2501 for the following term.

After successfully completing COMP 1516 with 70% you may apply for ASD program approval.

Important Notice for students on limited timelines
Prior to submitting a program declaration, those on limited timelines who require a program letter (e.g. with student loans or limited sponsorship) must first contact the department directly to receive a signed Course Planning Document, which they will be required to attach to their online declaration. Otherwise, students must first complete COMP 1516 with 70% or better before declaring ASD.

Application processing

Applications are accepted throughout the year with intake options available during the following periods:

Winter (January) intake: open February 1* and close January 2*
Spring (April) intake: open May 1* and close April 1*
Fall (September) intake: open October 1* and close September 1*

*or next business day

Intakes may fill before the deadline. If you are currently registered in a course or planning to start, submit your application early to secure your spot in the program.

Entrance requirements

Applicants must meet all entrance requirements and will be accepted on a first-qualified basis as long as space remains.

English language proficiency: Category 2 – English Studies 12 (67%) or equivalent

International applicants

This program is not available to international students. View available programs.

Program declaration

Declaring your Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) program ensures that BCIT is aware of your intent to complete a program as it is currently outlined and provides you the opportunity to apply for transfer credit.

To submit your declaration:

Answer all questions completely.
If required, convert transcripts and documents to PDF files.
Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.

Declare Now

Upon approval, a program plan letter will be sent to you confirming your program of study. Please allow approximately eight weeks for processing.

Learn more about program declaration

Note: Please complete COMP 1516 with 70% or better before declaring your intent to complete this program.

Scheduled Intakes

Ongoing Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) intakes: January, April, and September.

Costs & Supplies

All Flexible Learning programs are course-by-course registration.

The current total cost of this program is approximately $ 4,000 depending on electives and if eBooks are chosen.

Students register and pay for available courses online, by clicking on the green block ‘Add to Cart’.

Follow the directions to obtain a BCIT student number if you do not already have one.

Note: Please register early to avoid disappointment, our programming courses are very popular and fill several weeks in advance.

Since there are limited seats, students in declared programs will have the opportunity to register first.

Students who have not completed the specific prerequisites will not be given the approval to register.

Tuition fees

Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) tuition is charged on a course-by-course basis. Please see the Flexible Learning Tuition & Fees page for more information.

Courses

Important Notice: Please do not declare ASD until you have completed COMP 1516 with 70% or higher, and before moving on to COMP 2501.

After completing COMP 2501 with 70% or better you may move directly on to COMP 2511, and or COMP 2601.

Students who have completed COMP 2601 may move directly on to COMP 3601 or COMP 3602 or COMP 3603. Please do not attempt to register in multiple COMP 360x programming language courses at the same time.

The core of the ASD program provides students with an understanding of systems analysis, industry standards, methods, tools, communication, and group work.

Please consider COMP 2831 -Business Analysis and Systems Design, after any COMP 2500 level programming course.

Students who want COMP 2833 -Agile as an elective must complete COMP 2831 first.

Program matrix

Check current availability of courses for this program.

1. Required Courses: (14.0 credits)			Credits
	COMP 1516	Programming Fundamentals Part 1 (Python) Students with no prior computer programming experience are introduced to using Python to write simple programs. This hands-on introductory computer programming course is the foundation for all BCIT Computing Flexible Learning programming courses. COMP 1516 is not a Python development course, it is the first step in a series of three (3) applied programming fundamentals courses. Students must provide their own current model Windows capable PC, i5 or higher equivalent processor, 8 GB of RAM minimum, and 256 GB minimum storage. High-speed internet access is needed for online sections and for homework. Topics include: Data structures, data modelling, programming constructs, lists, strings, sets and maps. Labs and exercises focus on writing code for projects, assignments, and activities. Participants will design, implement, test, and debug simple programs that incorporate: variables, expressions, assignments, I/O, conditional and iterative control constructs, functions, and parameter passing. Please Note: Attendance, participation in class and the BCIT Learning Hub are mandatory. Students may have an average total time commitment of 15 hours per week; 3 hours of class time, a 1-hour online component and 10+ hours of homework each week. COMP 1516 is required for the Applied Software Development (ASD) and the Applied Computer Information (ACIS) Associate Certificates, as well as the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC). Upon completion, successful students will have a basic understanding of computer programming and be prepared to move on to COMP 2501 –Programming Fundamentals Part 2. Prerequisite(s): COMP 1002 course outline	4.0
	COMP 2501	Programming Fundamentals Part 2 (Java) Students who already understand how to write simple programs in Python will focus on best practices in computer programming and explore problem-solving skills. This second-level computer programming course follows on from COMP 1516 - Programming Fundamentals Part 1 (Python). COMP 2501 introduces application programming interfaces (APIs) and how to transition from Python to Java. This is not a Java development course, it is the second step in a series of three (3) applied programming fundamentals courses where Java is introduced. Students must provide their own current model Windows capable PC, i5 or higher equivalent processor, 8 GB of RAM minimum, and 256 GB minimum storage. High-speed internet access is needed for online sections and for homework. Topics include: an overview of object-oriented programming constructs including basic introductions to: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and exceptions. Labs and exercises demonstrate problem solving; writing automated tests, and practicing design before implementation. Please Note: Attendance, participation in class and the BCIT Learning Hub are mandatory. Students may have an average total time commitment of 13+ hours per week; 3 hours of synchronous class time, and 10+ hours of homework each week. COMP 2501 is required for the Applied Software Development, ASD and the Computer Systems Certificate, CSC. Upon completion, successful students will be able to write robust computer programs. They will be prepared to move on to COMP 2511- Procedural Programming with C and/or COMP 2601- Programming Fundamentals Part 3 (Objects). Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 1516 course outline	3.0
	COMP 2601	Programming Fundamentals Part 3 (Object Design) This hands-on, third-level computer programming fundamentals course follows on from COMP 2501– Programming Fundamentals Part 2 (Java). Students who already understand how to write computer programs in Python and Java will focus on object-oriented programming (OOP) best practices and design in preparation for higher-level software development courses. COMP 2601 introduces debugging intermediate-level programs with an OOP language specifically Java. It is the third step in in a series of three (3) applied programming fundamentals courses. Students must provide their own current model Windows capable PC, i5 or higher equivalent processor, 8 GB of RAM minimum, and 256 GB minimum storage. High-speed internet access is needed for online sections and for homework. Topics include: language syntax, data abstraction, with a deeper focus on encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and exception handling. Design Patterns and collections will be applied to appropriate problems. Labs and exercises demonstrate concepts of design, development, and testing. Please Note: Attendance, participation in class and the BCIT Learning Hub are mandatory. Students may have an average total time commitment of 13+ hours per week; 3 hours of class time, and 10+ hours of homework each week. COMP 2601 is required for the Applied Software Development, ASD and the Computer Systems Certificate, CSC. Upon completion, successful students will be able to plan, write, and test significant OOP programs in Java. They will be able to apply design patterns and prepared move on to higher level application development courses in specific languages: Java, C# and C++. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2501 course outline	3.0
	COMP 2831	Business Analysis and Systems Design Business Analysis and Systems Design is the study of concepts, processes and tools that professionals use to plan and develop information systems to industry standards. Computer Systems Certificate (CSC) students must complete COMM 1103 or COMM 1106 prior to COMP 2831. This course assumes that all participants have strong English communication and interpersonal skills. Students must provide their own current model PC, i5 or higher equivalent processor, 8 GB of RAM minimum, and 256 GB minimum storage. High-speed internet access is needed for online sections and for homework. Beginning with an introduction to the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), students work in teams to initiate the system process, analyze problems, discover requirements and create a logical design. Participants will work in groups to ask implicit questions in order to make better decisions. They will then document detailed communication plans prior to developing an information system. COMP 2831 provides the foundation for all is a required in 6 BCIT Computing development credentials. Topics include: techniques used in the discovery of business requirements, traditional approaches to data and process modelling. There is an overview of Object-Oriented Modelling techniques using the Unified Modelling Language (UML) as well as an introduction to Project Management. Please Note: Attendance, participation in class and the BCIT Learning Hub are mandatory. Students may have an average total time commitment of 13+ hours per week; 3 hours of synchronous class time, a 1-hour online component, plus 9+ hours of homework each week. Participants must be able to work in groups, to provide detailed written materials and to make presentations of their designs. Upon completion, successful students will be able to use industry standard tools and methods to analyze, design, document, present, implement information systems and move on to COMP 2833 Agile Methods and the Scrum Framework. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2501 or 60% in COMP 1630 course outline	4.0
Check Computing Flexible Learning Course and Program Changes for prior course equivalents.

2. Complete a minimum of 9.0 credits from the following electives:			Credits
	COMP 2833	Agile Scrum Methods This hands-on course follows on from COMP 2831 and begins with an in-depth overview of the goals of Agile, followed by hands-on Scrum implementations. Students will practice how to implement primary agile methods within the Scrum Framework. COMP 2833 assumes that all participants have strong English communication and interpersonal skills. In class exercises include: self-directed teams, writing of user stories, Agile estimating with relative sizing, co-location, metric reporting and test-driven development. Topics include: Scrum, and Lean/Kanban. Participants will experience the roles of Scrum Master, Scrum Product Owner, and Developer, both real-time in class and also online with a dispersed agile team. As an added bonus, this course helps students prepare to challenge the Professional Scrum Master™(PSM 1) certification exam from Scrum.org (additional cost). COMP 2833 is a required course in the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC) and an elective in the Applied Software Development (ASD) Associate Certificate. It is the prerequisite for the follow-on COMP 2836 - Agile Product Owner course in the Agile Development Associate Certificate from BCIT Computing. Upon completion, successful students will have gained significant experience forming and working in Agile teams. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2831 course outline	4.0
	COMP 3601	Application Development with Java This forth-level programming course follows on from COMP 2601 and assumes students have significant prior knowledge of object-oriented programming using Java. COMP 3601 starts with using Java core APIs and the Eclipse IDE with industry standard coding styles and naming conventions. Students practice how to build and deploy commercial quality Java applications with Event Driven Architecture. Labs and exercises use a variety of skills to debug programs and use design patterns to develop advanced applications in Java. Topics include: packages, inner classes, file I/O, an overview of database connectivity, user interfaces, model-view-controller (MVC) and other design patterns for standalone Java applications as well as Java web applications. Participants develop database enabled web applications and are introduced to Java web tier development. There is a focus on the design and how to build, deploy and distribute Java web applications into application servers. They configure and customize a simple web application server with Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) to create and edit data from Java Web Applications. Maven is used with Java Servlets as web application controllers and Java Server Pages (JSP) to build and deploy Java web apps on JEE containers, implemented by a WildFly application server. COMP 3601 is part of three BCIT Computing Associate Certificates; Applied Software Development (ASD), Advanced Java Application Development (AJD), a prerequisite for Web and Mobile Applications (WMA) and a recommended elective in the CST FLEX Diploma. Upon completion, successful students will be able to build and deploy well designed basic Java Web applications and be prepared to move on to COMP 4601- Advanced Java Web App Development. COMP3601 will be offered in the Spring (April) and Fall (September) terms. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2601 course outline	4.0
	COMP 3602	Application Development with C# This fourth-level computer programming course follows on from COMP 2601 and assumes prior knowledge of object-oriented programming using Java. COMP 3602 starts with an introduction to C# programming with Microsoft Visual Studio and the .NET Framework for application development. Labs and assignments are designed to reinforce Microsoft industry standard naming conventions and best practices. Topics include: Windows Forms and controls, event-driven programming, deploying a web service, asynchronous programming, working with SQL databases and effective application debugging. Students build graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and design Windows application software. COMP 3602 is an elective in the Applied Software Development (ASD) Associate Certificate. It is a prerequisite for COMP 4602. Both .NET courses are required in the Advanced .NET Development (AND) Associate Certificate, and are electives the CST/FLEX Diploma. Upon completion, successful students will be able to use C# to build and deploy cross platform software applications with the latest .NET technologies. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2601 course outline	4.0
	COMP 3603	Application Development with C++ This hands-on computer programming software application development course follows on from COMP 2511 and COMP 2601. It assumes students have prior knowledge of both procedural programming with C and understand object-oriented programming fundamentals using Java or C#. COMP 3603 starts with a quick review of the language syntax that is common to C, Java, C# and C++. Students are then introduced to C++ classes, and how inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction and modularization all relate to the C++ language. Participants must provide their own current model PC, i5 or higher equivalent processor, 8 GB of RAM minimum, and 256 GB minimum storage. High-speed internet access is needed for online sections and for homework. Labs and exercises focus on the coding style and naming conventions used to build and deploy commercial quality C++ applications. Topics include: C++ Stream Input/Output, operator overloading, templates functions and classes, exception handling, and introduction to the Standard Template Library. Multiple inheritance to model complex algorithms is also discussed. Please Note: Attendance, participation in class and the BCIT Learning Hub are required. Students may have an average total time commitment of 16 total hours each week; 3 hours of class time, a 1-hour online component and 12+ hours of homework each week. COMP 3603 is the prerequisite for COMP 4603 – Advanced C++Application Development, starting September 2022. Both courses are electives in the Applied Software Development (ASD) Associate Certificate and both are required in the CST/PTS Diploma. Upon completion, successful students will be able to build and deploy well designed, entry-level C++ applications and be prepared to move on to COMP 4603- Advanced C++ Application Development. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2511 and 60% in COMP 2601 course outline	4.0
	COMP 3829	Quality Assurance and Software Testing Following on from COMP 2831 - Business Analysis and Systems Design, this hands-on course introduces the concepts, tools and processes needed to be perform Quality Assurance (QA) and software testing. Students with some programming background are shown best practices and will focus on creating and executing test plans using test cases and test scripts. They will practice how to record and report results, as well as document identified issues. Exercises and labs will include using popular open source QA software testing and tracking tools. Topics include: Black Box, White Box and Grey Box testing techniques and all aspects of QA planning and execution. Automated testing topics include constructing a framework, scripting techniques, generating test data, test architecture, pre/post-processing, test maintenance, and job specific metrics. Successful participants will be able to understand effective software testing methods, create a Quality Assurance plan and a test plan as well as be able to monitor test processes, evaluate test results and conduct automated testing to industry standards. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2501 and 60% in COMP 2831 course outline	3.0
	COMP 3912	iOS Mobile Application Development This hands-on application development course was designed for experienced object oriented programmers. Students must have prior experience developing a software application, they are also required to work in teams and participate in online activities. The focus of COMP 3912 is on the user interface components of current popular iOS business applications. In order to follow this course participants need to be avid users of iPhones. This is a bring your own devices (BYOD) course, students must provide their own Mac computer with OS X Catalina or higher, plus a current iOS mobile device, ideally an iPhone. Participants have access to Apple resources for the development and testing of iOS applications during this course. Students design and develop apps for the current iOS platform to Apple standards. Starting with an intensive overview of the Swift programming language, students are introduced to the iOS development platform via in class labs and exercises. Topics include; Xcode, Cocoa Touch API, Swift, SwiftUI, troubleshooting and debugging, Git source control basics, memory management, user input and gesture recognition. Additional topics include: Auto Layout, data persistence including Core Data, NSUserDefaults and Plists. Testing, networking, SpriteKit, Core Location and multi-threading are also discussed. Upon successful completion of COMP 3912 students will be able to design and build a commercial quality iOS application for iPhone. This course will be offered once per year in the spring (April or May) term. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 3601 or 60% in COMP 3602 or 60% in COMP 3603 or 60% in COMP 3656 course outline	4.0
	COMP 4603	Advanced C++ Application Development This advanced software application development course follows on from COMP 2511, COMP 3603 and COMP 3761. It assumes students have solid knowledge of procedural programming with C and can already write intermediate-level programs in C++. Participants must also understand how to use Alorithms Analysis and Design for advanced software application development. COMP 4603 starts with a quick review of writing and testing a well-formed C++ program. Students are then introduced to hands-on best practices, common design patterns and features added to the latest language standard, C++ 20. They will be shown how to develop maintainable and adaptable C++ applications to industry standards. COMP 3603 and COMP 4603 are electives in the Applied Software Development (ASD) Associate Certificate and both C++ courses are required in the CST FLEX Diploma. Upon completion, successful students will be able to design, build and deploy advanced C++ software for a variety of applications, from Games Development to Artificial Intelligence (AI). COMP 4603 will be offered in the fall (September) and winter (January) terms. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2511 and 60% in COMP 2601 and 60% in COMP 3761 course outline	4.0
and
	COMP 2511	Procedural Programming with C This intermediate-level course follows on from COMP 1451 or COMP 2501 and assumes significant prior knowledge of computer programming fundamentals. Topics include language syntax, common coding styles and idioms and the implementation of selected data structures and algorithms in C. Lectures and code examples are reinforced with hands-on labs, and assignments. Students must provide their own current model Windows capable PC, i5 or higher equivalent processor, 8 GB of RAM minimum, and 256 GB minimum storage. High-speed internet access is needed for online sections and for homework. COMP 2511 has two classes per week over ten weeks and uses the BCIT Learning Hub for quizzes, discussion boards, labs and assignments. Please Note: Attendance and participation in class are mandatory. Students may have an average total time commitment of 15+ hours per week; 6 hours of synchronous class time, plus 9-12 hours of homework each week. C Programming students will have improved application development abilities in other programming languages, as the C syntax is the basis for Java, C# and C++. This course is equivalent to COMP 2510 in the CST Full-time Diploma which has transfer credit to several universities. COMP 2511 is an elective in the Applied Software Development, ASD Associate Certificate. It is required in the Computer Systems Certificate, CSC and for the follow-on courses in C++ starting January 2022. Upon completion, successful students will be able to build and deploy modular multi-file C programs to industry standards. Prerequisite(s): 50% in COMP 1510 or 60% in COMP 2501 course outline	5.0
or
	COMP 2701	Introduction to Procedural Programming with C This hands-on programming course follows on from COMP 2501 and is designed for students who already know how to write code in Java. COMP 2701 introduces the C language which is one of the principal foundations of computer software and the basis for C++. Students are introduced to procedural programming and best practices for writing introductory-level C programs. Concepts taught in this course make it easier to understand other programming languages. Topics include introduction to pointers and string basics. Participants will be shown how to access and use LeetCode to gain experience solving coding problems. COMP 2701 is an elective for Applied Software Development (ASD) and required for the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC). Students will practice developing a simple C program to industry standards and gain a basic understanding of procedural programming. Upon successful completion of COMP 2701, students are prepared to move on to COMP 2801 Application Development with C. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2501 course outline	3.0
	COMP 2801	Application Development with C Following on from COMP 2701, students continue their exploration of procedural programming with C to build software applications. COMP 2801 assumes students have prior knowledge of programming concepts with Java and procedural programming using C. After a brief review of introductory C, students move on to more advanced C concepts including scope, storage, linkage, and memory models. Participants will practice how to build commercial quality applications using the standard C library. T opics include implementing selected data structures and algorithms in C, using linked lists, binary trees and managing large C programs with multiple files. Labs and exercises use a variety of skills to debug programs and use complex control statements, and advanced functions with pointers, arrays, and strings. COMP 2801 is an elective for Applied Software Development (ASD) and required for the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC). Upon completion, successful students will be able to build and deploy a modular multi-file C program to industry standards. Prerequisite(s): 60% in COMP 2701 course outline	3.0
Note: CSC and CST Diploma and Flexible Learning students who plan to ladder should complete all required courses plus COMP 2511 and COMP 2833 as electives. Credit will only be granted for COMP 2511 or both of COMP 2701 and COMP 2801.

Total Credits:			23.0

Check current availability of courses for this program.

Students are expected to complete course prerequisites and are advised not to take two different programming languages at the same time.

Transfer credit

Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.

Program Details

Software developers will also need to have Applied Computer Information Systems (ACIS) skills which include: computer and file management, web development, mathematics, database and communications.

Applied Software Development (ASD) is a part-time associate certificate program that was designed for delivery of one (1) course per term with completion in around two (2) years part-time. Those students able to complete two (2) courses per term could complete ASD and ACIS simultaneously in two (2) years, at night and on weekends.

Together ASD and ACIS can provide over 70% of the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC).

Each COMP course in this program requires a total time commitment of 12-15 hours per week or a minimum of 100 hours with homework. The ASD program requires a total commitment of over 1,000 hours for most students.

Note: Please choose only one (1) of any higher-level programming course per term and complete any higher-level programming language prior to COMP 2831.

There are subtle differences between Java and C# for example plus different development environments. Most students will need to focus on one language and IDE at a time for proficiency and long-term retention.

Flexible Learning was not designed for full-time delivery or for those on funding timelines.

International Students:

The ASD is not open to international students as the program cannot be completed with 9 credits per term. In order to maintain minimum credits for study permits, please consider CSC which is reopened to international students.

Computer hardware and Internet requirements

Students must provide a current model PC desktop or laptop with a webcam, microphone and have high-speed internet access. COMP courses may use two-way audio and video as well as group work outside of class.

Participants must be computer literate in order to participate and complete each COMP course. Please contact the department via email: cstflex@bcit.ca if you have any questions.

ASD was not designed for full-time delivery or for those on funding timelines. This program was designed for part-time delivery of one or two courses per term. Most students will complete ASD in around two years part-time, at night and on weekends.

Note: Please choose only one (1) of any higher-level programming course per term and complete any higher-level programming language prior to COMP 2831.

ASD is a sub-set of the Computer Systems Certificate (CSC) and CST FLEX Diploma program.

ASD program is focused on programming languages, designed and delivered by industry experts, and includes a variety of integrated software development environments.

Credit Overlap:

These three (3) advanced software development programs were designed for students not moving on to the CST Diploma. Program approval will only be granted for one (1) of these programs due to credit overlap.

Associate Certificates require a minimum of 25% unique credits. It is not possible to earn multiple BCIT credentials using all the same credits.

Please Note: Students must complete COMP 1516 with 70% or better before declaring ASD.

Program delivery

Blended: This program is delivered partly on campus and partly online.

This program may offer a choice of course deliveries: some courses are entirely on campus, others are blended, in-person on campus with required online components. A selection of courses are delivered synchronously online, but may require scheduled in campus exams.

Program location

Courses may be offered at the following locations:

Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC

Downtown Campus
555 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC

Online Learning

Continue your education

BCIT offers part-time students the opportunity to complete a series of credential programs, ultimately leading to a Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science. These first three credentials ladder towards the CST Diploma and the first two Associate Certificates, ASD & ACIS may be taken simultaneously. If you apply and qualify, you can earn the following credentials:

Program abandonment

Students approved for a Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) program are expected to register and complete courses on a continuous basis.
A student that has not completed a course from their approved program of study over a period of three consecutive academic terms will be considered to have abandoned the program.
Throughout the duration of the program, a student is permitted a maximum of five academic terms where they are not required to register and complete a course from their approved program of study. Students who exceed the five term maximum will be considered to have abandoned the program.
Students who have abandoned their approved program of study and wish to be reinstated will be required to apply for program approval for a current credential. BCIT cannot guarantee that courses taken prior to this reapplication will be credited towards the current credential.

BCIT Policy 5103 - Student Evaluation [PDF] permits a maximum of three attempts to successfully complete each course within a credential.

Graduating & Jobs

ASD is a sub-set of the Computer Systems Technology, CST/PTS Diploma and follow-on Bachelors Degree, CST BTech.

ASD graduates may seek employment as entry-level systems analysts and software developers, however, most students will move on to higher-level credentials.

Please keep in mind that ASD students will be competing with CST Diploma and CST Degree graduates for programming jobs.

Depending on your skills and abilities, a BCIT Associate Certificate combined with other education, experience and connections may help you in your career.

Graduate outcome survey highlight

97% of grads were satisfied with quality of instruction [PDF]

Graduate employment outcomes

The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2022-2024 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2021-2023 graduates and for Degree 2019-2021 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.

To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.

Applied Software Development (ASD)

Apply for graduation

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, complete an Application for BCIT Credential [PDF] and submit it to Student Information and Enrolment Services.

Allow approximately six to eight weeks for processing.

All financial obligations to the Institute must be met prior to issuance of any credential.

Faculty, Advisors & Staff

This program was envisioned and developed by Kevin Cudihee as Program Head with subject matter input from; Jason Wilder, Mike Mulder, Anca Datcu-Romano, Arash Ghavami, Charlie Blattler, Bob Langelaan, and Ed Rubuliak.

Administrative support is provided by:

Joanne Atha, Operations Coordinator Computing Flexible Learning.
Gustavo Montemor, Program Assistant

Please email cstflex@bcit.ca for administrative support in Computing Flexible Learning.

Advisory committee

The Computing Flexible Learning curriculum is coordinated by Kevin Cudihee in conjunction with industry experts, Flexible Learning instructors and the BCIT Computing Program Advisory Committee (PAC).

Contact Us

Questions or comments?

Programs and courses are subject to change without notice.