Every day we interact with an unfathomable number of computer programs and applications. Some of these are patently obvious, like the webpage you are currently reading and the web browser you are using to read it. Some of them are used to automate simple tasks, help us keep better track of our work, or make our lives easier. Beyond this, the products we use and the services that we consume are impacted by computer applications in significant and subtle ways. Coding is the process of writing programs that tell a computer how it should behave, and the skill covers a wide range of different specializations, including web development, data analytics, and software engineering. Students who are interested in learning how these technologies work and how they can contribute to the development of computer programs that change the world may want to consider spending their summer learning to code in preparation for more complex training. Learning to program is like learning a language, so the earlier you get started and the more practice you get, the more proficient you can become.
1) NextGen Bootcamp: Java Programming Summer Program
NextGen Bootcamp offers an introduction to Java Programming Summer course for students looking to learn the basics of computer science. This course offers an introduction to computer programming and teaches students how to read, write, and compile code in Java, one of the most accessible programming languages for first-time learners. In this course, students will learn the basics of writing programs using industry-standard algorithms, and they will learn how to write functional and object-oriented programs. They will also learn how to read code and understand the desired function of a program based on how it is written. By the end of the course, students will understand how programmers approach problems and how they use code to address those problems. In addition, students will complete hands-on coding activities and leave the course with a portfolio of working Java programs.
Java is among the most commonly taught programming languages in high school AP computer science classes and 100-level college programming classes. This means that learning the language will set students up for success in their more advanced programming courses. Java is also an accessible language, so once students have learned the basics of reading syntax and writing basic code, they can transfer those skills to other programming languages. This is a beginner-friendly course that is intended for students with no prior programming experience. The course emphasizes basic computer programming skills, so it is a great place for generalists to start learning how to read and write code. While Java is an important programming language for software and web development projects, students looking to build these programs will need additional training.
Students praise the depth of the Java programming education they received and the ways in which their instructors make difficult concepts accessible. One student wrote that their instructor “made complex stuff feel approachable.” Another student left the course saying that the course made them “extremely confident in my programming skills and I feel like I gained a genuine understanding of how coding works and how it is essential to all areas within programming.” Students looking to learn the essentials of computer programming are encouraged to consider enrolling in this course.
2) NextGen Bootcamp: Python Data Science & Machine Learning Summer Program
Students looking for a more focused computer science training program may want to consider enrolling in NextGen’s Python Data Science & Machine Learning Summer Program. In this class, students will learn Python, arguably the most popular programming language in the world, and they will learn how to apply their Python training to data science projects, including writing and training machine learning algorithms. Students will learn the basics of reading and writing programs in Python, and they will learn Pandas, Matplotlib, and scikit-learn for data science and machine learning applications. In addition to learning how to code, students will learn how to work with large amounts of data, and how to use Python packages to create visualizations of this data, making it easier for them to communicate their work to a non-specialist audience.
Data science is one of computer science's most important and diverse fields. Regardless of your long-term professional goals, there is a good chance that learning how to work with and analyze data will be a useful skill to have. Once students are comfortable with this analysis work, they will begin exploring the foundations of machine learning. Machine learning is building complex computer algorithms that can “read” data and interpret it without the need for a human operator. This AI technology is one of the most exciting developments in computer science, and students interested in building a long-term career in data science are likely to benefit from introductory instruction in machine learning processes. By the end of this program, students will have a foundational understanding of data science, and an introductory proficiency in Python, which is also commonly used in software engineering projects.
Students praised the depth of the course’s instruction, with one student saying that the class “covered something new every day, which made me feel that I was exploring a lot about Python.” Another student wrote, “this class really helped to improve my programming skills and knowledge! It covers a good span of topics ranging from vanilla Python programming to machine learning.” As a more specialized programming course, students enrolled in this class will receive targeted instruction, making this an ideal choice for students who want to pursue a data science or data analytics career path.
3) Noble Desktop: Web Development with HTML & CSS
Arguably the most common place where we interact with computer applications is when we are browsing the internet. Web pages need to be programmed to operate, so someone behind the scenes is needed to build the scripts that web browsers read and run. Students interested in learning how to code for web pages will want to consider enrolling in a course like Noble Desktop’s Web Development with HTML & CSS course. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the programming language that tells the browser how to distinguish one element of a page from another such as telling your browser how to separate paragraphs and what hypertext links to include. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is the language that tells the browser how to display webpage elements, including what color, font, and size to display text, for example. These two languages comprise the backbone of modern web development programming.
In this course, students will learn the basics of writing webpage code using these two languages. Students will first learn how to write simple, single-page websites using HTML and CSS before moving on to write complex multi-page sites that link with one another. Students will learn how to use HTML to add functionality to web assets and how to use CSS to build a webpage that is responsive to different browsers and devices. By the end of the course, students will have an understanding of the basic elements of web development and they will be prepared to start working on their own designs. HTML and CSS are fairly dated languages (having become industry standards in the mid-90s), so students looking to develop modern webpages will need additional training in languages like JavaScript, but this is still an ideal first step for students.
This course is only open to students who are 18 or older, so it is an ideal place for high school seniors and incoming college freshmen to start learning the basics of computer programming over the summer. Students praise the accessibility of the course and the ways in which it functions as an introduction to computer programming. One student wrote, “you can show up not knowing what a computer is and leave knowing basic HTML and CSS.” Another student wrote, "if you want to get a quick look inside the world of web development, this class is the right one for you.”
4) Practical Programming: Introduction to Python Programming
Students interested in learning a specific programming language may want to consider a course like Practical Programming’s Introduction to Python Programming. In this course, students will get a general overview of the common uses and functions of the Python programming language, which is one of the most versatile programming languages new students can learn. By learning the basics of Python, students will be setting themselves up for success working in software engineering, web development, game design, or data science since all these fields utilize Python or its major libraries. Learning Python will also help students better understand the process of computer science more broadly since they will still learn all of the basics of computer programming, like how to read and write code.
Over two sessions, students will learn the basics of writing Python code, and they will learn more broadly applicable programming skills, like how to use code editing applications and how computer code interacts with hardware. By the end of this class, students will have a thorough understanding of the basic syntax, grammar, and vocabulary of Python, and they will be ready to take that training with them into more complex projects or additional training. This makes courses like this an ideal introduction to computer programming for students without a deep background or a lot of confidence in where they want their skills to take them long-term. Service providers like Practical Programming also tend to offer introductory courses in other programming languages such as HTML and CSS or Java. Practical Programming courses are open to students 18 and older, making this a good introduction for high school seniors and recently graduated young adults.
5) Data Science Academy: Data Science with R: Data Analysis and Visualization
Students interested in data science may want to consider enrolling in a course like Data Science Academy’s Data Science with R: Data Analysis and Visualization course. This course is designed for students with basic data science and computer programming knowledge and is open to high schoolers as young as 15. In this program, students will learn how to use the R programming language, emphasizing how it is utilized in data analytics and visualization tasks, including wrangling, organizing, and manipulating data. Students will learn data science theories, including how to distinguish between different types of data and approach different tasks based on the data object types involved. This course aims to introduce students to the world of data science and provide them with the tools they need to succeed in the field.
This course also focuses on teaching students how to use R to help construct vibrant and persuasive data visualizations. Without the ability to communicate your findings, there isn’t much a researcher can do with their data analytics training. Thus, analysts use programming languages like R to help them automatically collate data and produce charts, graphs, and maps that make that data easier for non-experts to understand. Students will learn the basics of building these visualizations, and by the time the course concludes, they will be able to start working on advanced visualization techniques such as creating interactive visualizations or visualizations that automatically update when new information is added to the dataset. Students interested in pursuing data science as a career path will want to learn about all of the different visualization techniques available to them.
6) iDTech: Python Coding: Arcade Games and AI
Some students may balk at the theoretical approach that many introductory coding classes take to teach computer programming basics. These students should consider a class like iDTech’s Python Coding: Arcade Games and AI course. In this class, students will learn the basics of programming in Python by developing arcade-style games that utilize the language. Students will begin by designing simple logic games before moving on to more advanced object-oriented programming projects such as building graphical elements into an arcade game. This course offers students a hands-on way to learn the practical uses of Python in software engineering projects, making it an ideal class for students interested in game design, app development, or software engineering.
Since Python is an ideal first programming language for new learners, this course is open to students without prior programming experience. Almost right away, students will start learning how to use Python to write code for interactive, logic-driven games and to add responsive, user interface elements to their designs. Since Python is such a versatile language, students enrolled in the course will learn a wide range of uses for the programming language, even only in the space of game design. For example, students will learn how to program interactive movement into a game and how to program simple artificial intelligence scripts for oppositional elements of their games, all using Python. By the end of the course, students will have completed a sample game application that they can continue to iterate on and include as part of their application materials for jobs, internships, and college coding programs.
7) iDTech: JavaScript Coding with Penn High School Programs
JavaScript is one of the most important programming languages for modern webpages, since it allows programmers to add the complex, interactive elements that users have come to expect from the websites that they visit. JavaScript is also utilized to add automatically updating assets to a web application, including simple programs like weather updates and more complex push notifications for breaking news. Students interested in programming using this language should consider a course like iDTech’s JavaScript Coding with Penn High School Program. In this class, students will get hands-on experience working with HTML and CSS and JavaScript for web development projects, including learning how to debug code and think like a programmer as you approach rewriting your applications. This training will help students build better webpages, and it is broadly applicable to other programming training.
In addition to its use on webpages, JavaScript is vital to the Internet of Things technologies that allow devices to run programs without needing to access a web browser directly. This is the technology that lets streaming apps provide uninterrupted content, digital assistants purchase items off the internet, and discrete elements of home security systems keep in contact with one another over WiFi. While this class won’t directly touch on this technology, learning the basics of JavaScript can be essential for aspiring developers hoping to work with this technology. Learning the basics of JavaScript can set students up for long-term success, given the language's versatility and its important role in modern web development and software engineering projects.
8) Digital Media Academy: Applications Programming & Web Development with Python & HTML and CSS
Another option for students looking to learn software and web development is in Digital Media Academy’s Applications Programming & Web Development with Python & HTML and CSS. In this course, students will learn how to program simple applications using Python and run those programs on working webpages coded in HTML and CSS. These projects include building working calculators, card shufflers, interactive calendars, and measurement converters, all of which students will integrate into web development projects. This course will give students hands-on training in writing and debugging code, and students will learn the step-by-step process of planning, charting, and developing a working Python application. This training will help students understand the typical workflow process of working on a computer science project.
This course is part of Digital Media Academy’s Tech Accelerator program, which aims to provide 13- to 18-year-old students with the tools that they need to be prepared for university or professional-level computer programming work by the time they complete the program. These courses combined quality instruction and real-world tech partnerships to help prepare students for achieving their long-term career goals. Students who continue with the program will, as part of their Tech Accelerator education, curate a development portfolio and have the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentorship and training sessions with tech and creative professionals, and they will be able to enroll in Industry Masterclasses. This program is an ideal fit for students who know the direction they want to take with their programming training and who want to get started on their professional development as early as possible.
9) World Scholar’s Academy: World Coders Academy
World Scholar’s Academy offers a summer World Coders Academy program that aims to introduce students to a wide overview of the state of computer science as a field. This two-week program will introduce students to fundamental coding concepts, like the function of various programming languages and the process of reading and writing code, before providing students with a broad overview of major developments in programming. This overview includes lessons on digital marketing, cryptography, and artificial intelligence. Students will also receive career-focused lessons on pursuing employment in the software engineering field and the tech industry's future.
This course is a good place for students interested in technology to learn more about the field and receive hands-on training working with basic programming concepts. This course will let students explore all the major aspects of computer science that are making waves in the professional world. Whether you are interested in learning how machine learning technologies are utilized in the investment sector or how cryptography and cryptocurrency are changing the economics of technology, this course will provide you with the training you need to build foundational skills. Students interested in the future possibilities offered by technology may want to consider enrolling in a course like this to receive a diverse education in coding concepts that they can build upon in the future.
10) Tufts University: Pre-college Coding Academy
Students interested in pursuing an education in computer science may want to look at the summer programs offered by various universities, like Tufts University’s Pre-college Coding Academy. Courses such as these allow students to work alongside experienced instructors in a college-level environment, which will help them learn important coding skills and acclimate them to the kinds of work that they can expect to be working on in a college-level programming class. This experience can be incredibly valuable for students looking to pursue higher education and for students looking to beef up their applications when they start applying for college. Some of these classes, including the ones offered through Tufts, provide students with college-level credit that they can transfer to their undergraduate university or use to test out of introductory computer science classes.
In this two-week course, students will learn how to program using Python and develop this knowledge through specific, hands-on training in software development and data science projects. Students will also receive introductory lessons in major developments in computer science, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, robotics, and cybersecurity. These lessons will help students understand the broader field of computer science, helping them make more informed decisions about the training they want to pursue when entering a college coding program. Since this course is taught in-person at the Tufts Boston campus, students enrolled in this program will have the chance to visit local tech firms and companies to learn more about the practical career opportunities available in computer science.
11) The Coder School: Java Camp
On a practical level, some students may be interested in enrolling in a computer science summer program to help them prepare for an accreditation course such as an AP Comp Sci program. These students may want to consider a dedicated training program like The Coder School’s Java Camp. This course, which is aimed at students with a background in AP computer science, aims to teach students the skills that they need to ensure that they can pass their final examinations and receive credit for completing an AP comp sci course. To do this, students will receive focused lessons on using Java in practical scenarios drawn from the lessons that make up the AP Computer Science “A” course. By basing their lessons directly on the standard curriculum in these classes, The Coder School can ensure that students’ goals are being met more effectively.
Since this course is so focused on preparing students for the AP Computer Science “A” course, it follows that students invested in passing it should give this program a deeper look. By contrast, students interested in learning practical Java programming skills may not find much to take away from a course that prepares them to pass a specific exam. Since AP courses can be so important for students applying to competitive college programs, this extra training can be a massive boon to students who have planned out the steps they want to take to achieve long-term success.
12) Syracuse University: Learn to Code
Syracuse University offers an online, non-credit introductory computer science program in their Learn to Code summer program. In this course, students will learn the basics of computer programming using Python and the ways in which Python can be applied to a range of different coding projects. Students will be introduced to data science concepts, and learn how to use programming libraries like PANDAS to create data visualizations. The course aims to provide students with practical training in real-world computer science scenarios so that the experience they gain in this course can be transferred to almost any STEM program that students pursue. This course aims to provide students with valuable critical thinking and practical job skills that will help them regardless of whether or not they continue on to a college-level computer science program.
This course requires no prior programming experience, making it an ideal place for students without a background in computer science to start their STEM education. Class sessions are broken up between lectures hosted by Syracuse University faculty and hands-on coding labs in which students will receive guided instruction in how to read, write, and execute Python code. Students will be expected to do work outside of the classroom but this homework is in service of ensuring that they understand the fundamentals of Python programming. This course aims to provide students with a transferable skill set that they can utilize in almost any professional field, regardless of whether or not they are actively using Python.
13) emagination STEM Camps: Computer Coding Basics
High school students interested in enrolling in a low-stakes, introductory computer science course may want to consider emagination STEM Camp’s Computer Coding Basics program. In this beginner-friendly course, students with no prior coding experience can learn how to write basic programs using Python and Pycharm IDE. In this class, students will get hands-on instruction in reading code and understanding how programming syntax instructs a computer to behave in a certain way. Students will learn important computer science theories and principles, and they will gain a firm understanding of one of the most commonly used programming languages in the world. This training will provide students with the foundational knowledge needed to pursue further computer science or Python programming training.
Courses like this are a good starting point for students looking to learn the basics of computer science. This course covers important concepts such as object-oriented programming, variables and loops and Boolean logic, all of which are applicable to most computer science projects. Rather than providing students with a specific set of programming skills, courses like this one aim to prepare students for more in-depth training in specific subject areas, like data science or machine learning. By the end of the course, students will be able to build simple Python programs, and they will be able to add interactive elements to those applications. The course does require students to have a familiarity with basic algebra.
14) University of Massachusetts: Programming for Aspiring Scientists: Python with Applications to Physics
Learning computer science isn’t only a useful skill for aspiring programmers and Software Engineers. Students interested in learning how computer programming can make it easier for them to follow their specific passions should consider exploring courses like the University of Massachusetts Programming for Aspiring Scientists: Python with Applications to Physics
Pre-college summer program. This course aims to provide prospective science majors how learning Python can help ease and automate some of the difficult challenges that they will face in their research. This course will teach students practical applications of Python, including simple programs that aim to model real-world physics problems (like modeling the arc and trajectory of a soccer ball using a program that can alter air resistance) to more complex problems like modeling possible pandemic response scenarios.
Courses like these are ideal for students to learn how computer science training can help them in other facets of their education. Learning how to solve physics problems using Python would be a relatively narrow skill set for most people, but it can be an invaluable tool for aspiring physicists. This course is built for students with no coding background, meaning it is also an ideal place to introduce yourself to STEM concepts for the first time. Since this is a course for aspiring scientists, some background knowledge of physics and mathematics is strongly recommended (but no specific prerequisites are required). This course is available in-person or online.
15 DigiPen Academy: Pre-College Game Programming Track
DigiPen Academy offers a Pre-college Game Programming track for students interested in pursuing a college degree in game design or development. This course introduces students to the important computer science and coding concepts commonly used in game development projects. Students will receive lessons in applied computer science, math, and physics focusing on how game engines use computer code to model these aspects of the development process. Each of these classes includes important, practical lab work to help students get hands-on experience working with computer science concepts. This experience will give students the practical training they need to be comfortable with the kinds of work they will be asked to do in a college-level computer science program.
At the conclusion of the program, students will participate in a game project lab in which they will be asked to design the basic elements of a computer game. These games range from 2D action-adventure games to rhythm games, and students are regularly able to turn their completed demos into full titles. At least one of the projects completed during the last program is currently available for purchase on Steam. This course is an ideal place for students interested in game design and development to get hands-on training with the computer science aspect of that profession. This is a narrow program, but for students with an idea of what path they want their education to follow may benefit from the more narrow instruction.
Why Learn Coding Over the Summer?
The main reason to enroll in a summer program and learn how to code is that the skills you pick up in these courses are so versatile. When you learn to code, you can learn how to work with Python for data science, Java for software development, JavaScript for web development or any combination of these languages for specialized projects like game development or computational physics. Students can also take advantage of introductory programming courses to learn the basics of reading and writing computer code, which are transferable skills that they can apply to any computer science course that they take in the future. These programs also provide students with critical thinking training, since students will need to learn new ways to approach the problems that they will face when coding.
These skills also tend to be in high demand, since so many jobs in the modern economic marketplace are defined by how they interact with computers. Almost every company is carefully monitoring its online presence and hiring Web Designers and Web Developers to code their webpages and applications, and data science careers are among the most in-demand job titles in the country. Students who want to set themselves up for long-term career success may want to consider learning how to code early so that they can build on those skills more efficiently as they continue their education. This is especially true for students who want to stay on the cutting edge of the job market and pursue training in skills like cryptography or machine learning, and artificial intelligence programming.
These professional development skills can also be useful for students who aren’t pursuing computer science but do want to work in a field where they might benefit from learning the basics of coding. Learning web development can be productive for anyone who wants to start their own business, build their own brand identity, or just strengthen their online presence. Data analytics is used in business, personal finance, sports, marketing, and the nonprofit sector, so learning these skills can help you no matter what career path you ultimately pursue.
Finally, learning coding can be a good way for students to build a developed and transferable skill set they can leverage in non-professional contexts. Learning a programming language is a lot like learning a foreign language in that it teaches students how to identify things like syntax and grammar and understand how that syntax informs the language. Some universities and high school programs even treat programming languages as foreign languages for the purpose of meeting degree requirements. Many high schools offer AP computer science programs that students can take for college credit (and many summer training programs offer college credit or some equivalent accreditation to help students test out of elective or early-stage computer science courses). While it may feel mercenary, learning a programming language can also serve as a good CV line for applying for college admission.
There are many ways to learn how to code and many reasons why high school students can benefit from learning how to write computer programs by enrolling in a summer training program.