How Long Do Java Courses Take?

Learning a programming language like Java can seem like a huge time commitment. However, the time you spend learning Java can vary widely depending on your learning goals and the class format you choose. When comparing classes, you should have reasonable expectations about the minimum length of time required to meet your learning goals. However, you might find accelerated options that cover the same material in less time. You should also avoid classes that include lessons you don’t need or that exceed your available time. This article discusses the length of different Java course types, how that length varies with their content, and how long you should expect to spend studying Java depending on your needs.

Lengths of Classes

Java classes generally vary in length depending on the amount of instruction they provide. Short classes, including basic introductions, may take only a single session of a few hours or several classes over a few days. Short introductory courses briefly teach the fundamentals of Java. Other short courses address specific topics like particular programming techniques or coding tools. Longer Java courses include bootcamps, which take a few weeks to complete, and certificate programs that vary in length from several weeks to several months. The most comprehensive Java programs span hundreds of hours of instruction. Longer courses use this time to cover more advanced programming techniques, project-specific coding methods, and useful tools like development environments, coding frameworks, and building and testing tools. Extra time also allows for more detailed explanations, additional examples and practice problems, and several practical projects.

Still, overall length can vary significantly even within classes of the same general type. When comparing courses, consider not only the number of classes but also the length of each session, the time allowed between sessions, and each course’s total time commitment including out-of-class practice work. Some courses allow more time between lessons for independent work, while others schedule more and shorter classes to allow students to attend part-time; both options extend the same course over a longer period. In the other direction, some courses condense the same material into a shorter timespan by leaving less time for practice work and setting a faster pace during classes.

Introductory Classes

Introductory Java classes are typically short, ranging from one or two days for intensive, full-time study or several days for more detailed or slower-paced lessons. Introductory Java classes teach the language’s fundamental terms, syntax, and techniques, often explaining basic programming principles at the same time. Thus, these classes rarely assume any prior coding experience. After completing an introductory Java class, students should be able to write complete, if basic, programs. This ‘vanilla’ code may be sufficient for students who will need Java only for occasional, minor projects. However, those who will use Java regularly, especially in professional settings, will need further study. Career-focused students should consider a longer, comprehensive Java course, instead, but might be able to manage with an introduction plus several short advanced classes. After all, one goal of an introductory coding class is to prepare students to acquire more advanced techniques and tools later. Some introductory courses are focused on specific uses of Java like web development or mobile applications and teach a few techniques and tools related to that work.

Advanced Courses

Another type of short Java class is advanced topical instruction. Some advanced courses teach specific tools like Java development environments, interfaces, or frameworks. Alternatively, an advanced course focused on a specific project type, such as machine learning, could teach several techniques and tools used for that work. Like introductions, these classes are short, typically taking one or two days on a full-time schedule or several days at a slower pace. To ensure that students are sufficiently prepared for these courses, they require prior experience using Java. More project-focused advanced classes may have other prerequisites such as experience with data analysis or server architecture. Students who do have the necessary background will find these advanced short classes a convenient way to gain additional skills without the cost or time commitment of a full training course. However, in exchange for their speed, short classes might provide fewer examples or practice projects and rarely include career guidance or support.

Java Bootcamps

Bootcamps are longer than introductory or advanced short classes but shorter and more streamlined than certificate or degree programs. These courses teach a complete set of professional skills within a reasonable time frame and at a manageable cost. Java bootcamps typically take several weeks of full-time study or two or three months on a part-time schedule. This time includes preliminary lessons equivalent to an introductory Java class, followed by lessons on more advanced techniques and tools. A bootcamp’s advanced lessons are usually based upon a particular project or career. For a Java bootcamp, this focus might be web development, mobile development, data analysis, or machine learning. The content of a Java bootcamp ensures that students graduate ready to code at a professional level, sufficient to qualify for entry-level employment. To further this goal, bootcamps include portfolio-quality projects, interview coaching, and in some cases, direct mentoring sessions. These additions increase the length and cost of bootcamps, but these courses maintain an accelerated pace that reduces their overall time commitment. Bootcamps also exclude many topics unrelated to their focus area, which is an advantage for some students but a concern for others.

Java Certificate Programs

Java certificate programs are the longest courses centered specifically on Java. These programs are considerably longer than bootcamps, usually taking several months even on a full-time schedule. Like most bootcamps, certificate programs focus their lessons on particular Java-related careers such as web development or mobile development. However, the additional length of a Java certificate program includes further topic areas: more coding techniques, more varied tools, extra instruction in professional skills (e.g., collaborative programming), and additional career guidance. Certificate programs also provide accredited certification of graduates’ accomplishments, either through a verified certificate or a certification exam. Students who want to ensure that they have provable, professional, career-ready Java fluency after a single course should look at a certificate program or an equivalent professional development course.

Part-time or Full-time?

When comparing live Java courses, check if they allow part-time scheduling. Depending on individual circumstances, either part-time or full-time classes might be better. Students who are already employed or have other responsibilities may need part-time scheduling, which will allow them to attend classes for fewer hours each day. Part-time scheduling is also useful for students who need more time between classes to read and practice lessons. This slower pace is especially useful when learning a programming language like Java, allowing students more time to test and debug their coding projects. The tradeoff for part-time study is that it extends a course’s total length. If a student needs to complete their studies more quickly, possibly due to a limited break or a deadline, full-time study might be better. 

On-demand Classes

On-demand study, also called self-paced or asynchronous learning, teaches subjects through online, pre-recorded video tutorials and texts. This format gives students the greatest control over the extent and timing of their education by eliminating scheduled classes. Students can work around irregular schedules or unexpected events, slow down to take more time for difficult topics, or even speed through lessons faster than a live course would allow. Students can also skip unnecessary lessons or repeat lessons for more practice. The drawback of this increased control is that students can miss important information or become distracted by interruptions. Students must maintain focus, research answers, and correct coding errors without regular instructor feedback. All of these challenges may add further delays. For many students, then, an on-demand course will take longer than an equivalent live course, especially for longer career training programs. Short courses like introductions or advanced topical classes are more likely to be the same length — or potentially faster — in on-demand formats compared to live classes.

Learn Java Skills with Noble Desktop

NextGen Bootcamp hosts a Java Programming Summer Program both live online and in-person in New York City. This bootcamp course teaches professional Java coding to high school and college students. The course takes about two weeks on a full-time schedule, beginning with an introduction to programming that grounds each concept with its corresponding uses in Java. Students then continue through lessons on more complex topics like file management, object-oriented programming, and recursion. In addition to class instruction, students receive a proprietary workbook, complete practical projects, and can review the recordings of each class session. After completing this program, students receive a verified digital certificate.

For adult learners, Noble Desktop offers online Java Private Tutoring in three-hour increments. This instruction is 1-on-1 and personalized to each student. Though designed primarily for beginners with little or no programming experience, the tutoring program progresses quickly to higher-level programming concepts and includes a complete, original project suitable for a starting portfolio. Students can also use this course to prepare for further computer science studies.

Students who are interested in Java primarily for its use in web development might prefer Noble Desktop’s Full Stack Web Development Certificate program. This professional training program is presented in person in New York City or live online and is available for either full-time or part-time study. Students need no prior programming experience, as the course begins with an introduction to web development and its most important languages, HTML and CSS. The instructor follows this introduction with more advanced lessons on HTML and CSS, front end web development tools, and JavaScript and its commonly used web design libraries. The program concludes with additional lessons and career guidance for the web development industry. This program includes ten 1-on-1 mentoring sessions to further assist students, proprietary workbooks, multiple portfolio projects, and a certificate of completion. Graduates may retake the course once for free for up to one year.

Python is another high-level, general-purpose programming language used for many of the same projects as Java. Students seeking training in computing fields like web development, software engineering, or data analysis should consider studying Python in addition to Java. Noble Desktop’s Python Developer Certificate program is a complete professional training course offered in-person in New York City or live online anywhere. This course requests that students have prior experience coding in HTML and CSS, such as taught in an introductory web design or web development class. This knowledge will help in the program’s second unit, which teaches web development using Python, following the introductory unit that introduces Python’s fundamental terms, syntax, and techniques. Students may choose one of three bonus units to conclude their Python studies: Data Science, Data Visualization, or Machine Learning. The complete program takes several weeks of full-time study but includes several portfolio-quality projects and four 1-on-1 mentoring sessions to help with difficult topics or career preparation. Students also receive a certificate upon completion and may retake the course once for free within one year.