Foundations of Software Testing and Validation

University of Leeds via Coursera

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Details

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Paid Certificate Available
Duration & workload

6 hours 23 minutes
Sessions

On-Demand
Subtitles

English, Kazakh, German, Hindi, Russian, Swedish, Korean, Portuguese, Greek, Italian, French, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Thai, Ukrainian, Japanese, Indonesian, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Hungarian, Bengali, Pashto, Urdu, Azerbaijani, Farsi

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Overview

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Software testing and validation are vital because they ensure that the end product meets the design requirements. In just two weeks, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of industry-standard techniques and learn how to design and implement effective test cases. Through step-by-step guidance and real-world examples, you'll delve into different types of software testing, acquiring the skills to apply industry standards and best practices. You'll learn to design robust test cases and adhere to industry standards, making you a valuable asset in the software development field. By the end of the course, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to ensure software quality through rigorous testing and validation processes. Join this course and kickstart your software development career today. This course is one of many, offered by Click Start, a UK training programme designed to help young people develop digital skills. Click Start offers a limited number of scholarships giving free access to young people in the UK. Check the FAQs to see more detail and follow the link to check if you are eligible for free access today.

Syllabus

Week 1: Foundations of software testing and validation

Welcome to Foundations of Software Testing and Validation! In the first week, you will be focusing on the basic concepts of software testing, its goals and how it fits into the software development life cycle. During the second week, we'll build on these concepts and explore software validation, quality assurance and dynamic testing techniques. Let's get started!

Week 2: Test design techniques and validation

Week 2 of the continues the journey into the core of software testing – the various techniques and methods used to ensure software is robust and reliable. You will explore dynamic testing, where software is run under specific conditions and observe the results. You will look at how to create appropriate test cases and learn about two crucial techniques: boundary value analysis and equivalence partitioning. Throughout this week, you'll gain practical skills and knowledge that will be essential for your journey into the world of software testing.

Taught by

Julian Brooks

Reviews

4.3 rating, based on 46 Class Central reviews

4.6 rating at Coursera based on 445 ratings

Start your review of Foundations of Software Testing and Validation

Shyam Kumar @shyamkumar

The course was well-structured and easy to follow. It covered both theory and practical aspects of software testing, making it a great resource for anyone starting in QA.
Vaibhav Pratap Singh @vpsinghT
2

This Course is Wow for the beginner level and perfect understanding. A normal and best way teaching methods and full overview in a short form.
Anonymous

This course felt both as if designed for slow learners yet at the same time expects somewhat advanced knowledge to start.

It quizzes on vocabulary covered neither in the lessons nor the glossary, and its transcript of the monotone presenter is error-ridden, as if the AI's output was never reviewed by a human editor.

They provide it for no charge; so don't be surprised if you get what you pay for.
Anonymous

As informative as the course was it was not able to hold my attention without needing to take several breaks, the lecturer was speaking in a monotonous manner and throughout the entire course it seemed like he was reading the course and not teaching the course which made it feel like me as the viewer and student didn't need to be there in the sense of attention
Anonymous

This software testing course provides a clear and structured introduction to essential testing concepts, techniques, and tools. It covers bugs, errors, and failures, explaining their real-world impact with examples like NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter. Learners explore static and dynamic testing, including unit, integration, system, and acceptance testing, along with test design methods like Equivalence Partitioning and Boundary Value Analysis. The course also highlights the role of testing in the SDLC, quality assurance, and modern practices such as automated and AI-assisted testing. Practical exercises, pseudocode examples, and real-world scenarios make it highly engaging and applicable.
Anonymous

Don't waste your time; you can learn all the information from this course from a couple of good articles or videos on YouTube. These options are preferable to this course. It's too superficial and there's too much repetitive information.
Anonymous

"The Foundations of Software Testing and Validation course was highly informative and beneficial for my career in software QA and testing. The content was comprehensive, covering essential concepts in testing and validation methods. The instructor's clear teaching style and impressive skill made complex topics easy to understand. I appreciated the practical insights provided, which will undoubtedly enhance my ability to ensure software quality. This course has equipped me with valuable knowledge and techniques that I can immediately apply in real-world scenarios. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to build a solid foundation in software testing and validation."
Anonymous

The course did a good job introducing key software testing concepts such as the purpose of testing, types of testing, test design terminology, functional and non-functional testing, boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, and the basics o…

The course did a good job introducing key software testing concepts such as the purpose of testing, types of testing, test design terminology, functional and non-functional testing, boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, and the basics of quality assurance and validation, among other things. I also appreciated the examples provided on how to write test cases.
However, I found it difficult to connect these foundational ideas to real-world tasks due to limited practical examples and step-by-step guidance. When I reached the final assignment, I realized I wasn’t fully confident in applying the concepts in a practical context—especially when it came to designing a validation plan or quality assurance strategy.
As a beginner, I was hoping for more hands-on exercises and clearer walkthroughs demonstrating how these techniques are used in actual software development projects. I left the course feeling unsure about how to translate this knowledge into real work or to build on it in future courses.
I’m still motivated to continue learning, but I hope future iterations of this course include more real-world scenarios and guided practice to better bridge the gap between theory and application.
Anonymous

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Anonymous

Wao! Fantastic lectures.
Learning about; software testing and it's importance
Detection of bug, error and failure,
Requirements of SDLC and the use of each requirements in software analysis
Software design
Levels of SDLC
Types of testing
Software techniques
Test activities and quality assurance have broaden my knowledge the more
Anonymous

The Foundations of Software Testing and Validation course on Coursera is an excellent introduction to the principles and practices of software testing. It begins by clearly explaining the goals of testing and the distinction between verification and…

The Foundations of Software Testing and Validation course on Coursera is an excellent introduction to the principles and practices of software testing. It begins by clearly explaining the goals of testing and the distinction between verification and validation, helping learners understand the purpose behind different testing activities. The course then introduces static testing methods such as reviews and walkthroughs, showing how they help detect defects early in the development process.

Dynamic testing is covered in depth, with emphasis on unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing. The course also explains black-box testing techniques, particularly equivalence partitioning and boundary value analysis, with practical examples that make these concepts easy to apply. Additionally, it highlights the role of test planning and test case design, ensuring learners know how to structure tests effectively.

Overall, the course is well-structured, engaging, and highly practical. It provides a strong foundation for beginners and professionals who want to strengthen their understanding of how software testing ensures reliability and quality.
Anonymous

I found the Foundations of Software Testing and Validation course from the University of Leeds on Coursera to be a good introduction, but I feel the difficulty could be strengthened. The content is quite basic and could benefit from closer alignment with the official ISTQB syllabus to make it more relevant for those preparing for certification. Adding more hands-on exercises or real-world scenarios would also help bridge the gap between theory and practical application. Overall, it’s a solid starting point for beginners, but there’s room to deepen the challenge and practical relevance.
Anonymous

This course provides a clear and practical introduction to software testing principles and validation techniques. The content is well-structured, covering key topics such as test design, automation, and quality assurance.
Anonymous

The Foundation Testing and Validation course on Coursera is an insightful journey into the fundamentals of software testing. With concise yet comprehensive modules, it covers a range of essential topics, including test planning, execution, and autom…

The Foundation Testing and Validation course on Coursera is an insightful journey into the fundamentals of software testing. With concise yet comprehensive modules, it covers a range of essential topics, including test planning, execution, and automation. The course strikes a perfect balance between theoretical concepts and practical applications, offering hands-on exercises and real-world examples to reinforce learning. The instructors' expertise shines through clear explanations and engaging presentations, making complex concepts easily digestible for learners of all levels. Whether you're a novice looking to enter the field or a seasoned professional seeking to enhance your skills, this course delivers valuable insights and practical techniques for effective software testing and validation.
Anonymous

It was a very good hands-on course for beginners in QA field. I highly recommend this course for those who want to build a career in Software Quality Assurance.
Oussama Asri

I found this course extremely helpful in strengthening my skills and knowledge, and it has given me valuable insights to grow as a QA Engineer.
Dhia Ben Hassine

Au tout début j'ai commencé ce cours avec beaucoup de motivation et moins de conviction mais plus j'avançais dans le cours et plus je m'implique. Je plonge dans ce monde du test en tant que novice et avec peu de notions et pour une reconversion professionnelle.
Ce cours m'a aidé à simplifier l'environnement du test et m'a permis de comprendre et d'estimer que c'était faisable avec de l'assiduité et de la recherche. J'ai suivi toutes les vidéos avec attention puis je relisais la transcription puis j'effectuais de la recherche sur chaque module étudié.
Les explications certes superficielles mais simples à retenir et ce n'est qu'un début qui m'a donné envie à continuer et me lancer dans des cous plus approfondies.
Anonymous

It has many videos and pages and text ... But in the end, a very small amount of real information, as the text often is redundant (and I don't mean some recapitulations from earlier, which I find useful to memorize).
Peter Chitsanupong

Thank you for this excellent course! I really enjoyed learning about software testing and quality assurance. The content was clear, practical, and very helpful for beginners like me.
Anonymous

This course is amazing for beginners, offering a clear and comprehensive understanding.
It uses straightforward teaching methods and provides a complete overview in a concise format.