Managing Software Quality Assurance and Testing
CSE-41265
Advance your career with industry-aligned training in Software Quality Assurance (QA), Agile Testing, Risk-Based Testing, and CI/CD Quality Integration.
Course Overview
Managing Software Quality Assurance and Testing delivers a comprehensive, practical foundation in software quality assurance, software testing best practices, and QA leadership across the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
Why Take Managing Software Quality Assurance and Testing Course?
Modern software organizations demand more than basic testing. They require professionals who can:
- Integrate quality throughout the SDLC
- Align testing strategy with product risk
- Improve release readiness
- Support Agile and DevOps delivery pipelines
- Apply automation strategically
- Use QA metrics to drive business decisions
This course teaches you how to build quality into software systems from requirements and design through testing, release management, and organizational governance.
Organizations are actively hiring professionals skilled in:
- Agile QA practices
- Shift-left testing
- DevOps quality engineering
- CI/CD testing integration
- Test automation strategy
- Software test management
- Risk-based testing frameworks
Software quality failures are costly. Companies invest heavily in professionals who understand how to prevent defects, manage release risk, and improve delivery performance. This course helps you stand out in a competitive market and positions you for advancement in high-demand technical roles.
What You Will Learn In This Course?
Through hands-on, real-world scenarios, you will:
- Analyze and improve requirements documentation
- Design measurable acceptance criteria
- Develop risk-based test strategies
- Evaluate automation strategies within CI/CD environments
- Assess quality risks in web and API-based systems
- Practice defect lifecycle management using Jira
- Explore modern QA team structures in Agile and distributed environments
This is a practical, career-focused software testing and QA management course designed to prepare you for leadership in quality engineering.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Integrate quality assurance practices throughout the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
- Evaluate and strengthen requirements to improve testability and reduce defects.
- Design risk-based test strategies aligned with business priorities.
- Apply Agile QA practices, including acceptance criteria development and shift-left testing.
- Develop foundational automation strategy thinking within CI/CD environments.
- Manage defects and assess release readiness using meaningful QA metrics.
Prerequisites
Students enrolling in this software testing and QA management course should have:
- Basic understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC
- Familiarity with general software or web application concepts
- Exposure to Agile or Scrum concepts (helpful but not required)
- Experience working on a software or programming project (academic or professional)
This course is ideal for professionals transitioning into software quality assurance careers or advancing into QA leadership roles.
Required Software & Tools
Students will use the following free, industry-standard tools:
- Jira (Free Tier) - Issue tracking, defect management, and Agile workflow demonstrations
- Visual Studio Community Edition - Basic development and testing examples
- GitHub - Repository management and version control fundamentals
These platforms reflect real-world software QA environments and provide practical, resume-building experience. All required tools are free and accessible to students. No paid software will be required.
Who Should Enroll?
This course is designed for:
- Software Developers seeking stronger testing and quality strategy skills
- QA Engineers preparing for leadership or management roles
- Project Managers overseeing software delivery
- Product Managers responsible for release quality
- Professionals entering the software testing or QA field
If you want to move beyond manual testing and develop a strategic understanding of software quality management and Agile testing practices, this course is for you.
Career Pathways
This course prepares you for roles such as:
- QA Engineer
- Software Test Analyst
- QA Automation Engineer
- Quality Assurance Manager
- Agile QA Lead
- DevOps Quality Engineer
- Software Delivery Manager
Employers value professionals who can manage quality proactively and support high-performing engineering teams.
Course Format
- Offered in Spring and Fall quarter
- Online:
- Delivered asynchronously with access to course materials anytime during the published course dates
- Flexibility within structured timelines
- Interactive learning environments using Canvas LMS
- Instructor support and feedback
- Access to all course materials online
Next Steps
After completing this course, students are encouraged to continue their learning journey by enrolling in the Software Quality Assurance Certificate program or continue to take courses in the program.
More information
Contact infotech@ucsd.edu to learn more about Software QA and course offerings.
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 4/13/2026
Schedule:
Instructor:
Husam El-Issa
Husam’s technical background spans software engineering, system integration, project management, and the development of mission-critical solutions. His industry work includes leading engineering programs from concept through deployment, ensuring technical rigor, operational reliability, and alignment with strategic objectives.
In addition to his engineering leadership roles, Husam has expanded his expertise into modern AI and cloud technologies, including AI-powered SaaS platforms, Azure AI for document analysis and information extraction, and blockchain-based multi-chain portfolio tracking applications.
As a university instructor, he is committed to bridging the gap between academic foundations and real-world engineering practice. Husam teaches courses in software engineering, distributed systems, operating systems, and senior design, emphasizing hands-on learning, modern tooling, and industry-aligned methodologies.
