# Dev Degree: Behind the Scenes

DevFeed: [Dev Degree: Behind the Scenes](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/dev-degree-behind-the-scenes-1366.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://shopify.engineering/dev-degree-behind-the-scenes>)

Author: Jean-Michel Lemieux; CTO

Published: 2020-05-13T13:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering.md>), [Shopify Engineering - Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering-shopify-engineering.md>)

Topics: [Shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/shopify.md>), [Developer experience](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/developer-experience.md>), [Computer science](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/computer-science.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/coding.md>)

Tags: [developer-experience](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer-experience.md>), [development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/development.md>), [education](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/education.md>), [experimentation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/experimentation.md>), [remote](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/remote.md>), [shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/shopify.md>), [software-education](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software-education.md>), [technology](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/technology.md>), [work](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/work.md>)

## AI overview

This article describes Shopify's Dev Degree program and the graduation of its first cohort in 2020. It explains how students combine university computer science courses with four years of hands-on developer experience, skills training, and team placements at Shopify. The program was developed through experimentation and iteration, with an emphasis on practical development, feedback, personal growth, and preparing students for employment.

## Source excerpt

On April 24th, 2020, we proudly celebrated the graduation of our first Dev Degree program cohort. This milestone holds a special place in Shopify history because it's a day born out of trial and error, experimentation, iteration, and hustle. The 2016 cohort had the honor and challenge of being our first class, lived through the churn and pivots of a newly designed program, and completed their education during a worldwide pandemic, thrust into remote learning and work.