Claude Code: Software Engineering with Generative AI Agents course Syllabus

Overview: This course provides a hands-on introduction to using Claude, a powerful AI assistant, to enhance software engineering workflows. Designed for developers with basic programming knowledge, it covers practical techniques for code generation, debugging, testing, and responsible AI integration. The curriculum spans approximately 8–12 weeks with a weekly commitment of 3–5 hours, combining guided lessons, coding exercises, and a final project to solidify skills in real-world AI-assisted development.

Module 1: Introduction to AI-Assisted Coding with Claude

Estimated time: 6 hours

• What is Claude and how it supports developers
• Understanding strengths and limitations of AI code generation
• Common coding workflows enhanced by AI tools
• Setting up your environment for AI-assisted development

Module 2: Prompt Engineering for Code Generation

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Writing structured prompts for clear code output
• Generating functions, scripts, and small applications
• Refining prompts for accuracy and maintainability
• Best practices for iterative prompt improvement

Module 3: Debugging, Refactoring, and Testing

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Using Claude to identify bugs and logical errors
• Refactoring code for readability and performance
• Automatically generating unit tests
• Creating documentation and code explanations with AI

Module 4: Responsible AI Use in Development

Estimated time: 6 hours

• Validating AI-generated code for correctness
• Evaluating security risks and ethical considerations
• Combining human judgment with AI suggestions

Module 5: Integrating AI into Real-World Workflows

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Applying AI assistance in version control workflows
• Collaborating with teams using AI-generated code
• Best practices for reviewing and integrating AI output

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 12 hours

• Develop a small application using AI-assisted coding
• Apply prompt engineering and debugging techniques
• Submit code, documentation, and a reflection on AI use

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of programming (variables, functions, control structures)
• Familiarity with a modern programming language (e.g., Python, JavaScript)
• Comfort using command-line tools and text editors

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Use Claude to generate reliable and clean code efficiently
• Apply prompt engineering techniques to improve AI output quality
• Debug and refactor existing code with AI assistance
• Automate test and documentation generation using AI
• Integrate AI coding tools responsibly into professional workflows