Forge
Skills Courses
Level up your tech + creative skills.
Get notified when Fall 2021 Applications open
10 Weeks, September 12 - November 18
4-6 Hour Commitment / Week
In-Person & Online for Fall 2021
Applications for Fall 2021 Open August 1
Learn anything from design to data science to videography in just 10 weeks, all online. You'll develop new skills through fun, hands-on projects in a fast-paced, community-driven environment. This is the most popular way to join Forge, with 750+ college students signing up each year. And it's a perfect way to level up your skills in a tough job market.
Fall 2021 Skills Courses
This fall all courses will be offered both online and in-person from our clubhouse in Charlottesville.
Node Lite - intro to data science
Node - data science
Node Pro - advanced data science
Source Lite - intro to software development
Source - software development
Envision - data visualizations with D3.js
Convert - intro to digital marketing
Wireframe - intro to website & app design
Vector - intro to graphic design
What course should I take if I'm...
...interested in creative, media, arts, and design careers?
Convert will teach you how to find new audiences, launch marketing campaigns, and create loyal customers. Learn more →

Wireframe will teach you how to design beautiful apps in the growing field of user experience (UX) design. Learn more →

Vector will teach you how to create stunning graphics and develop your eye for design. Learn more →
    ...interested in software and data?
    Our Source courses will teach you React, a Javascript framework used to make modern web apps. Source Lite is great if you've never coded before, and Source is perfect if you know at least the basics of how to code (CS 1110 or similar).

    Our Node courses will teach you data science, arguably the fastest growing field in technology. Node Lite is great if you've never coded before, and Node is great if you have (CS 1110 or similar). Node Pro goes into more advanced machine learning, and assumes you know some data science already.

    Envision (new this spring!) teaches D3.js, an advanced framework for data visualization. We assume you already have some experience working with data and code. Learn more →
      Skills Courses Schedule
      All of our courses meet twice a week: once as a group for a 2 hour workshop, and once in a smaller lab for more personalized training and support.

      Courses start the week of September 12 and continue weekly for 10 weeks. The course times for Fall 2021 will be released on August 1.
      Skills Courses Timeline
      1) Stop by our virtual Open House
      Get to know our team and learn more before you register or apply. Stop by our Virtual Open House on Friday, August 27th from 2-4pm. You can RSVP here. If you miss it, shoot us an email at hello@joinforge.co with any questions.
      2) Apply Online by September 7th
      All of courses are available to anyone and everyone who's interested -- all years, majors, and backgrounds. There's a short application for most courses, and no application for Prototype. We have a no-questions-asked financial aid policy for anyone receiving financial aid from their college or university. Applications for Fall 2021 Skills Courses will open on August 1.
      3) Courses Begin
      Courses kick off the week of September 12th. Make sure you register for a course workshop time you can make consistently -- they're all listed above. Each week, you'll also have a personalized lab time with your instructor (at flexible meeting times) and continue work with your classmates on projects.
      4) Courses Showcase
      At the end of the semester you'll put everything you learned into a cumulative project you'll show off to the broader Forge community in our Showcase. This is how we celebrate everything our community has learned and made each semester. We'll award prizes and rewards to some of the best projects, too.
      ⭐ Check out the Spring 2021 Courses Showcase here!


      5) What Comes Next
      Finishing your first course with Forge is just the first step in getting involved in our community. Most students stick around in future semesters to continue learning in other courses (members get a big discount), join our leadership team, hack on new projects and ideas, or even become TAs and teachers for our courses. Members also get priority on our trips and Launch summer internship program.