Overview
This course provides a solid foundation in C# programming, equipping learners with the essential skills to write robust, maintainable code for the .NET Framework and .NET Core. With no prior object-oriented programming knowledge required, participants will progress from basic procedural syntax to key object-oriented concepts such as classes, constructors, and properties. The course focuses on the C# language itself—covering console applications, class libraries, and an introduction to unit testing—preparing learners to build on their skills in more advanced C# development. Through a blend of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises, learners will gain the confidence to create efficient and reliable C# applications.
Prerequisites
Learners should have:
- Some prior exposure to basic programming concepts (equivalent to QA’s Programming Foundations course)
- Basic familiarity with using an IDE or code editor (helpful but not essential)
Target audience
This course is designed for:
- New C# developers looking to build core programming skills
- Developers transitioning to .NET from another language
- Individuals seeking a strong grounding before advancing to C# Intermediate
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Write C# code using sequence, selection, and iteration constructs
- Declare and manage variables, data types, and operators effectively
- Create and use classes and structures, including fields, properties, and methods
- Apply access modifiers (private, internal, protected, public) appropriately
- Implement generic types and work with collection classes such as List<T> and Dictionary<K,V>
- Use lambda expressions to simplify and streamline code
- Understand the principles of unit testing and apply the Arrange-Act-Assert pattern
- Apply object-oriented programming concepts including abstraction and encapsulation
Course Outline
Introduction to C# and .NET
- The .NET Framework and .NET Core
- Compilation, the Common Language Runtime, and the Common Type System
- What is C#?
- Top-level statements
- Namespaces and using directives
- Navigating Visual Studio and basic debugging
Working with variables and data types
- Comments and identifiers
- Variables, built-in data types, and strings
- Value types vs reference types
- Scope and access modifiers
- Operators, parsing, and casting
Creating and using functions
- Code blocks and syntax basics
- Defining and calling functions
- Parameters and return types
- Method overloading
- Expression-bodied methods
Flow control
- If statements
- Switch statements and switch expressions
- Ternary conditional operator
Arrays, loops, and collections
- Arrays and looping constructs (for, foreach, while, do-while)
- Generic collections: List and Dictionary
- Collection operators
Introduction to unit testing
- Purpose and benefits of unit testing
- The green-red cycle
- Unit testing best practice
- Arrange, Act, Assert methodology
Object-oriented programming fundamentals
- Why object orientation matters
- Four key concepts overview
- Classes, instances, abstraction, and encapsulation
- Value vs reference type behaviour
- Null references
Methods, properties, and constructors
- Static vs instance methods
- Properties with backing fields
- Auto-implemented and calculated properties
- Accessing properties
- Object initialisers and the ‘this’ keyword
Exams and assessments
There are no formal exams for this course. Learners will complete practical coding exercises and interactive challenges to reinforce learning and assess progress.
Hands-on learning
This course includes:
- Instructor-led demonstrations of coding concepts
- Guided coding exercises to build working C# applications
- Hands-on practice with unit testing techniques
- Realistic programming scenarios to apply learned concepts
Frequently asked questions
How can I create an account on myQA.com?
There are a number of ways to create an account. If you are a self-funder, simply select the "Create account" option on the login page.
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Find more answers to frequently asked questions in our FAQs: Bookings & Cancellations page.
How do QA’s virtual classroom courses work?
Our virtual classroom courses allow you to access award-winning classroom training, without leaving your home or office. Our learning professionals are specially trained on how to interact with remote attendees and our remote labs ensure all participants can take part in hands-on exercises wherever they are.
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How do QA’s online courses work?
QA online courses, also commonly known as distance learning courses or elearning courses, take the form of interactive software designed for individual learning, but you will also have access to full support from our subject-matter experts for the duration of your course. When you book a QA online learning course you will receive immediate access to it through our e-learning platform and you can start to learn straight away, from any compatible device. Access to the online learning platform is valid for one year from the booking date.
All courses are built around case studies and presented in an engaging format, which includes storytelling elements, video, audio and humour. Every case study is supported by sample documents and a collection of Knowledge Nuggets that provide more in-depth detail on the wider processes.
When will I receive my joining instructions?
Joining instructions for QA courses are sent two weeks prior to the course start date, or immediately if the booking is confirmed within this timeframe. For course bookings made via QA but delivered by a third-party supplier, joining instructions are sent to attendees prior to the training course, but timescales vary depending on each supplier’s terms. Read more FAQs.
When will I receive my certificate?
Certificates of Achievement are issued at the end the course, either as a hard copy or via email. Read more here.