This guide is all about data science courses, including where to find courses, what to expect, and how taking a course can help boost a career.
On a regular day, you’ll find a data scientist juggling massive chunks of structured and unstructured data to analyze, process, and interpret the results to help companies craft actionable plans. Such a complex role requires a powerful combination of statistics, computer science, and mathematics. Advanced knowledge in both social science and technology helps data scientists hunt for trends, manage complex data, and help businesses discover valuable solutions to complicated challenges.
Sure, the role of data scientists makes them indispensable for companies across the globe. The Bureau of Labour and Statistics (BLS) even predicts a 22 percent employment rise for computer information and research scientists between 2020 to 2030. But when a college degree might not be an option, what other alternatives can you take to kickstart your career in data science?
A data science course is the answer.
Data Science Courses Overview
Data science courses help learners master the skills needed in the profession within a comparatively shorter period. These courses help you journey through the entire data science process through open-source programming tools and libraries. During the course, your instructors will cover elements like the most recent machine learning algorithms alongside introducing hands-on projects and assignments to help you gain practical knowledge of the field.
Data science courses are a flexible alternative to college degrees – they are either available every month or come with on-demand access. General data science courses typically cover a few or all the core skills associated with the profession. These include:
Data Visualization
A significant part of a data scientist’s role involves creating graphs and charts using:
Programming Languages
Through programming languages, data scientists navigate through oceans of data using:
Big Data
Some data science courses cover software frameworks that help learners filter through big data, including Apache Spark and Hadoop.
Machine Learning
When you incorporate deep learning and machine learning into your work, you consistently improve the data quality. Machine learning helps data scientists predict the results of future datasets.
Aside from general courses, some learners might be hunting for specific skills within data science like SQL and deep learning, among many other topics. Specialized data science courses can help people acquire or upgrade their skills within the subject.
How much do online data science courses cost? The answer is, “it depends.” Many courses are available for free if you choose to audit the course instead of opting for the certification. Courses can also range from $49 to over $1300 or more based on your needs and what the course providers offer. Some courses offer a free trial, while others can open up routes to valuable certifications or MicroDegrees. If you’re looking at a master’s program from a reputable university, you can expect to pay a tuition fee ranging from $9,900 to $42,000. Bootcamps are another alternative with a price tag floating anywhere between $8,940 to $16,000.
The timeline of a data science course spreads across 6 to 9 months—considering you dedicate 6 to 7 hours each day to stay on track with the curriculum.
What Data Science Courses Are Available?
Anyone who loves data can access a data science course. Data science courses are typically attractive for people looking to segue into a new career. They’re popular among many junior data scientists looking to widen their career horizons. Data science courses are also a great learning opportunity for college students to kick start their careers in the field. Here are some top courses to explore:
Data Science Specialization – Coursera – Johns Hopkins University
Course level: Beginner
Course duration: 11 months
Price: Free or $49 per month (for graded material and certificate)
A great combination of theory and application, this Coursera program by JHU comes with a comprehensive curriculum to help you kickstart your career. A quick look at the prerequisites suggests some programming knowledge and an understanding of Algebra are necessary to take this course.
Course Curriculum
- Data Analysis
- Statistical Inference
- The Data Scientist’s Toolbox
- Acquiring and Cleaning Data
- Practical Machine Learning
- Reproducible Research
- Developing Data Products
- R Programming
- Data Science Capstone
- Regression Models
Dataquest – Data Scientist In Python Path
Course Level: Basic to advanced
Course Duration: 325 hours
Price: $29 per month (Basic) and $49 per month (Premium)
A collection of 31 courses, this Dataquest course covers everything from the very basics of Python to Deep Learning to math for Machine Learning. They constantly upgrade their curriculum to provide the latest training to learners.
Course Curriculum
- Visualization and Storytelling
- Basic to Advanced Python
- Machine Learning with Python
- APIs and Web Scraping
- Command-line and Git for data science
- Data cleaning and data analysis
- Probability and Statistics
- Python data science libraries
- Math for Machine Learning
- SQL
edX – MIT – Statistics and Data Science MicroMasters
Course level: Advanced
Course Duration: 1 year 2 months (10-14 hours/week)
Price: $1,350
This course series from MIT also comes with statistics and probability courses under its umbrella. Since the course offers an advanced curriculum, it requires prior experience in Python programming and multivariate calculus. Make sure you’re familiar with programming using Python before enrolling.
Course Curriculum
- Fundamentals of Statistics
- Probability
- Machine Learning with Python
- Data Analysis in Social Science
- Capstone exam in both data science and statistics
Metis – Introduction to Data Science
Course level: Beginner
Course Duration: 6 weeks (part-time/online)
Price: $750
With a rating of 4.9/5 on SwitchUp, this course covers everything that falls under the data science process. It offers live online classes for two nights per week. In addition, the course is accredited and enables students to receive continuing education units. For prerequisites, the course requires the knowledge of linear algebra, basic statistics, and Python.
Course Curriculum
- Computer Science
- Statistics
- Linear Algebra
- Data Modeling
- Data Analysis and Visualization
- Feature Selection, Data Pipelines, and Engineering for data modeling
- Advanced Model Evaluation
edX – UC San Diego – Data Science MicroMasters
Course level: Advanced
Course Duration: 10 months (9-11 hours/week)
Price: $1,260
The most intensive course on the list—the MicroMasters from edX has the potential to be considered a real Master’s degree at select universities – a certificate after course completion is directly equivalent to 30% of the entire Master of Science in Data Science degree from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Naturally, these courses demand higher prerequisites than others, including a decent experience in programming. Students get access to a balanced mix of lectures and real-world applications through this course.
Course Curriculum
- Machine Learning Fundamentals
- Python for Data Science
- Big Data Analytics using Spark
- Probability and Statistics
Advantages of Data Science Courses
With the popularity of data science careers soaring limitlessly, it’s certainly an exciting time to start or expand your career in the field. Here are some great advantages that data science courses come with:
High Flexibility
Data science courses are either super-flexible or offer highly accessible online training. This means working professionals and students alike can access the training at their convenience or from any part of the world.
Many Courses are Entirely Free
Data science courses provide unmatched exposure to the latest and most in-demand tools, technologies, and resources. Websites like Coursera, edX, and more offer free training to enthusiastic learners – bringing the incredible possibility of blasting into a brand new career playground.
Endless Possibilities
Online data science courses are highly affordable (or free), easily accessible, and always upgraded with the latest trends. This means students can take up general or specialized courses to expand their careers.
Easy Career Transition or Advancements
According to Business Wire, professionals saw a whopping 20-40% rise in salaries after getting certified through data science certs. From staying ahead of the curve to a fast-track career growth, these courses supply valuable skills that bring real results.
Students Learn from the Best
Not all students can access an Ivy league education or learn directly from industry experts. This is where online data science courses bridge the gap. Top universities like Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, American University, and many more offer world-class online courses accepted by global companies.
What Is the Best Course For You?
The best data science course is the one you complete. Ask yourself: Do I need to learn the fundamentals of data science? Would a specialized course serve me better? Which course level should I target? How can my course curriculum help me break into a specific career within data science?
A common approach for professionals looking to get their foot in the door is taking up entry-level data analyst roles, developing basic visualizations in Tableau, extracting structured databases from CRM systems or MySQL, or working on A/B test results. Regardless of your starting line, a career in data science opens up incredible pathways.
From major tech giants to thriving retail stores, every business needs data wrestlers to make valuable business decisions. Today’s “new look” data scientists might even find themselves handling ROI assessment, financial planning, and other high-level managerial positions.