To work with large amounts of data, you will need to harness the power of computation through programming. This course teaches you basic programming skills for manipulating data. You will learn how to use Python to organize and manipulate data in tables, and to visualize data effectively. No prior experience with programming or Python is needed, nor is any statistics background necessary.
The examples given in the course involve real world data from diverse settings. Not all data is numerical – you will work with different types of data from a variety of domains. Though the term “data science” is relatively new, the fundamental ideas of data science are not. The course includes powerful examples that span the centuries from the Victorian era to the present day.
This course emphasizes learning through doing: you will work on large real-world data sets through interactive assignments to apply the skills you learn. Throughout, the underlying thread is that data science is a way of thinking, not just an assortment of methods. You will also hone your interpretation and communication skills, which are essential skills for data scientists.
This course is part of the Foundations of Data Science Professional Certificate program.
What you'll learn
- Basics of the Python programming language, and how to use it as a tool for data analysis
- Tools widely used by industry and academic data scientists, such as Jupyter Notebooks
- How to use computation to help your data tell a story
- Fundamental principles and methods of visualization