
IBM
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Dashboard Creation, Data Presentation, Data Wrangling, Plotly, Data Visualization Software, Web Scraping, Data Visualization, Exploratory Data Analysis, SQL, Plot (Graphics), Dashboard, Unsupervised Learning, Interactive Data Visualization, Jupyter, Model Evaluation, Data Literacy, Generative AI, Professional Networking, Python Programming
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Rmarkdown, Data Visualization, Data Presentation, Data Ethics, Data Cleansing, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Validation, Ggplot2, Google Sheets, Sampling (Statistics), Spreadsheet Software, Data Analysis, Stakeholder Communications, LinkedIn, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), File Management, Web Presence, Data Structures, Interviewing Skills
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Visualization, A/B Testing, Sampling (Statistics), Data Analysis, Exploratory Data Analysis, Regression Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Data Presentation, Data Ethics, Feature Engineering, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Analytics, Statistical Analysis, Data Science, Tableau Software, Machine Learning, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Web Presence, Python Programming
Build toward a degree
Advanced · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: SQL, Jupyter, Data Literacy, Data Mining, R (Software), Data Modeling, Database Management, Relational Databases, Stored Procedure, R Programming, Model Deployment, Databases, Data Science, Data Processing, Big Data, Query Languages, GitHub, Software Development Tools, Data Visualization Software, Python Programming
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

University of Pittsburgh
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Analysis, NumPy, Probability Distribution, Matplotlib, Plot (Graphics), Statistics, Data Science, Probability & Statistics, Probability, Statistical Modeling, Predictive Modeling, Data Analysis, Linear Algebra, Predictive Analytics, Statistical Methods, Mathematics and Mathematical Modeling, Applied Mathematics, Python Programming, Machine Learning, Logical Reasoning
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

University of Colorado Boulder
Skills you'll gain: Model Evaluation, Statistical Modeling, Applied Machine Learning, Unsupervised Learning, Statistical Machine Learning, Data Science, Decision Tree Learning, Statistical Methods, Classification And Regression Tree (CART), Artificial Neural Networks, Statistical Analysis, Regression Analysis, Predictive Modeling, Machine Learning Methods, Classification Algorithms, Supervised Learning, R Programming, Statistical Inference, Machine Learning Algorithms, Dimensionality Reduction
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Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

University of Colorado Boulder
Skills you'll gain: Data Mining, Anomaly Detection, Unsupervised Learning, Data Warehousing, Machine Learning Methods, Supervised Learning, Data Pipelines, Data Preprocessing, Classification Algorithms, Data Processing, Data Modeling, Decision Tree Learning, Data Management, Machine Learning Algorithms, Data Science, Data Cleansing, Model Evaluation, Analytical Skills, Ideation, Exploratory Data Analysis
Build toward a degree
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

Skills you'll gain: Data Modeling, Stakeholder Engagement, Database Design, Dashboard, Business Intelligence, Business Intelligence Software, Extract, Transform, Load, Dashboard Creation, Tableau Software, Databases, Data Warehousing, Stakeholder Communications, Data Visualization, Web Presence, Interviewing Skills, Business Process, Business Analysis, Professional Development, Data Analysis, SQL
Build toward a degree
Advanced · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Microsoft
Skills you'll gain: Excel Macros, Prompt Engineering, Microsoft Excel, Data Cleansing, Excel Formulas, Pivot Tables And Charts, Microsoft Copilot, Spreadsheet Software, Forecasting, Data Presentation, Dashboard Creation, Data Processing, Data Visualization Software, Data Manipulation, Data Visualization, Predictive Modeling, Workflow Management, Statistical Analysis, Data Transformation, Data Analysis
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Johns Hopkins University
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Sampling (Statistics), Regression Analysis, Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Inference, Statistical Methods, Statistical Modeling, Linear Algebra, Probability, Probability Distribution, R Programming, Biostatistics, Data Analysis, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematical Modeling, Analysis, Data Modeling
Advanced · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

University of Michigan
Skills you'll gain: Matplotlib, Network Analysis, Social Network Analysis, Feature Engineering, Data Visualization, Pandas (Python Package), Plot (Graphics), Data Visualization Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Model Evaluation, Applied Machine Learning, Supervised Learning, Text Mining, Statistical Visualization, Network Model, Data Manipulation, NumPy, Data Preprocessing, Natural Language Processing, Python Programming
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Ethics, Data Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Analytics, Workflow Management, Data Science, Advanced Analytics, Analytical Skills, Business Solutions, Technical Communication, Process Design, Project Management, Communication, Stakeholder Communications, Machine Learning
Advanced · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Though they sound similar, data science certificates and certifications are actually different from one another.
Data science Professional Certificates are awarded to individuals who have completed a specific course of study. For example, once you complete the IBM Data Science Professional Certificate, you’ll be awarded a certificate that you can put on your resume to highlight your training and skills to potential employers.
Data science professional certifications, meanwhile, are awarded to individuals who have passed a specific exam like Microsoft’s Azure Data Scientist Associate certification. Usually, certifications are pursued by individuals with prior work experience and some may even require that test-takers have worked a certain number of years in the field to qualify.
Obtaining a data science Professional Certificate can help you stand out to potential employers by highlighting your training and relevant job skills. As a holder of the IBM Data Science Professional Certificate, for example, you’d possess a certificate that shows you’ve completed a 10-course curriculum that covers such foundational concepts as Python, SQL, data analysis, data analytics, and machine learning models.
Coursera offers a variety of data science courses, specializations, and Professional Certificates that each award a certificate upon completion.
The IBM Data Science Professional Certificate offers a beginner-friendly crash course in foundational data science topics like Python, SQL, data visualization, data analysis, and even machine learning. The University of Michigan’s Applied Data Science with Python Specialization, meanwhile, teaches intermediate-level learners how to use Python toolkits to apply statistical, machine learning, information visualization, text analysis, and social network analysis to their datasets. In the University of Colorado’s Data Science Graduate Certificate, finally, you’ll develop skills in data science and gain knowledge of statistical analysis, data mining, and machine learning from one of the nation’s top-ranked Tier 1 research institutions.
None!
Coursera has numerous beginner-friendly data science courses, specializations, and Professional Certificates that don’t require you to have any special knowledge to start them. While math and programming skills could certainly help, programs like the IBM Data Science Professional Certificate and the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate assume that you don’t possess such knowledge before starting them and will introduce you to relevant topics as you work through each module.
Read more: 7 Skills Every Data Scientist Should Have
A data science certificate could prepare you for entry-level data analytics roles like data analyst, marketing analyst, and business intelligence analyst. Depending on your prior work experience, you may also qualify for more advanced positions like data scientist, data architect, and data engineer.
Read more: Data Science Jobs Guide: Resources for a Career in Tech