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There are 4 modules in this course
Nearly every aspect of business is affected by data analytics. For businesses to capitalize on data analytics, they need leaders who understand the business analytic workflow. This course addresses the human skills gap by providing a foundational set of data processing skills that can be applied to many business settings.
In this course you will use Python, a widely adopted data analytics language, to efficiently prepare business data for analytic tools such as algorithms and visualizations. Cleaning, transforming, aggregating, and reshaping data is a critical, but inconspicuous step in the business analytic workflow.
As you learn how to use Python to prepare data for analysis, you will gain experience using integrated development environments (IDEs) that simplify coding, support data exploration, and help you share results effectively.
As you learn about the business analytics workflow you will also consider the interplay between business principles and data analytics. Specifically, you will explore how delegation, control, and feasibility influence the way in which data is processed. You will also be introduced to examples of business problems that can be solved with data automation and analytics, and methods for communicating data analytic results that do not require copying and pasting from one platform to another.
In this module, you will be introduced to (1) the FACT framework for approaching business analytics, and (2) Python and the use of JupyterLab or Google Colab for running basic analyses.
Python and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)•7 minutes
Installing Python Using JupyterLab Desktop (Recommended for Windows and Mac Users)•6 minutes
Installing Python Using Homebrew and Pyenv (For advanced Mac users)•7 minutes
Installing Python from Python.org for Windows (For advanced Windows users)•5 minutes
An Example Workflow With JupyterLab•9 minutes
Tour of JupyterLab•8 minutes
Using Interactive Python Notebook (IPYNB) Files•9 minutes
Tour of Jupyter Notebook•3 minutes
Basic Calculations with Python•8 minutes
Google Colab - An Online Version of Jupyter Notebook•9 minutes
Module 1 Conclusion•3 minutes
8 readings•Total 80 minutes
Syllabus•10 minutes
Glossary•10 minutes
About the Discussion Forums•10 minutes
Online Education at Gies College of Business•10 minutes
Update Your Profile•10 minutes
Module 1 Overview•10 minutes
Module 1 Readings•10 minutes
Installing Python and JupyterLab: Start Here•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 30 minutes
Module 1 Quiz•30 minutes
Orientation Quiz•0 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Getting to Know Your Classmates•10 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
Welcome! Please Tell Us About Yourself•15 minutes
Module 2: How Can I Frame Business Questions and Data Analytic Questions?
2 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you’ll focus on framing clear, purposeful questions—whether you're identifying business problems or writing Python code. You’ll explore strategies for troubleshooting and gathering help from various sources, including AI tools, built-in documentation, and error messages. You’ll also be introduced to foundational Python data structures like DataFrames, dictionaries, lists, and strings.
What's included
14 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 85 minutes
Module 2 Introduction•4 minutes
Framing Questions for Actionable Insight•8 minutes
Framing Python Questions•14 minutes
Framing Questions for External Sources•9 minutes
Framing Questions for Python's Built-In Documentation•6 minutes
Framing Questions About Module Functions and Methods•5 minutes
Framing Questions About Pandas Dataframes•8 minutes
Framing Questions About Python Dictionaries•5 minutes
Framing Questions About Python Lists•4 minutes
Framing Questions About Python Strings•7 minutes
Acting on the Answer•3 minutes
Acting on the Answer by Running Code Experiments•7 minutes
Acting on the Answer by Reading Error Messages•5 minutes
Module 2 Conclusion•3 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Module 2 Overview•10 minutes
Module 2 Readings•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Module 2 Quiz•30 minutes
Module 3: How Can I Explore the Data?
5 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will learn about tidy data and then gain practice using basic exploratory techniques for evaluating the tidiness of pandas DataFrames. Specifically, you’ll first learn various approaches for filtering data to specific rows and columns. You’ll then learn how to explore the data using descriptive statistics and visualizations. By mastering these techniques, you'll be equipped to efficiently identify the value of real-world data and the potential of that data for providing insight to the business questions that have been framed.
What's included
12 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review
Show info about module content
12 videos•Total 106 minutes
Module 3 Introduction•3 minutes
Is Data an Asset?•7 minutes
Assembling Data•7 minutes
Properties of a Tidy Dataframe•5 minutes
Data Dictionaries•5 minutes
Characteristics of a Tidy Dataset•13 minutes
Exploring Dataframes Using Filters•10 minutes
Exploring Dataframes Using Conditional Statements•13 minutes
Summary Statistics•12 minutes
Exploring Data with Summary Statistics•12 minutes
Exploring Dataframes with Visualizations•16 minutes
Module 3 Conclusion•3 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Module 3 Overview•10 minutes
Module 3 Readings•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Module 3 Quiz•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 120 minutes
Module 3 Peer Reviewed Assignment •120 minutes
Module 4: How Do I Assemble the Data?
3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you’ll clean and prepare data using core Python and pandas tools. Through hands-on examples, you’ll fix issues like missing values and formatting problems, organize data into a tidy structure, write clear and efficient code, and save data in a more compact format that preserves the cleaned data.
What's included
13 videos4 readings1 assignment1 plugin
Show info about module content
13 videos•Total 87 minutes
Module 4 Introduction•5 minutes
Cleaning and Preprocessing the Data•9 minutes
General Data Cleaning Tasks for Columns of a Dataframe•6 minutes
General Data Cleaning Tasks for Rows of a Dataframe•10 minutes
Cleaning String Columns of a Dataframe•13 minutes
Cleaning Date Columns of a Dataframe•11 minutes
Dataframe Shape: Wide Versus Long•4 minutes
Changing the Shape of a Dataframe•5 minutes
Combining Dataframes•9 minutes
Cleaning Your Code•6 minutes
Saving Cleaned Data•7 minutes
Module 4 Conclusion•2 minutes
Learn on Your Terms•1 minute
4 readings•Total 40 minutes
Module 4 Overview•10 minutes
Module 4 Readings•10 minutes
Congratulations on completing the course!•10 minutes
Get Your Course Certificate•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Module 4 Quiz•30 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
How Was the Course?•15 minutes
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Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
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Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
¹Successful application and enrollment are required. Eligibility requirements apply. Each institution determines the number of credits recognized by completing this content that may count towards degree requirements, considering any existing credits you may have. Click on a specific course for more information.
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