This course is part of the Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

Seth Frey

Offered By

Python Basics for Online Research SpecializationUniversity of California, Davis

About this Course

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Students will begin in Python by bridging between the basics of a programming language and interacting with the Internet in fun new ways. In technical terms, the parts of Python you'll learn are arithmetic, variables, values, and modules. At a higher level, we'll learn what an API is by playing with cat memes. But separate from the technical part of coding, there's the psychological part. Topic lectures will address the human side of code, and make you feel more prepared to see yourself as someone who codes. The demos are the most fun and accessible part of this course. You will find pointers to several more in the honors module of this course.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 4 in the

Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 9 hours to complete

English

What you will learn

Learn why it's worth learning to code and what an API is by dealing in the basic currency of the social Internet.
Run "code notebooks" and discuss the psychological part of learning code to make you feel more prepared to see yourself as someone who codes.
Apply the programming language Python and bridge between the basics of a programming language and interacting with the Internet in fun new ways.
Using Python, you'll learn how to say one phrase in over 100 languages in Google Translate, and take simple phrases by translating them.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 4 in the

Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 9 hours to complete

English

Instructor

Seth Frey

Professor and Computational Social Scientist

1,702 Learners

4 Courses

Offered by

University of California, Davis

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Pictures of Kittens in Python

3 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 25 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Code Notebooks

In this module, we will go over an elementary coding concepts and our basic platform. This lesson will be run in "code notebooks," a sort of interactive textbook that lets you read, run, and change working code examples. We will also look at the psychological part of learning code. Topic lectures will address the human side of code, and make you feel more prepared to see yourself as someone who codes.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 23 min)

Week

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Python as a Calculator

In this module, we will get our first proper lesson in the programming language Python, the beginning of bridging between the basics of a programming language and interacting with the Internet in fun new ways. You'll experience the quirks and details of working with numbers in Python, by using it like a calculator; also using variables, like in a graphing calculator. All toward a simple demo in which we convert bike wheels between standard and metric measures.

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 39 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Week

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Course Summary & Honors: Interactive Demo

1 hour to complete

2 videos (Total 14 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

About the Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

Online social science methods use technology to push the bounds of what we can know about human interaction and communication. The digitization of communication has provided a wealth of data that is transforming the social sciences. But there's a gap between the important questions about human nature and the raw, messy reality of code and data. In this 4-course specialization, we will bridge the gap, learning enough of a popular programming language—Python—to discover things about ourselves, our friends, each other, and society, as we interact with the Internet in code.

No prior skills or knowledge are assumed. Really this specialization is a "Pre-introduction" to code. On the technical skills side, this specialization will teach basic Python types, variables, code flow, and modules, up to functions. But you won't actually write any code. Instead this specialization will teach you to read, run, think, and play in code. That is because there is so much we can do to inspire and prepare you before you've even written your first line. It is recommended to take each course in the specialization and in sequence, as the four courses build off of each other. We look forward to being a part of your continuing education!

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Python Basics: Interacting with the Internet

About this Course

What you will learn