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There are 5 modules in this course
Designed for students with no prior statistics knowledge, this course will provide a foundation for further study in data science, data analytics, or machine learning. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, and discrete and continuous probability distributions. Assignments are conducted in Microsoft Excel (Windows or Mac versions). Designed to be taken with the follow-up courses, “Statistics and Data Analysis with Excel, Part 2" and "Statistics and Data Analysis with R". All three courses make up the specialization "Statistics and Applied Data Analysis."
Welcome to the course! In this module, you will orient yourself to the course policies and will learn a few of the basics related to statistics.
The Importance of a Course Certificate and the Future of Higher Education•10 minutes
Do Your Excel Skills Need Work?•2 minutes
What Version of Excel Do You Need for This Course?•5 minutes
Is It "Data Are" or "Data Is"?•2 minutes
Week 2 Excel Files•2 minutes
2 assignments•Total 32 minutes
Week 1 Graded Quiz•30 minutes
Unlock Quiz for Week 2 Files•2 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
What About You?•10 minutes
Descriptive Statistics and Graphical Representation of Data
Module 2•4 hours to complete
Module details
During Week 2, you will learn how to calculate population and sample statistics as well as quartiles and percentiles. Data visualization is important in the field of statistics - you will learn all about histograms, which are used for presenting univariate data in graphical format, as well as scatter plots and column plots. You will learn how to visualize univariate data in a box plot, which is a nice technique for identifying outliers. Finally, you will learn how to clean and transform data and use robust estimators in data sets that are highly affected by outliers.
Difference Between Population and Sample•7 minutes
What is the Summation Symbol?•3 minutes
Descriptive Statistics•7 minutes
Quartiles and Percentiles•13 minutes
Univariate vs. Bivariate Data•5 minutes
Categorical vs. Numerical Data•5 minutes
Histograms•11 minutes
Scatter Plots in Excel, Part 1•8 minutes
Scatter Plots in Excel, Part 2•4 minutes
Column and Pie Charts in Excel•5 minutes
Time Series Plots•3 minutes
Box Plots•9 minutes
Cleaning Data in Excel•7 minutes
Data Transformations•9 minutes
Robust Estimators•9 minutes
Removing Outliers•8 minutes
Guided Workshop 2: Creating a Histogram in Excel•13 minutes
3 readings•Total 14 minutes
Week 2 Cheat Sheet•2 minutes
Guided Workshop 2•10 minutes
Week 3 Excel Files•2 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Week 2 Practice Quiz•30 minutes
Guided Workshop 2 Submission•30 minutes
Week 2 Graded Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
(OPTIONAL) Week 2 Discussion•5 minutes
Probability
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
In Week 3, you will learn all about probability and counting techniques. A thorough understanding of probability is paramount for the study of statistics. There are several rules and axioms that govern probability, and you will explore these rules in several screencasts. Finally, you will learn about conditional probability, which is the foundation for Bayes' Theorem.
How to Use the PERMUT and COMBIN Functions in Excel•2 minutes
Probability Rules•6 minutes
Conditional Probability•6 minutes
Multiplication Rule•6 minutes
Total Probability Rule•7 minutes
Bayes' Theorem•11 minutes
Guided Workshop 3: Bayes' Theorem and Diagnostic Testing•18 minutes
3 readings•Total 14 minutes
Week 3 Cheat Sheet•2 minutes
Guided Workshop 3•10 minutes
Week 4 Excel Files•2 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Week 3 Practice Quiz•30 minutes
Guided Workshop 3 Submission•30 minutes
Week 3 Graded Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
(OPTIONAL) Week 3 Discussion•5 minutes
Discrete Probability Distributions
Module 4•4 hours to complete
Module details
Week 4 focuses on discrete probability distributions, in which the random variable is constrained to discrete values. Discrete probability distributions allow statisticians to make probabilistic predictions related to discrete stochastic models. These distributions include the binomial, geometric, negative binomial, hypergeometric, multinomial, and Poisson distributions.
Excel Functions For Discrete Distributions•10 minutes
Guided Workshop 4•10 minutes
Week 5 Excel Files•2 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Week 4 Practice Quiz•30 minutes
Guided Workshop 4 Submission•30 minutes
Week 4 Graded Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
(OPTIONAL) Week 4 Discussion•5 minutes
Continuous Probability Distributions
Module 5•4 hours to complete
Module details
Building on what you learned about probability distributions in Week 4, you will explore continuous random variables and continuous probability distributions in Week 5. These distributions include the common normal distribution and standard normal distribution, but we'll also delve into the exponential distribution, gamma distribution, and others. These distributions allow us to make probabilistic predictions related to stochastic models.
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Learner reviews
4.6
41 reviews
5 stars
85.36%
4 stars
4.87%
3 stars
0%
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K
KR
5·
Reviewed on Jul 23, 2025
This course was excellent in helping me understand the basics of statistics and probability!
D
DK
5·
Reviewed on Feb 28, 2024
easily one of the best stats courses i have ever taken. The Hands on application really reinforces the lectures. Full semester in just a few hours. Thanks Professor Nuttelman
F
FN
5·
Reviewed on Jun 9, 2024
It is a perfect introduction to statistics, especially for the learner without a background in Statistics.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. 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.
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.