Launch your career in data science. Gain foundational data science skills to prepare for a career or further advanced learning in data science.

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Earns credits toward the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree
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Introduction to Data Science SpecializationIBM Skills Network

What you will learn

Describe what data science and machine learning are, their applications & use cases, and various types of tasks performed by data scientists
Gain hands-on familiarity with common data science tools including JupyterLab, R Studio, GitHub and Watson Studio
Develop the mindset to work like a data scientist, and follow a methodology to tackle different types of data science problems
Write SQL statements and query Cloud databases using Python from Jupyter notebooks

Skills you will gain

About this Specialization

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Interested in learning more about data science, but don’t know where to start? This 4-course Specialization from IBM will provide you with the key foundational skills any data scientist needs to prepare you for a career in data science or further advanced learning in the field. This Specialization will introduce you to what data science is and what data scientists do. You’ll discover the applicability of data science across fields, and learn how data analysis can help you make data driven decisions. You’ll find that you can kickstart your career path in the field without prior knowledge of computer science or programming languages: this Specialization will give you the foundation you need for more advanced learning to support your career goals. You’ll grasp concepts like big data, statistical analysis, and relational databases, and gain familiarity with various open source tools and data science programs used by data scientists, like Jupyter Notebooks, RStudio, GitHub, and SQL. You'll complete hands-on labs and projects to learn the methodology involved in tackling data science problems and apply your newly acquired skills and knowledge to real world data sets. In addition to earning a Specialization completion certificate from Coursera, you’ll also receive a digital badge from IBM recognizing you as a specialist in data science foundations. This Specialization can also be applied toward the IBM Data Science Professional Certificate.

Applied Learning Project

All courses in the specialization contain multiple hands-on labs and assignments to help you gain practical experience and skills with a variety of data sets and tools like Jupyter, GitHub, and R Studio. Build your data science portfolio from the artifacts you produce throughout this program. Course-culminating projects include:

Creating and sharing a Jupyter Notebook containing code blocks and markdown
Devising a problem that can be solved by applying the data science methodology and explain how to apply each stage of the methodology to solve it
Using SQL to query census, crime, and demographic data sets to identify causes that impact enrollment, safety, health, and environment ratings in schools

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online courses

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Flexible Schedule

Set and maintain flexible deadlines.

Beginner Level

Approximately 5 months to complete

Suggested pace of 4 hours/week

English

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online courses

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Flexible Schedule

Set and maintain flexible deadlines.

Beginner Level

Approximately 5 months to complete

Suggested pace of 4 hours/week

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

How the Specialization Works

Take Courses

A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.

Hands-on Project

Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.

Earn a Certificate

When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.

There are 4 Courses in this Specialization

Course1

Course 1

What is Data Science?

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Do you want to know why Data Science has been labelled as the sexiest profession of the 21st century? After taking this course you will be able to answer this question, and get a thorough understanding of what is Data Science, what data scientists do, and learn about career paths in the field.

The art of uncovering the insights and trends in data has been around since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians used census data to increase efficiency in tax collection and they accurately predicted the flooding of the Nile river every year. Since then, people using data to derive insights and predict outcomes have carved out a unique and distinct field for the work they do. This field is data science. In today's world, we use Data Science to find patterns in data, and make meaningful, data driven conclusions and predictions. This course is for everyone, and teaches concepts like Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Neural Networks and how companies apply data science in business. You will meet several data scientists, who will share their insights and experiences in Data Science. By taking this introductory course, you will begin your journey into the thriving field that is Data Science!

Course2

Course 2

Tools for Data Science

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stars

26,015 ratings

In order to be successful in Data Science, you need to be skilled with using tools that Data Science professionals employ as part of their jobs. This course teaches you about the popular tools in Data Science and how to use them.

You will become familiar with the Data Scientist’s tool kit which includes: Libraries & Packages, Data Sets, Machine Learning Models, Kernels, as well as the various Open source, commercial, Big Data and Cloud-based tools. Work with Jupyter Notebooks, JupyterLab, RStudio IDE, Git, GitHub, and Watson Studio. You will understand what each tool is used for, what programming languages they can execute, their features and limitations. This course gives plenty of hands-on experience in order to develop skills for working with these Data Science Tools. With the tools hosted in the cloud on Skills Network Labs, you will be able to test each tool and follow instructions to run simple code in Python, R, or Scala. Towards the end the course, you will create a final project with a Jupyter Notebook. You will demonstrate your proficiency preparing a notebook, writing Markdown, and sharing your work with your peers.

Course3

Course 3

Data Science Methodology

4.6

stars

18,811 ratings

If there is a shortcut to becoming a Data Scientist, then learning to think and work like a successful Data Scientist is it. Most of the established data scientists follow a similar methodology for solving Data Science problems. In this course you will learn and then apply this methodology that can be used to tackle any Data Science scenario.

The purpose of this course is to share a methodology that can be used within data science, to ensure that the data used in problem solving is relevant and properly manipulated to address the question at hand. Accordingly, in this course, you will learn: - The major steps involved in practicing data science - Forming a business/research problem, collecting, preparing & analyzing data, building a model, deploying a model and understanding the importance of feedback - Apply the 6 stages of the CRISP-DM methodology, the most popular methodology for Data Science and Data Mining problems - How data scientists think! To apply the methodology, you will work on a real-world inspired scenario and work with Jupyter Notebooks using Python to develop hands-on experience.

Course4

Course 4

Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python

4.6

stars

17,216 ratings

Working knowledge of SQL (or Structured Query Language) is a must for data professionals like Data Scientists, Data Analysts and Data Engineers. Much of the world's data resides in databases. SQL is a powerful language used for communicating with and extracting data from databases.

In this course you will learn SQL inside out- from the very basics of Select statements to advanced concepts like JOINs. You will: -write foundational SQL statements like: SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE -filter result sets, use WHERE, COUNT, DISTINCT, and LIMIT clauses -differentiate between DML & DDL -CREATE, ALTER, DROP and load tables -use string patterns and ranges; ORDER and GROUP result sets, and built-in database functions -build sub-queries and query data from multiple tables -access databases as a data scientist using Jupyter notebooks with SQL and Python -work with advanced concepts like Stored Procedures, Views, ACID Transactions, Inner & Outer JOINs Through hands-on labs and projects, you will practice building SQL queries, work with real databases on the Cloud, and use real data science tools. In the final project you’ll analyze multiple real-world datasets to demonstrate your skills.

Instructors

Offered by

IBM Skills Network

IBM is the global leader in business transformation through an open hybrid cloud platform and AI, serving clients in more than 170 countries around the world. Today 47 of the Fortune 50 Companies rely on the IBM Cloud to run their business, and IBM Watson enterprise AI is hard at work in more than 30,000 engagements. IBM is also one of the world’s most vital corporate research organizations, with 28 consecutive years of patent leadership. Above all, guided by principles for trust and transparency and support for a more inclusive society, IBM is committed to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

Start working towards your Bachelor's degree

When you complete this specialization, you'll earn college credits toward the 100% online Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences from IBM Skills Network when you're accepted into the program.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
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.
Can I take the course for free?
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. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
How can I earn my IBM Badge?
Upon completion of the program, you will receive an email from Acclaim with your IBM Badge recognizing your expertise in the field. Some badges are issued almost immediately after completion of the badge activities, while others may take 1-2 weeks before they are issued. Once issued, you will receive a notification email from admin@youracclaim.com with instructions for claiming the badge. Learn more about IBM Badges
What is data science?
Data science is the process of collecting, storing, and analyzing data. Data scientists use data to tell compelling stories to inform business decisions. Learn more about what data science is and what data scientists do in the IBM Course, "What is Data Science?"
What are some examples of careers in data science?
An understanding of data science and the ability to make data driven decisions is useful in any career, but some careers specifically require a data science background. Some examples of careers in data science include:
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Data Analyst
- Data Architect
- Data Engineer
- Data Scientist
- Machine Learning Engineer
- Marketing Analyst
- Operations Analyst
- Quantitative Analyst
How long does it take to complete this Specialization?
The Specialization consists of 4 courses. Suggested time to complete each course is 3-4 weeks. If you follow recommended timelines, it would take 3 to 4 months to complete the entire Specialization.
What background knowledge is necessary?
This Specialization is intended for learners wanting to build foundational skills in data science. No prior background in data science or programming is required.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
In order to get the most out of this Specialization, it is recommended to take the courses in the order they are listed.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
No, there is no university credit associated with completing this Specialization.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
In this Specialization, learners will develop foundational data science skills to prepare them for a career or further learning that involves more advanced topics in data science.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Introduction to Data Science Specialization

What you will learn

Skills you will gain

About this Specialization

Applied Learning Project