Top 9 Programming Courses for Data Scientists
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It has been said that by the end of 2020, approximately 1.7 megabytes of new data will be generated every second for every single human in the world and over 50 billion smart devices will be connected, all sharing, collecting, and analyzing data!
This is merely a snippet of an indication as to how important data has become in various facets of our current society and the vital role it will play in the foreseeable future.
The role of a data scientist is to utilize as much of this valuable information as they can for good use.
The wonderful world of data sciences is filled with an intricate array of inter-disciplinary fields that cleverly combines the worlds of business and information technology in a unique and highly sought-after way.
Over the last decade, this new breed of experts has become a popular career choice for those curious about solving complex problems using a combination of mathematics, computer sciences and statistics.
If you are among the many individuals wanting to join this data wrangler gang in the world of data science, your role will be imperative in helping to shape the decision-making process in almost every business.
The journey to mastering the adequate skills to become a successful data scientist is demanding and requires an aptitude for math, statistics, and proficiency with programming languages.
We will be focusing on how you can master the skill of programming.
There are multiple paths to choose from in pursuing this career, the most popular of which is enrolling in various online courses in order to gain the necessary skills and practical experience required for the role.
Below you will find 9 of the top online programming courses currently available for you to develop your programming knowledge.
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING NANODEGREE | UDACITY
This short, 4-month long course offered by Udacity provides you with the opportunity to learn the basics of programming through HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Python.
This will give you the confidence you need in your abilities to think and problem-solve like a programmer.
The program includes real world projects designed in collaboration with industry experts, technical mentor support throughout, a personal career coach and career services, as well as a flexible learning program.
This is the perfect opportunity for self-driven and motivated individuals, with an excellent work ethic and yearning to learn more about the wonderful world of programming.
What the reviews are saying:
“Highly recommended for students new or relatively new to programming.” – James L.
“The instructors are top notch, and the format is clear, concise, and relevant. The code reviews for projects are super-detailed, and I really want to thank my reviewers for putting in the time to correct my mistakes and teach me how to be a better programmer.” – Vincenzo A.
TCH060: C++ PROGRAMMING | K12
Learn the basic programming concepts using Microsoft Visual C++ in order to master the building blocks of programming.
This introductory course offers hands-on projects to practice and develop programming skills, as well as information about software development processes, and industry best practices.
You will learn to develop and use your problem-solving skills in a practical manner as well as grasping the understanding of how and why when applying programming concepts.
The course runs for a duration of one semester (4 months) with a flexible schedule plan and requires a once-off fee of $450.00.
There are no prerequisites required to enroll in this course. You can enroll through a public school of your choice located in your state, or you can opt to study the course as an independent study.
R PROGRAMMING A-Z™: R FOR DATA SCIENCE WITH REAL EXERCISES! | UDEMY
Created by data science expert Kirill Eremenko and the talented SuperDataScience Team, this course is one of the top-rated and best-selling programming courses available on Udemy.
Too often students can feel overwhelmed by the complex information and learning required of R courses and lectures.
However, this particular course is different and follows an easily accessible step-by-step learning process across 80 lectures, along with detailed tutorials and videos explaining valuable concepts that can be applied immediately.
You will also be given real life analytical challenges to put your problem-solving skills to the test.
The course is specifically designed for individuals of all skill levels with no prior programming knowledge or experience required to complete the course.
What the reviews are saying:
“I’ve tried several websites before to learn new programming languages and to be honest I’m already half way through the course, within days, for two main reasons: 1) The course is very interactive and expects you to code as you go. I found this to be the best way to learn. 2) The contents of the course are super fun which probably explains why I went through the course this quickly. I will definitely be doing more udemy courses based on this geat experience so far!” – Khaled Khaled
“Great course. Really liked Kirill’s way of teaching. Would definitely check out his other courses especially R-Advanced course!” – Ravi Singh
THE ULTIMATE CODING, DEVELOPING & PROGRAMMING BUNDLE | E-COURSES 4 YOU
This all-inclusive 16 course bundle has been written and designed by industry experts and is the perfect opportunity for you to learn how to code in the most popular coding languages used throughout the world, such as HTML, CSS, jQuery, SQL, and many more!
No prior coding experience is required, and you are free to work through the course content at your own pace.
The bundle is open to anyone wanting to expand on their coding knowledge, whether it’s for personal development in order to branch into other areas or for someone wanting to learn from scratch. You will begin working with the simpler languages such as HTML and CSS, and then progress to the more complex languages such as jQuery.
You will also gain knowledge in running applications that are used to assist in developments, such as Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 and ColdFusion 11.
DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND PROGRAMMING | JOHN ACADEMY
Take your first steps towards learning the skillful art of writing useful, maintainable, and extensible source codes through this easily accessible and internationally recognized online course.
This programming course covers the core theoretical programming concepts and will equip you with the practical knowledge and skills required to analyze complicated problems and to come up with suitable solutions from the comfort of your own home.
All learners from any academic background are welcome to take part in this fantastic opportunity of becoming a proficient programmer. Learners are required to be over the age of 16 and must have an efficient understanding of English, numeracy and ICT.
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING | ED2GO
The perfect place to test the programming waters is through this ed2go Introduction to Programming course led by Richard Blum, an IT industry professional for over 20 years.
He has worked with Microsoft, Novell, Unix, and Linux servers, and has created websites using a variety of different programming languages.
In this course, you will learn through step-by-step instructions how to use BASIC, a free Microsoft programming language that allows you to create stand-alone applications for professional or personal use.
By the end of the course, you will be adequately equipped with the skills and confidence to solve complex problems using BASIC to write programming code.
The course runs for 6 weeks with 2 lessons being released each week, and is open to all learners with no requirements for previous programming knowledge or experience.
What the reviews are saying:
“Richard did a great job designing this course. I learned a ton in a short period, and it was interesting every step of the way. I plan to take additional courses like this to further my education and I hope they’re all as rewarding as this one.” – Anonymous
“This was my first programming class and I was skeptical about taking it online. However, the teacher was very knowledgeable and made it easy to understand the course. The examples and games used were great. Thank you, Mr. Blum!” – Anonymous
Ed2go also offers various other programming courses that cover other programming languages such as C#, JavaScript, C++, Python and many more.
JAVA PROGRAMMING AND SOFTWARE ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTALS SPECIALIZATION | COURSERA
Java is one of the most in-demand programming languages out there today and forms the foundation of the Android operating system.
This program has been designed for absolute newbies to Java programming and covers all the core programming concepts required to equip you to write programs needed to solve complex problems.
By the end of this course you will also have the foundational skills that a software engineer uses to solve real-world problems.
The program follows a hands-on approach and requires you to practice the skills you’ve learned by completing projects and assessment tasks.
Even though you’re completing this course in the comfort of your own home, you are never alone as there are highly qualified instructors available to assist you every single step of the way.
What the reviews are saying:
“Learning from leading scientists about what’s going on in the field right now is so much different than the experience of reading a textbook.” – Peter W.
“It’s important for me to be able to learn as much as I can. My course on Coursera has given me confidence and hope for the future.” – Richard B.
PROGRAMMING FOR DATA SCIENCE | EDX
In order to become a competent Data Scientist, one needs to know how to apply the fundamentals of programming concepts, as well as using computational thinking and data analysis techniques to solve real world data science problems. This can be both challenging and exhilarating all at the same time.
A team of highly qualified instructors from The University of Adelaide are proud to bring you the Programming for Data Science course that should prepare you adequately with the programming skills required to work with big data sets over a 10-week period.
This course will test your knowledge and skills in solving small-scale data science problems working with real-world datasets and developing your understanding of big data in the world around you.
You will learn algorithm design, as well as fundamental programming concepts such as, data selection, iteration and functional decomposition, and data abstraction and organization.
By the end of the course you will also be able to perform simple data visualizations using ProcessingJS and the ability to apply your newfound knowledge using real-life problem-based assignments.
There are no prerequisites required to enroll for this course and all academic levels are welcomed.
The course is offered for free, and you will only be charged for an optional verified certificate at the end of the course.
BECOME A PROGRAMMER | CODECADEMY
This beginner friendly course offered by codecademy provides you with the opportunity to master one of the major programming languages, Python, as well as gaining knowledge about the fundamentals of computer science.
Python has become one of the fastest growing programming languages across the world, so being able to grasp the ins and outs of Python, will make you indispensable in your line of work.
The Become a Programmer course provides a strong conceptual foundation for its learners in order to be able to write clean, efficient code with confidence.
You will be given a detailed roadmap of where to begin and how to work through the languages, projects, and practices in the most efficient and effective manner.
All teachings will be applied through an engaging and interactive lesson plan, as well as practical experience based on real-life problems.
This is the perfect place to begin gaining knowledge about programming as you move towards your career as a data scientist.
What the reviews are saying:
“You really feel like there’s nothing you can’t learn, which in turn builds so much confidence in your skills and gives the momentum to keep learning.”- Joey

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