Get University Level Certified for Next to Nothing
Learning a new skill can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
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Not everybody has the luxury to go and study at university.
For one, it is expensive - being the biggest factor when people decide not to go to university. The second is that a lot of people do not know what they want in life, and it can be difficult to make that decision at such a young age.
If you are someone who has been in this situation or is currently in this situation but you still want to level up and up-skill to get the job you want without having to pay crazy expensive tuition fees - this article is for you.
Harvard University - CS50s
Harvard University is a well-known and popular state-of-the-art university. We’ve heard of them in movies, from our teachers, etc. The amazing thing is that you can now start your learning journey with them at a fraction of the price.
The courses are free when you enroll in the free audit tracker. However, if you would like to go through the assignment and gain a certification, you will have to pay a fee. But this fee is nowhere near what one would pay for tuition fees - it ranges from USD 50 to USD 300.
So what are the courses?!
CS50's Introduction to Computer Sciences
Link: Introduction to Computer Science
If you are someone who wants to start their data profession but is hesitant to take a Computer Science bachelor's degree due to the expense - this is for you.
In this Introduction to Computer Science course, you will learn about the art of programming and computer science. You will open up your mind and learn how to think algorithmically to solve programming problems. You will go over concepts such as abstraction, algorithms, data structures, software engineering, web development and more.
It doesn’t stop there!
You will also become familiar with programming languages such as C, Python, SQL, JavaScript, and HTML.
You will engage with a community of like-minded learners who come from all different backgrounds and by the end of it be able to develop and present your final project to your peers.
CS50's AP Computer Science Principles Programs
Link: AP Computer Science Principles Program
Is the introductory course not enough for you?
Don’t worry - check out the AP Computer Science Principles Program which also includes the ‘Introduction to Computer Science’ and another in-depth ‘Understanding Technology’ course. In the ‘Understanding Technology’ course, you will learn about the internet, multimedia, security, web development, and programming.
The point of this course is that it is aimed at high school students. There is an understanding that there is a high demand for tech professionals but young people cannot simply afford to enter the industry due to expensive tuition fees.
This is where the program comes into play where you can get state-of-the-art University resources and knowledge for a discounted price of £369 (at the time of writing).
If you are not a high school student but would still like to take these courses, you will have to register for them separately:
CS50's Computer Science for Business Professionals
Link: Computer Science for Business Professionals
Let’s say you don’t want to become a software engineer or data scientist and you’re currently enjoying your role. You could be a manager, or product manager or a founder, but with the way things are moving in the tech industry - it would be good if you understood the world of computer science.
In this Computer Science for Business Professionals course, you will go through a top-down approach and learn the high-level concepts and design decisions related to the tech industry regarding computer science.
The main areas you will be focusing on are computational thinking, programming languages, internet technologies, web development, technology stacks, and cloud computing.
CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python
Link: Introduction to Programming with Python
Or maybe you want to get right into it. Start learning how to program from day one.
The CS50's Introduction to Computer Science course has a more general focus on computer science and different languages. In the Introduction to Programming with Python, you will learn the most popular language for general-purpose programming, data science, and web programming.
You will learn how to read and write code, find and fix bugs, extract data, and write unit tests. Learn about functions, arguments, variables, types, conditionals, Boolean expressions, and more. You do not need to have any prior programming experience to take this course.
Exercises included in this course are real-world programming problems, so you can get a realistic idea of the world as a Python programmer.
Wrapping it Up
And there you have it. 4 courses, which are very similar but are aimed at different groups and different goals. Once you have a good understanding of the path that you want to go down, you will know what exact course you need to up-skill and land the job you want!
Nisha Arya is a data scientist, freelance technical writer, and an editor and community manager for KDnuggets. She is particularly interested in providing data science career advice or tutorials and theory-based knowledge around data science. Nisha covers a wide range of topics and wishes to explore the different ways artificial intelligence can benefit the longevity of human life. A keen learner, Nisha seeks to broaden her tech knowledge and writing skills, while helping guide others.