The Best Data Science Resources, Bootcamp, and Courses to Learn Data Science in the New Year

Unlocking the secrets of data science is not just a skill; it's the powerhouse driving AI innovation and leveraging the colossal wave of big data.

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, the opportunity to delve into the dynamic world of data science has never been more compelling. We've partnered with Springboard, the leading data science bootcamp offering personalized 1:1 mentorship, dedicated career support, proven outcomes, and an unbeatable money-back job guarantee, to present a handpicked collection of resources to supercharge your data science journey in the coming year.

Best Resources

The following are the best resources to learn data science topics. 

Kaggle

Kaggle offers machine learning competitions where teams compete for cash prizes to solve a specific task that requires AI. The site is also full of community-compiled datasets, projects, and courses that can help you take the next step in your data science journey.

 
Learn Python The Hard Way

Python is a foundational programming language for data science. The ability to import modules that help with data analysis, such as Pandas, helps Python users ingest and organize an impressive array of data. Learn Python The Hard Way is a book that’s offered for free that will take you from beginner to being able to confidently get out there and build things in Python. 

 
R for Data Science

R vs. Python is a topic that comes up often regarding data science. Academic data practitioners especially value the ability to be able to work with R and R packages. The ideal answer is to be conversant in both R and Python, but that can be difficult, to say the least. But if you wanted an equivalent book resource to learn R, this online book, available for free, is the one to consult. 

 
Codecademy

If you feel you’d rather learn by doing than parsing through a textbook, you’re in luck. There are plenty of platforms that offer that mode of learning. Codecademy has a pretty comprehensive library for Python linked here, and a bunch of skill paths that will take you into more advanced fields like deep learning, data wrangling, and building chatbots. 

 
freeCodeCamp

freeCodeCamp is a not-for-profit organization that offers a curriculum for learning code. They also have numerous certifications that are geared toward data analysis, machine learning, and data science topics. 

 
The Open Source Data Science Masters

The Open Source Data Science Masters offers a free and open-source version of a Master’s level curriculum for learning data science. It can take you from the very beginning to practicing towards your first data science job—it’s a good option for those who can persevere all the way through with self-study, though other options are available if more support or intervention is needed, such as courses and/or bootcamps. 

 
Awesome Data Science

Awesome Data Science is a GitHub repository with compiled data science resources. In general, GitHub can be an awesome resource for looking at foundational data science libraries and resources from their code foundations. Most repositories will also have Readmes and documentation that can flesh out their optimal use. 

Best Bootcamp

Bootcamps are a good solution if you’re looking for dedicated focus and support and backing on your path to a new career in data science. 

 
Springboard (New Year’s Promo - $1,500 off) 

Springboard offers a leading bootcamp solution for those looking to get into data science, backed by proven outcomes as well as dedicated 1:1 mentorship and career coaching. More than 90% of job-qualified individuals in the bootcamp got a job within 12 months — and the average salary increase is around $25,000. These outcomes are backed by the Springboard Job Guarantee, which gives individuals the promise of getting a job or their money back. Using the code kdnuggetsshine2024 will give anybody $1,500 off until January 2, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST. 

Best Courses

Courses can be a good option for people looking for an in-between on a bootcamp and a series of free resources, giving you enough time to really focus on a topic, even if you might not have direct access to human, personalized support. 

 
Datacamp

Datacamp offers courses in a variety of data science topics. They are a specialized platform dedicated to data science, sourcing instruction and material from data science experts in the industry. 

 
Python for Data Science and Machine Learning (Udemy)

Udemy offers a variety of courses for learning on the topic. Since it’s a marketplace for courses, top instructors in a topic can quickly stand out. In this case, this comprehensive course covers both data science and machine learning.