As many of us have heard, becoming a Data Scientist is the sexiest profession in the twenty-first century.
So it’s no surprise that many people are jumping on the bandwagon to obtain the skills required to work in this sector.
Given that we live in a time when learning has never been more accessible, massive open online courses (MOOCs) are excellent alternatives to colleges and universities.
The long-term advantages of digital learning programs, however, show that they save time and money by giving students more options besides attending in-person lectures. According to research, online courses can actually finish in as little as 75% less time than those taught in a traditional classroom.
In this review, I’ll go through one of the top MOOC courses on Edx: Data Science, which US San Diego provides.
I have a Ph.D. in management and years of expertise in business analysis; part of my work is to search for trends.
Because I’ve seen that programming is becoming an increasingly important aspect of any job, I realized I wanted to brush up on my skills to remain competitive in the job market.
I needed strong confirmation of my expertise since I lacked an excellent mathematical background and a STEM degree.
While many firms depend on what you can accomplish in real work situations and focus on technical interviews and, in particular, your Github projects, having a degree may offer you a leg up in your job search.
So I began to look for a credible credential.
MOOCs and interactive learning platforms are effective ways to study data science.
That’s why I used these courses to shift away from business analysis and into the fields of data analytics or data science. So, let’s start this edX Micromasters review.
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MicroMasters programs are a collection of graduate-level courses from prestigious institutions to help you develop in your profession.
They give in-depth training in a particular professional sector and are valued by companies for their real-world application.
After getting the MicroMaster’s degree, students may apply for a Master’s degree to the institution offering the courses or their partner universities.
If approved, they will pursue a more expedited and less expensive master’s degree since the lessons they have passed on EDX will count towards credits in their master’s program.
All learners must complete a series of interactive courses as described in the particular MicroMasters program and receive a minimum grade according to the institution issuing the certification to qualify for a MicroMasters program certificate.
Check this out -> edX Review
Most of you guys might have this question in your mind, so it’s important to share my views on it in this edX Micromasters review.
As the job market becomes more competitive, particularly for entry-level positions, adding additional value to your CV is always beneficial.
But the reality is that no one aspect influences your chances of landing a job.
Job searching is a process that involves several circumstances, many of which are beyond our control.
As a result, no one can safely state that a particular aspect will get you a job; a mix of credentials, projects, experience, and performance in interviews will get you a job.
However, MicroMasters are among the top five qualifications that may add value to your CV.
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A MicroMasters on EDX consists of three to five individual courses.
There is one thing worth sharing in this edX Micromasters review and that’s –
“To get a MicroMasters credential, you must complete all of the courses. If you do not pass all of the courses, you will be awarded a certificate for the courses you passed, not a MicroMasters”.
For enrolling in the courses, EDX offers two options. There is a free audit mode option as well as a premium version.
The free edition offers course content with no quizzes for a short period.
This option is ideal for people who merely want the course’s information and are not interested in obtaining a certificate.
However, if you take the audit route, you will still get a shareable post that you can place on your LinkedIn profile.
The paid version includes a prestigious certificate and unlimited access to the course content.
In addition, you must complete online quizzes using Proctortrack software installed on your computer to track your progress while taking the tests.
Each course on the UC San Diego Data Science MicroMasters was priced at 350 dollars, for a total of 1400 dollars.
Another option for obtaining the certificate while paying just 10% of the total amount is to seek financial help.
If you cannot afford the MicroMasters fee, you may apply for financial support in each course, and EDX will waive 90% of the cost.
You must apply for help course by course. You may begin the course free while waiting for your financial assistance request to be processed.
As stated on the courses page, you will complete each course in around ten weeks if you devote 8 to 12 hours per week to the course.
However, if you are free and spend more time studying the material, this time will be reduced based on your background in the subject and available time.
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The US San Diego MicroMasters consisted of four courses. Each course was divided into 8 to 12 sections that covered various topics.
So, let’s have a look on some of them in this edX Micromasters review one by one.
The first course in this program was “Python for data science”, which taught the fundamentals before moving on to Pandas, Python visualization, and an introduction to machine learning.
The course included tests along the way, a project, and a mini-project to get a passing mark; 70% of the grade was required. The detailed syllabus is as follows:
The second course (although there is no need for you to take courses in any particular order) was “probability and Statistics in data science using Python”.
It was an academic course that covered essential statistical topics as well as the underlying logic of several Python uses.
The course program began with fundamental concepts like sets and counting and progressed to more complex topics like regression and hypothesis testing.
Problem sets, programming assignments, and final tests were used to assess performance, and a score of 65 percent was required to finish the course.
The topics covered in this course are shown in the picture below:
Another subject in this MicroMasters program was “Machine Learning Foundations”.
It went through common Machine Learning Algorithms and why we utilize them in various scenarios.
This course also touched on deep learning. To get the certificate for this course, you had to complete 65 percent of the problem sets, programming assignments, and final tests.
The materials covered are in the below picture.
The last course was “Big data analytics using Spark” which, unlike the previous ones, was not self-paced and required you to adhere to the deadlines.
This course covers more advanced machine learning topics. There was also a section for Neural Networks and TensorFlow.
The programming assignment and the final test, both of which were programming tasks, were required to be completed to get the certificate. The course content is as follows:
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This course, like any other program or course, was not flawless, but I think that if I feel like I gained more than I lost in this process (the time I put into the course and the money paid), then this is a course that is well worth it.
However, our motivation for enrolling in the course plays a significant part in determining this.
The edX MicroMasters was worth it since I needed a reputable program for my CV to prove to employers that, despite lacking a mathematical background or a STEM degree in general, I am still a valuable employee.
This program helped me in doing so. In addition, I learned the material from professors at prestigious universities.
Also, since I have a hectic schedule, self-paced courses were convenient because I could easily fit my study into my work plans.
Furthermore, what I would call a two-edged blade was that the course’s primary goal was to offer students academic material.
As a result, the lectures focused on the “whys” of data science rather than the “hows.”
Therefore, they are vital yet insufficient for someone looking for work.
Hope you like this edX Micromasters review and found it informative.
Anybody taking the course should utilize other resources to augment these courses and learn more about the practical content of operating a Real-World Data Science project.
Another downside of the courses is that they are not tailored toward those who want to start data science from scratch, and having familiarity with the field before beginning these courses is needed.
Sonia S.
Passionate to help organizations transform their potential into reality using data analytics, I use my years of experience in strategic planning, data/business analysis & organizational excellence to enable effective change in organizations across various industrieed