Over the past few years, it has become quite evident that data is the new gold. It is the fuel that drives all these big corporations and tech giants to make meaningful decisions based on insights derived from large data sets. There are no two opinions about it: data Science and analytics are here to stay and are currently the most highly demanded careers across the world. If you are interested in making a career for yourself in this field, a reputable course from Coursera will do you wonders. Below, you will find the five best data science/analytics courses that Coursera has to offer.

1. Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate

The first and foremost data analysis course has to be the Google data analytics Professional Certificate. Designed by some of the most brilliant minds at Google, this course will get you up and running in the field of data science in just 6 months. This course will take you from fundamental to complex sub-topics, covering all the essentials that you need to build a career. The good thing is you don’t need to know any prior knowledge regarding the field.  

Key Features:  

• 6-month course covers everything you need to know about data science
• Tailor the pace of learning to your own needs
• Learn how to clean, organize, and analyze data
• Learn how to visualize and present data findings in a meaningful way 

Visit the course here.  

2. IBM Data Science Professional Certificate

If you are looking for the real deal that will take you from zero knowledge of data science all the way to a qualified professional, this is your best bet. The IBM course is easily one of the most comprehensive and in-depth data science courses out there. The certificate entails 9 courses, which start from teaching Python programming, SQL for databases, and much more.  

Key Features: 

• Most comprehensive data science learning experience 
• Learn all the tools. Languages and libraries used by professionals  
• Master cleaning data sets, analysis and visualization  

• Learn how to build machine learning models and pipelines 

Visit the course here.  

3. Data Science Specialization by John Hopkins University 

This is a reputable and highly demanded course designed by none other than the faculty at Johnn Hopkins. However, keep in mind that this course centers around one specific language – the R language. You will learn all the nitty gritty of data science and how to represent and visualize the data in R language.  

Key Features: 

• Master the R language for data science 
• Learn the entire pipeline from data acquisition to publication 
• Flexible learning pace tailored to your needs 
• Receive professional certificate upon completion 

Visit the course here. 

4. Modern Big Data Analysis with SQL 

 If you are specifically looking to learn data analysis using the SQL query language, this is the right course for you. The Modern Big Data course focuses on data analysis through the SQL query language. It begins by teaching you what big data actually means and what database systems accomplish. This is a highly competent course for anyone looking to make their way into the world of analytics.  

Key Features: 

• Takes only 1 month at 10 hours a week 
• Earn a professional certificate upon completion 

• Learn data analysis using the SQL query language 
• Offers a complete picture in a short amount of time 

Visit the course here.

5. Introduction to Data Analytics for Business  

This is one of the best courses out there if you want to step into the data analytics scene. The great thing about this course is that it can be taught to anyone with ease, as it assumes no prior knowledge. The contents of the course start from the very basics and go on to explain real-world applications of what you learn. Also, the course is specially geared towards business so that you will learn data analytics to apply it in business and form major insights.  

Key Features: 

• Learn information lifecycles as events in real-world to business actions 
• Learn how data is captured by source systems and its storage 
• Only 11 hours long 
• Earn a certificate upon completion  

Visit the course here.

Data science and analytics is a well-established field in the current age of information technology. It is the life-blood of big tech companies and businesses and offers a lot of opportunities for newcomers to shine. Instead of enrolling in a multi-year expensive college degree, a great way to make it in data science is to enroll for one of the many reputable Coursera courses for affordable prices. In the article above, we looked at five such courses that only take a few months and take you from novice to master in the field of data science.