Choosing just one of the best online courses for Python certification can be daunting. There are many factors to consider, particularly for professionals who need the certification for career growth. If you don’t have Python on your resume, you could be missing out on exciting projects. Beware of scams by researching your options. We’ve made this easier by compiling some of the best online courses for Python certification available today.
How We Chose Our Ratings
We compiled our list of favorites based on reviews of each course, previous user testimonials and industry reviews. You can be sure the appropriate authorities back the content of each class, the costs are competitive, and the platform is suitable for digital users. Each course offers unique features to suit a variety of preferences, such as MOOCs versus bespoke classes. We’re sure you’ll find at least one certification option that aligns with your goals.
We based our course ratings on the content of the course, the value of the certificate (how well-respected the provider is in the industry), extra features, and the cost of participation.
Top 10 Best Python Courses
Python for Everybody
https://www.coursera.org/learn/python?authMode=complete&completeMode=noEmailAvailable
This certification course from the University of Michigan covers the basics for students who are serious about understanding and using Python. There are five courses in the series, all taught by Charles Severance. Get started with the Getting Started with Python course and progress from there.
Content:
- How to construct a program for a series of simple instructions
- Understanding of computer memory, storage, retrieval and calculations
- Sequential coding and conditional coding
- Functions and how to use them
- Loops and iterations
Offered by: Coursera
Coursera is also partnered with UC Davis, Grow with Google, Rutgers, Columbia University, IBM, Princeton, Unity, and international universities.
Features:
- Includes subtitles in German and Chinese
- Leads directly into in-depth Python courses
- Optional free course exploration
- Financial aid options
Cost: $49 for a monthly subscription to all Coursera content
Who should consider this course: Python beginners who need to learn the basics and who intend to continue studying the programming language
Our Rating: We give this excellent Python certification course 5 stars.
Online Python Course for Beginners
https://learn.edx.org/mit-python/
This MIT-written course covers the basics and moves quickly into simple programs and eventually into complex algorithms and plotting. The timeline for the course is intended to be about eight weeks. When accessing the course on your PC, you’ll have access to a progress tracker and a 24-hour discussion board. You can expect some friendly support from people with similar interests and a variety of backgrounds.
Content:
- Introduction to Python programming language
- Computational thinking processes
- Simple algorithms
- How to test and debug
- Popular data structures
Offered by: edX
MIT is the school behind this Python class and is well-respected in many circles. A certificate from this program may look very nice on your resume.
Features:
- Plenty of built-in exercises
- Foundation for learning other programming languages
- Able to run on a mobile app
Cost: $49.00 with certificate
Who should consider this course: This beginners’ course is great for students from various industries who haven’t used Python yet.
Our Rating: We give this course 5 stars.
The Python Bible: Everything You Need to Program in Python
Content:
- Explanation of variables
- Numbers in Python
- How to use strings of text
- Python data structures
- Using loops and functions
Offered by: Udemy
Udemy offers a wide range of courses and is respected by industry professionals. One potential drawback is that any user can act as an instructor. However, many professional reviewers listed this course as one of the best.
Features:
- Easy-to-follow projects
- Supplemental resources
- Full lifetime access
- Mobile accessibility
- Available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese
Cost: $194.99, but sales are often available ($9.99 was the price when this article was written)
Who should consider this course: Students with an upbeat attitude and a desire to move from an introduction to Python to a full grasp of the programming language
Our Rating: We love giving this course a 5-star rating.
Complete Python Bootcamp: Go from zero to hero in Python 3
If you don’t know anything about Python 3 and you want to grasp as much of the coding language as possible, this may be the course for you. It has the benefit of being offered by highly-respected Udemy, and many participants enjoy the engaging platform. If English isn’t your first language, consider talking with subtitles in another language.
Content:
- Python setup
- Object and data structure basics
- Comparison operators
- Statements, methods, and functions
- Object-oriented programming
- Modules, packages, errors, and exceptions
Offered by: Udemy
Reviewers at pcmag.org gave Udemy a good rating for their variety of self-paced courses and access to free certificates of completion. Past participants in this course gave very high reviews of the content and the instructors.
Features:
- Project-based learning
- Engaging instructors
- Fun assignments and projects
- On-demand videos
- Access on mobile and TV
- Available in English, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish
Cost: $194.99 with great sales (Course was listed at $9.99 when the article was written.)
Who should consider this course: Anyone excited about learning a new programming language and ready to jump into exciting projects such as games and applications
Our Rating: We give this course 5 stars.
Introduction to Python Programming
https://www.udacity.com/course/introduction-to-python–ud1110
This introductory course delves quickly into practical problem-solving with Python. Coursework focuses on putting new skills into action, and the website is both inviting and easy-to-use. Plan to spend about 30 hours of study to complete this certification course.
Content:
- Fundamentals of Python programming language
- Programming best practices
- Represent and store data with Python data types and variables
- How to use complex data structures
- How to define and document custom functions
- How to find and use modules in Python Standard Library
Offered by: Udacity
Udacity was originally an experiment in online learning, started by Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig (instructors at Stanford).
Features:
- Course takes about 30 hours to complete
- Interactive features
- Self-paced learning
- Student support community
- Direct path into Data Analyst education program
Cost: free (Other courses require tuition but financial hardships scholarships are available)
Who should consider this course: Beginning coders who have some familiarity with coding and how to use code on the web
Our Rating: 5 stars
Introduction to Programming with Python
https://alison.com/course/introduction-to-programming-with-python
This course presents Python as a top language in the programming world with an understanding of its use in many industries. It covers core aspects of the coding language and prepares participants for greater workplace opportunities. The class is easy to access and only takes about four hours to complete.
Content:
- Introduction to general programming
- Core components of Python programming language
- Overview of using open-source PyScripter IDE for Python
- How to use functions, variables, If Else statements, loops, iterative and recursive programs, and algorithms
Offered by: Alison
Alison courses are well-respected around the world. The company works to make sure their courses meet established industry standards.
Features:
- Easy access to lots of related courses
- Available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese
- Easy to review as you go
- Several payment options
- Diploma possibilities
Cost: Free to attend; certificates cost about $30.00
Who should consider this course: Professionals who want to add Python basics to their resume and who are serious about advancing their careers
Our Rating: We give this introductory course from Alison 4.8 stars.
Introduction to Programming with Python
This entertaining class is taught by two instructors, Susan Ibach and Christopher Harrison, who discuss the relevance of Python and present the information. The instructors use engaging presentations to take students through the beginning coding procedures and a variety of core procedures. It is convenient to watch the videos at your own pace and work through skills with available tools.
Content:
- Displaying text and storing numbers
- String variables
- Decision making with code
- Repeating events
- Storing information in files
- Functions
Offered by: Microsoft Virtual Academy
MVA ranks high among course participants and industry professionals. The certifications may not carry the same weight with employers as MCSE or CCNA.
Features:
- Step-by-step walkthrough in using Python
- Engaging experts
- Completion of a new skill with each module
- Access to free tools and support
- Participants join Microsoft Virtual Academy learning community
Cost: Free
Who should consider this course: Beginners who want to learn more about Python and coding in general with access to community support
Our Rating: 4.7 stars
Google’s Python Class
https://developers.google.com/edu/python/
This free course is set up for people who have a rudimentary understanding of coding and who’d also like to learn Python. The format of the class includes lecture videos, written materials, and plenty of exercises. Students get links to a coding practice set up and access to a question and answer forum. This course is a straight-forward, no-frills class that will quickly take you through the study materials.
Content:
- Introduction to Python
- Strings, lists, sorting
- Dicts and files
- Regular expressions
- Utilities
Offered by: Google for Education
There’s a lot to be said for a course on coding taught by leading industry experts.
Features:
- Ease of access to all necessary tools
- Real-life applications
- Python exercises
- Flexibility for class participation
Cost: free
Who should consider this course: People with a bit of programming experience and an interest to dig a little deeper into Python
Our Rating: 4.5 stars
Automate the Boring Stuff with Python Programming
https://www.udemy.com/automate/?siteID=vedj0cWlu2Y-72rnzSQPMol.dNPznD1iQQ&LSNPUBID=vedj0cWlu2Y
This practical class is intended for professionals who want to boost their productivity using Python coding. Rather than focusing on fundamentals, the course zeroes in on specific coding to improve the use of spreadsheets, PDFs and Word documents.
Content:
- Automate tasks on computers with simple Python programs
- Crawl websites to pull information
- Advanced functions
- Lists, strings, and dictionaries
- Running programs from the command line
- Use of regular expressions
Offered by: Udemy
Udemy competes well in the pool of online courses. Prospective students can easily find reviews about specific classes.
Features:
- Money-back guarantee
- On-demand video
- Lifetime access
- Available on mobile and TV
- Available in English, Japanese, and Portuguese
Cost: $49.99 with regular sales (Course was listed at $9.99 when the article was written)
Who should consider this course: professionals who want to improve their productivity
Our Rating: 4 stars, simply because it isn’t as comprehensive as other courses
Python Certification Training for Data Science
This course from Edureka is not for beginners. It focuses on increasing your ability to use Python for data science applications. Live instructors lead this class in several weeks of two- or three-hour sessions. There’s also plenty of expert support from an online team of experts. Enjoy working through real-life case studies and practical assignments.
Content:
- Sequences and File Operations
- Intro to Matplotlib, Numpy, Pandas, and Scikit
- Data Manipulation
- Python Machine learning algorithms such as Clustering, Regression, Time Series, and Q-Learning
- Real-life case studies
Offered by: Edureka
Online reviews are a mix of customers who love the classes and others who complain about the lack of customer service. There are concerns about the difficulty of getting refunds.
Features:
- Instructor-led live online classes
- Practical assignments
- 24/7 expert support and lifetime access
Cost: $640
Who should consider this course: This is a course for professionals, including programmers, developers, analytics manager, business analysts and information architects who have the time and money to invest in an online course.
Our Rating: Based on many positive reviews, we give this course from Edureka 3.9 stars.
Buyer’s Guide
In the end, the most important thing is getting the job you want. You can make this possible with the right mix of experience and training. Valid certifications are an important part of this; they show your willingness to invest in the company and your ability to learn new skills and put them to work in real-world scenarios. Certifications are a quantifiable addition to your resume, giving recruiters and prospective employers important insights into your value as an employee. It’s worth spending some time researching your options.
Use the Following Tips for Recognizing Online Education Scams
- Run accreditation claims through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the Department of Education. Not all trustworthy online courses are accredited, but if one claims to be (especially when they claim international accreditation), verify those claims.
- Avoid classes claiming to result in fast and easy degrees.
- Stay away from schools that have names similar to reputable establishments.
- Look for a physical address to their campus or business.
- Watch out for websites with many errors.
- Steer clear of schools with aggressive sales personnel or financial aid officials.
- Legitimate schools charge by the term or semester. Avoid online programs that want a lot of money upfront.
Review social media sites. If there isn’t much about the school, move on to another option.
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