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Do you want to upskill in 2024? Maybe you want to learn more about computer science and see what the buzz is like in the tech world. Why not learn the most popular programming language, Python? Or move into something more niche, like gaming or cybersecurity.
In this blog, I’ll cover X FREE Harvard courses that will aid you launch a career in tech!
To combine: CS50 Introduction to Computer Science
A free 12-week course that can be completed in 6-18 hours per week, introducing you to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming. This beginner’s course will teach you how to put on your algorithm hat and solve problems effectively.
You’ll learn about algorithms, data structures, software engineering, and web development, as well as programming languages such as C, Python, SQL, and JavaScript.
To combine: CS50 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
A free 7-week course that you can complete with 10-30 hours per week covering the concepts and algorithms of current artificial intelligence. You will learn about various elements of artificial intelligence such as graph mining algorithms, probability theory, Bayesian networks, machine learning, reinforcement learning, neural networks and natural language processing
With hands-on projects and an understanding of AI theory, you’ll be able to incorporate them into your own Python programs.
To combine: Data Science: Machine Learning
A free 8-week course that you can complete with 2-4 hours a week where you will learn popular machine learning algorithms, principal component analysis, and regularization by building a video recommendation system. In this course you will learn about data training, predicting relationships through data, how to train algorithms, overfitting and techniques to avoid it.
Learn the basics of machine learning in 8 weeks – or less!
To combine: Data Science: Tools to Boost Your Productivity
The free 8-week course, which you can complete in just 1-2 hours a week, will guide you on how to keep your data science project organized and satisfied by using productivity tools. There are many parts to a data science project, so it’s vital to be familiar with these tools to stay on top of the project and avoid challenges.
Learn how to operate tools like Unix/Linux to manage files and directories, and version control systems like Git to track changes to scripts and reports.
To combine: CS50 web programming in Python and JavaScript
The free 12-week course, which you can complete with 6-9 hours a week, starts where CS50 ends. If you want to enter the technology industry, but are more interested in designing and implementing web applications – this foundation course is for you. You will learn about various aspects of web development such as database design, security, and user experience.
With this knowledge, you will take part in hands-on projects where you will test your knowledge and write and operate APIs, as well as create interactive user interfaces.
To combine: Introducing CS50 to game development
More in games? Look no further, this free 12-week course, which can be completed with 6-9 hours a week, delves into the science of creating interactive 2D and 3D games like Super Mario Bros., Pokémon and more. You’ll learn about 2D and 3D graphics, animation, audio, and collision detection using popular frameworks, as well as languages such as Lua and C#.
Program your own game, relive your childhood and learn recent skills!
To combine: CS50 introduction to cybersecurity
This free 5-week course, which can be completed with 2-6 hours per week, provides an introduction to cybersecurity for technical and non-technical audiences. In this course, you’ll learn how to protect your data, devices and systems from today’s threats, and be able to recognize and assess tomorrow’s threats. This course should be crucial for everyone as these measures apply both at home and at work.
The tasks are inspired by real-world events and include a range of examples of both high- and low-level threats.
7 FREE Harvard courses to aid you launch a career in tech. A wide range of courses, no matter where you want to start or finish, these courses will equip you with the skills to start something great and never look back!
Nisha Arya is a data scientist, freelance technical writer, and editor and community manager of KDnuggets. She is particularly interested in providing career advice or tutorials in data analytics and theory-based knowledge in data analytics. Nisha covers a wide range of topics and wants to explore the different ways in which artificial intelligence can impact the longevity of human life. Nisha is an avid learner and strives to expand her technical knowledge and writing skills while helping others.