Certification in Practice of Data Analytics

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Program Description

Data is the new currency, and understanding it is essential. Our Certification in Practice of Data Analytics (CPDA) program equips you with the tools to analyze, interpret, and leverage data effectively. Perfect for professionals seeking to upskill or anyone intrigued by the power of data, this program offers hands-on experience with industry-standard tools, giving you a competitive edge in a data-driven world. Students are able to apply what they've learned immediately to real-world situations.

This program is offered through the College of Engineering, but it is designed for people in any profession or industry and requires no previous data analytics knowledge. The CPDA program enables individuals to learn the fundamentals of working in data analytics without having to pursue an entire degree. 

The CPDA program includes five, non-credit courses, all delivered in an asynchronous, online format, with the instructors available to assist students and answer questions. A certificate of completion is provided after a student completes each individual course and at least four courses must be successfully completed in order to earn the complete Certification in Practice of Data Analytics from the College of Engineering. 


What You Will Learn

The Certification in Practice of Data Analytics is designed to teach you to:

  • Describe data graphically and numerically using statistical software.
  • Interpret linear association and conduct simple linear regression data analysis.
  • Learn the data mining methodology and its application for projects including data preparation techniques, modeling, evaluating results, and how data can solve business problems.
  • Be competent using a Python integrated development environment (IDE) to write well-structured code and Python libraries and toolkits to import/export and analyze data for machine learning.
  • Be familiar with current machine learning models for different data types and how to evaluate and tune the performance of machine learning models.
  • Be able to construct, train, and apply deep neural networks and identify which deep learning methods are best suited for a given task.
  • Use Python and TensorFlow to build flexible and efficient deep machine learning models.
  • Perform a Work Domain Analysis to reveal informative data relationships.
  • Use Tableau, a high-fidelity tool to create data-driven visualizations.
     

Career Impact

Are you looking for a training program that will help you obtain a new position working in data analytics? Or maybe an internal promotion in your current organization? Or are you hoping to learn the basic skills needed to work in data analytics within your current position? The CPDA program is designed to help you achieve these goals.

A Career Impact Survey completed in 2024 by graduates of the CPDA program provided this feedback for you to consider when deciding if this program is a good fit for you and your goals:

  • 81% of respondents who said they completed the certification in order to gain new employment in data analytics did achieve this goal.
  • 100% of respondents who said they completed the certification in order to gain a promotion within their organization related to data analytics did achieve this goal.
  • 82% of respondents said their goal in completing the certification was to learn more about data analytics and to increase their skills and ability to work with data.  
  • 25% of respondents said they received an increase in salary as a result of completing the certification.
  • 73% of respondents said they have recommended this training program to friends or colleagues.
     

Specific comments provided by graduates include:

"This was a fantastic program and I couldn't recommend this program enough!"

"CPDA has been fantastic."

"I've been able to almost triple my income since taking the certification probably 4-5 year ago. It really opened some doors for me without having to take a bootcamp or gain another degree."

"Great program that I'm glad I was able to be a part of it. Since I have had two promotions and am now a CIO."

 


CPDA Courses and Registration Links

Students must complete four of the five courses listed below to earn the certification. Click on a course to learn more!

1. Introductory Statistics for Data Analytics

2. Data Mining

3. Applied Machine Learning

4. Neural Networks and Deep Learning

5. Visual Analytics for Sensemaking

 


Online Delivery 

Below is a demonstration video about how the courses are delivered through CarmanCanvas. Additional information about CarmenCanvas and online delivery is available here. 

 


Advantages of this Data Analytics program

Busy professionals find this program meets their professional goals while providing a flexible learning experience. As a student in the program, you’ll enjoy:

  • All courses are delivered in 100% distance learning format and asynchronously, allowing students to study and learn when and where they want.
  • Being taught by top faculty from The Ohio State University College of Engineering and Department of Statistics.
  • Courses that focus on the fundamental components of data analytics.
  • The option to take standalone courses for targeted learning or complete four courses to earn the certification.
  • Students select their own pace towards completion of the Certification.

What students can expect

The online delivery of each course is comprised of:

  • Instructional material equivalent to a one semester credit hour class.
  • Approximately 40 hours of class time per course that consists of 12-13 hours of recorded online instruction and 23-24 hours of additional out-of-class work (note - this is not the amount of time it will take a person to complete the course work).
  • All course lectures are recorded and available to you 24/7 through the university's Learning Management System (LMS) called - CarmenCanvas
  • ​Course duration of approximately 7 weeks. See course pages for exact schedule.
  • 4 CEUs are granted upon successful completion of each course.

Course Sequence and Prerequisites

The courses can be taken individually for specific interests, or students can pursue the full certification. If you intend to pursue the certification the courses must be taken in this sequence:  Introductory Statistics for Data Analytics first, Data Mining second, followed by Applied Machine Learning, then Neural Networks and Deep Learning. Visualization Analytics for Sensemaking can be taken at any time. Please be sure you understand all of the specific course pre-requisites that are noted on the course information web pages. 


How to Get Started in the Program

When you're ready to start, register for the first course. You do not have to apply to this program or be accepted. You can register and pay for one course at a time. When you register at least three weeks before a course start date, you can also receive a discounted price and save $125!

After you register for a course, you will be contacted by the program administration with information on how to set-up your OSU account in-order to obtain access to the Learning Management System (LMS) before the course begins. We also provide an online orientation to prepare you for online learning and it allows you to become familiar with Carmen, the LMS.

Program Fees

$675 per course with early registration.

Save more when you bundle your CPDA courses! 

ONLINE INFORMATION SESSIONS

Learn more by attending the next online information session.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024 @ 12 pm EST

Points of Pride

Advance your Skills

Throughout the program, you will gain experience with a host of tools including:

 

Fundamental Statistics

  • Statistical and linear regression data analysis

Programming Languages

  • R
  • SQL
  • Python
    • NumPy
    • Pandas
    • Matplotlib
    • Scikit-learn

Software and IDE’s

  • R studio
  • Google Colab / Jupyter notebook
  • Tableau

Advanced Topics

  • Applied Machine Learning
  • Neural Networks and Deep Learning

Ohio's TechCred Program gives businesses the chance to upskill employees. Businesses who submit applications (for approved programs) are reimbursed up to $2000 per credential, when current or prospective employees complete technology-focused credentials. Check with your employer to learn if they're willing to assist you with enrolling in the TechCred program and receiving funding to pay for the CPDA program.  

what students are saying...

"I am finishing my 4th course of the Certification in Practice of Data Analytics. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an entry point into the Data world. Recruiters can't even find enough individuals with this skillset!"

Jayson Wollmann

“Three courses in the Certification in Practice of Data Analytics program earned and the last one underway, has really spiced up my resume. I just landed a Data Analytics job with a large Columbus employer. I’m so thrilled that I’m able to bring my newly learned skills from this program into this new position and continue to grow in this field."

Biljana Temovska

"I couldn't be happier with the program, and it's helped me tremendously in my work. I was able to land my dream job as a Data Visualization Associate with a prominent Real Estate Firm with a 70% increase in salary because of the skills I acquired in these courses." 

Reagan Brooks