Computer Science Courses Online That Can Boost Your Career

In the field of computer science, information and best practices are always changing and evolving. Since jobs along this career path require an understanding of technology and electronic platforms, it is important to stay on top of the developments being made in these areas. Fortunately, there are a variety of online databases that offer courses in nearly every branch of computer science. Whether you are just beginning in the field or looking to stay in touch with new programs and information, these courses will help you remain knowledgeable and successful.

This site offers a variety of courses from a wide range of schools. There is no fee to use the site, and most of the paid classes are offered for a minor fee. At times, some courses are even offered to you for free. In the catalog of offerings for computer science, you can select at the course level or complete a series of courses in order to earn a certificate.

If you are looking for an introductory course from a renowned educational institution, Algorithms, Part I and its companion course are offered by Princeton through Coursera. While this course does not provide a certificate upon completion, it does cover the basics and essentials of implementations of algorithms. It serves as a great introductory or refresher course for anyone in the field of computer science and can be paired with the Part 2 course, also available on the site. It is helpful to have a background in Java, as that is the main platform used in the coursework.

Coursera

Another course offered by Princeton via Coursera is Analysis of Algorithms. If you are interested in the more scientific aspects of the field, this class will provide you with tools, techniques, and practical ways to apply the theory of algorithms, particularly with respect to combinatorics. Although it does not offer a certificate, it does provide you with new knowledge and perspective to take into your current position or research.

One set of courses offered through Coursera for computer scientists is Developing Applications with Google Cloud Platform Specialization. This series of four courses walk you through the infrastructure of the Google platforms, how to develop, integrate and deploy apps, and how to address bugs and complications with your app. You will gain hands-on experience with the Google platform and earn a certificate at the end.

If your interests lie in programming and software, Duke offers a set of specialization courses through Coursera entitled Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization. Throughout the five courses in this series, you will learn foundational skills in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, as well as their application to software design. In addition to ample opportunities to practice the skills that you are learning, you will earn a certificate upon completion of the series.

The EdX website serves as a platform for coursework from a variety of universities and educational institutions. EdX can help you acquire additional knowledge and training, professional certificates, and even complete degrees.

The Professional Certificate in Computer Science for Web Programing is offered on EdX through Harvard. The first course in their certificate series will provide an introduction to computer science, including algorithms, coding language, and web development. The second and final course in the series will apply the skills and content learned in the first course to use Python and JavaScript for web programming. At the conclusion of the series, you will be awarded with a professional certificate.

If you are looking for an introduction to or refresher in creating online platforms, Front-End Web Development offers a professional certificate in this area. The series begins with a class providing an overview of CSS and HTML5 and the remaining four courses focus on how to use these to write web pages. Later courses also discuss applications to app and game development and an introduction to JavaScript.

Introduction to Python Programming, offered by Georgia Tech, provides all of the basics that you need to use this platform for development. The set of four courses includes the fundamentals of programming with Python, including control structures, data structures, and algorithms. The courses are self-paced and will result in a professional certificate.

For a course to provide you with an overview of keeping a network secure, Introduction to Cybersecurity covers the basics of what you need to know. Offered by the University of Washington, the class will help you anticipate the different types of threats and how to protect your network and content with specific countermeasures. You will also learn about the different agencies and legalities involved in cybersecurity.

Codecademy

Codecademy provides a singular location for all of the instruction you will need on different coding languages. The site supports you in identifying the different courses that you will need in order to learn and understand the different platforms and languages for coding. They even provide a quiz to help you identify your areas of interest and recommend courses for you.

For foundational skills in web page creation, Learn HTML will help you learn the most basic and common coding language. When you are finished with the course, you will understand the skeleton of a webpage, HTML tags, and be able to create HTML tables. This course is ideal for those new to computer science and web development.

In addition to supporting you with learning how to use different coding languages and platforms, Codecademy also has a course to help you respond to technical questions in order to land a job interview. Pass the Technical Interview With Python provides you with instruction and practice in advanced coding skills, in addition to helping you learn how to craft answers to questions about these concepts in an interview.

If you are new to data science or engineering, Design Databases with PostgreSQL will teach you how to design top-of-the-industry databases. In addition to understanding how to craft a database that aligns with your needs, you will learn how to optimize its functionality with indexes and run a database server on your computer. This course includes several hands-on projects to practice what you have learned.

For intermediate learners in gaming development, Learn A-Frame (VR) can advance your skills in creating virtual reality content. The three segments of the course take you through the basics of A-Frame and virtual reality, instruct you in creating the environment that serves as the foundation for your virtual world, and finally teach you how to write and apply reusable code that impacts entities within the experience.

ComputerScience.Org

As the name implies, this website offers a wide variety of courses relevant to those in the field of Computer Science. It connects users with online courses offered at some of the most prestigious technical schools and universities in a wide variety of subjects. If you cannot find the course matter that you are looking for elsewhere, you are likely to find it here.

If you are fascinated by the intersection of ethics and the laws in regard to digital environments and products, look no further than Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier. Offered through MIT, this course explores the concepts of privacy and transparency and how they relate to laws and regulations surrounding access to and possession of electronic information. This is a particularly useful course for those creating their own programs and apps, as well as those who own their own company.

For those specializing in software engineering, Compilers, presented by Stanford, will discuss current ideas and best practices in compiling language for coding. By the end of the class, you will understand how human language is simplified for machines and the best implementations for doing so. The course is presented as a series of short videos with engagement tasks and guiding questions and is self-paced.

Finally, if you have spent significant time thinking about how cellular phone technology and data work, you should take the Princeton course Networks: Friends, Money, and Bytes. This fun and the relevant course will investigate how companies use algorithms to impact Distributed Power Control, virilization, rankings, and ad spaces. You will leave with an understanding of networking problems through real-life examples and some suggested solutions and approaches.