About the Data Analytics course block
We live in a data-centered world, and the ability to make data-driven decisions and craft strategy informed by an effective analysis of data are key elements of successful leadership in any industry. The Data Analytics course block provides a point of entry for individuals to gain expertise in data analytics. Courses are taught by experts and experienced practitioners, including members of the Penn faculty from the Penn Program on Opinion Research and Election Studies. All classes take place online with flexible scheduling to accommodate working adults, so that you can develop your data literacy while working on your career. You don’t need prior training in math, statistics, or programming to succeed in the data analytics course block. The only prerequisites are a familiarity with using a computer, basic math skills, and a willingness to learn.
Prior to the start of the term, students in DATA 1010 are required to complete an online, pre-course module that takes approximately 3-5 hours. Read more about this module on the DATA 1010 course page.
Penn LPS Online courses in Data Analytics are offered on an accelerated (8-week) schedule and should be taken sequentially to build your expertise in data analytics. Courses in the block are largely asynchronous with some optional synchronous sessions to be scheduled by the instructors.
All Penn LPS Online courses offer academic credit.*
Please note: Students completing this course block while enrolled in the online Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree are awarded a Certificate in Data Analytics upon completion of the degree. If you are enrolled in the online BAAS program and don't complete the degree requirements to graduate, you are not eligible to receive this certificate.
*Academic credit is defined by the University of Pennsylvania as a course unit (c.u.). A course unit (c.u.) is a general measure of academic work over a period of time, typically a term (semester or summer). A c.u. (or a fraction of a c.u.) represents different types of academic work across different types of academic programs and is the basic unit of progress toward a degree. One c.u. is usually converted to a four-semester-hour course.
The Data Analytics course block prepares you to:
- Implement and interpret basic regression models
- Understand advanced predictive modeling and machine learning
- Implement and analyze surveys
- Design experiments and A/B tests to test solutions and address problems
- Develop skills in statistical programming and data analysis in R
- Apply skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems
- Manage and analyze big data sets
Meet the Faculty
- Robert A. Fox Leadership Professor, Faculty Director of the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program, University of Pennsylvania
- Faculty Director of Penn’s Program for Opinion Research and Election Studies
- Director of the Elections Unit, NBC News
- Director of Operations for Penn's Program on Opinion Research and Election Studies and the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program
- Professor, Department of Political Science
- Stephen & Mary Baran Chair in the Institutions of Democracy, Annenberg Public Policy Center
- Penny & Robert Fox Director of the Fels Institute of Government
