Data Science 101

  • Free
  • Certificate included
  • Beginner
  • 11 hours
Provider
IBM
Offered by
BigDataUniversity
Course code
DS0101EN
Cost
Free
Certificate
Included, free
Level
Beginner
Duration
11 hours
Format
Self-paced
Language
English
Subjects
Data Science
Source
IBM Cognitive Class
Last verified
15 Oct 2026

Data Science 101, course code DS0101EN, is an orientation course rather than a technical one. The Cognitive Class page states an estimated effort of 11 hours at beginner level, in English, with no prerequisites or recommended skills, and describes it as self-paced. Its five modules move from defining data science, through what data science people do, data science in business, use cases for data science, and finally the people who work in the field. The material is built around interviews with practitioners telling stories about their work, alongside short readings on topics such as the difference between R and Python, regression, the final deliverable and how a report is structured.

The course was produced by Fireside Analytics, an education company that develops data-literacy courses. There is no coding; the aim is to help you decide whether data science is for you and what to learn next. The course is free of charge and the page says a certificate is offered on completion, which the platform provides at no cost. The page notes the course was formerly named Data Science 101, so you may see it referenced under that title elsewhere.

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What you’ll learn

  • Define data science and the different paths people take into it
  • Describe what data science practitioners do day to day and the tools they use
  • Explain how companies get started with data science and recruit for it
  • Recognise common use cases and the structure of a data science report

Who it’s for

People weighing up a move into data work, and managers who need to understand what their data teams do; not for anyone who wants hands-on skills.

Syllabus

5 sections as listed on cognitiveclass.ai.

  1. Defining Data Science 5 lessons
  2. What do data science people do? 4 lessons
  3. Data Science in Business 3 lessons
  4. Use Cases for Data Science 2 lessons
  5. Data Science People 2 lessons

Course details

Skills covered
  • Data Science
Includes
5 modules
Prerequisites
None, REQUIREMENTS, None, COURSE STAFF

On cognitiveclass.ai

Rated 4.6 out of 5 by 17,900 learners; 183,000 enrolled, as shown on the course page on 20 Oct 2026. These are cognitiveclass.ai’s own figures, not ours.

Source: IBM Cognitive Class (opens in a new tab) · Verified · Report a change

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