Using Python for Research

  • Free to audit
  • Paid certificate
  • Course certificate
  • Intermediate
Provider
Harvard
Cost
Free to audit
Certificate
Paid, $249
Level
Intermediate
Effort
4–8 hrs/week
Format
Self-paced
Language
English
Subjects
Python, Programming
Source
Harvard Online
Last verified
14 Sep 2026

Free access to the material ends after the course length; graded work and the certificate are paid.

Using Python for Research is aimed at people who have finished an introductory Python course and want to apply the language to research projects, which Harvard says most introductory courses do not go deep enough to support. After a review of Python 3 basics it introduces modules commonly used in scientific computing, such as NumPy and SciPy, then moves through six case studies drawn from different disciplines, chosen to exercise a range of Python features. A statistical learning section uses scikit-learn and ends with a two-part case study.

The current run includes revised assessments and a new machine learning module. Harvard rates the course intermediate and gives a time commitment of 4 to 8 hours per week; no overall length is stated on the page. It is self-paced and free to audit on edX, with a verified certificate available for $249.

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What you’ll learn

  • Review Python 3 syntax and core language concepts
  • Use NumPy, SciPy and other research-oriented modules
  • Apply Python to six case studies from different disciplines
  • Explore statistical learning with scikit-learn

Who it’s for

Researchers, graduate students and analysts who know basic Python and want to use it for real scientific work.

Source: Harvard Online (opens in a new tab) · Verified · Report a change

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