Question 1

What is data science?

Accepted Answer

Organizations of all types and sizes have business processes that generate massive volumes of data. Every moment, all sorts of information gets created by computers, the internet, phones, texts, streaming video, photographs, sensors, and much more. In the global digital landscape, data is increasingly imprecise, chaotic, and unstructured. As the speed and variety of data increases exponentially, organizations are struggling to keep pace.

Data science is part of a field of study that uses raw data to create new ways of modeling and understanding the unknown. To gain insights, businesses rely on data professionals to acquire, organize, and interpret data, which helps inform internal projects and processes. Data scientists rely on a combination of critical skills, including statistics, scientific methods, data analysis, and artificial intelligence.

Question 2

What do data professionals do?

Accepted Answer

A data professional is a term used to describe any individual who works with data and/or has data skills. At a minimum, a data professional is capable of exploring, cleaning, selecting, analyzing, and visualizing data. They may also be comfortable with writing code and have some familiarity with the techniques used by statisticians and machine learning engineers, including building models, developing algorithmic thinking, and building machine learning models.

Data professionals are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting large amounts of data within a variety of different organizations. The role of a data professional is defined differently across companies. Generally speaking, data professionals possess technical and strategic capabilities that require more advanced analytical skills such as data manipulation, experimental design, predictive modeling, and machine learning. They perform a variety of tasks related to gathering, structuring, interpreting, monitoring, and reporting data in accessible formats, enabling stakeholders to understand and use data effectively. Ultimately, the work of data professionals helps organizations make informed, ethical decisions.

Question 3

Why start a career in data science?

Accepted Answer

Large volumes of data — and the technology needed to manage and analyze it — are becoming increasingly accessible. Because of this, there has been a surge in career opportunities for people who can tell stories using data, such as senior data analysts and data scientists. These professionals collect, analyze, and interpret large amounts of data within a variety of different organizations. Their responsibilities require advanced analytical skills such as data manipulation, experimental design, predictive modeling, and machine learning.

Question 4

Do I need to take the course in a certain order?

Accepted Answer

We highly recommend taking the courses in the order presented, as the content builds on information from earlier courses. This is the second course in a series of six courses that make up the Google Data Analysis with Python Specialization.

Question 5

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Accepted Answer

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

Question 6

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

Accepted Answer

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Question 7

Is financial aid available?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.