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Charles Severance

This course aims to teach everyone the basics of programming computers using Python. We cover the basics of how one constructs a program from a series of simple instructions in Python. The course has no pre-requisites and avoids all but the simplest mathematics. Anyone with moderate computer experience should be able to master the materials in this course. This course will cover Chapters 1-5 of the textbook "Python for Everybody". Once a student completes this course, they will be ready to take more advanced programming courses. This course covers Python 3.

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This course aims to teach everyone the basics of programming computers using Python. We cover the basics of how one constructs a program from a series of simple instructions in Python. The course has no pre-requisites and avoids all but the simplest mathematics. Anyone with moderate computer experience should be able to master the materials in this course. This course will cover Chapters 1-5 of the textbook "Python for Everybody". Once a student completes this course, they will be ready to take more advanced programming courses. This course covers Python 3.

What you'll learn

  • What is a program?
  • Using variables in programs
  • Conditional execution (if statements)
  • Repeated execution / looping (for statements)
  • Functions and code reuse

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • What is a program?
  • Using variables in programs
  • Conditional execution (if statements)
  • Repeated execution / looping (for statements)
  • Functions and code reuse

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Covers fundamentals of programming in Python, suitable for beginners with moderate computer experience
Emphasizes practical application of programming concepts through hands-on exercises and code examples
Taught by Charles Severance, an experienced instructor in computer science education
Based on the textbook 'Python for Everybody', aligning with recognized industry standards
Provides a solid foundation for further exploration in programming and computer science
Assumes no prior mathematics knowledge, making it accessible to a wider range of learners

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Reviews summary

Excellent introduction to python for beginners

According to learners, this course provides an overwhelmingly positive experience, particularly for those new to programming. Students consistently highlight the instructor, Dr. Chuck (Charles Severance), praising his engaging, humorous, and clear teaching style which makes learning complex topics easy to grasp. The course is widely considered perfect for absolute beginners with no prior programming experience, offering a solid foundation in Python basics like variables, loops, and functions. Reviewers find the lectures and assignments helpful for practicing and reinforcing concepts. While a few users with prior experience note the pace can be slow, the consensus is that it excels as a first step into the world of coding, motivating many to continue learning Python.
Practice activities reinforce learning effectively.
"Assignments are helpful for practicing concepts."
"Quizzes help check understanding."
"The exercises are well-designed to reinforce learning."
"The course includes great hands-on exercises that help you apply what you learn."
Fundamentals are explained simply and effectively.
"The explanations of the concepts are very clear and easy to grasp."
"Provides a solid foundation in Python basics."
"Covers the fundamentals effectively."
"Helped me understand basic programming concepts I struggled with before."
Ideal course for those new to programming.
"This is an excellent course for absolute beginners. It starts with the most basic concepts and builds upon them."
"Perfect starting point."
"The course is designed for everyone, even those with no prior programming experience."
"Very easy to understand for people with no programming background."
Students love Dr. Chuck's teaching style.
"Dr. Chuck is an engaging and effective lecturer. His lectures are clear and humorous..."
"Professor Chuck Severance is absolutely amazing."
"The instructor, Dr. Chuck, makes learning engaging and fun and easy to understand."
"His lectures are clear, humorous, and easy to follow."
"Best instructor I've had in an online course."
Might be too basic if you have prior experience.
"If you have previous programming experience, this course might be too slow."
"Very basic, but that's exactly what it promises. Might be too simple for some."
"A good starting point but very superficial, just scraping the surface."
"Moves at a beginner pace, which is great if you're new, but slow if you're not."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) with these activities:
Read "Python Crash Course, 2nd Edition"
Will help you get started with Python and provide a solid foundation for the course.
Show steps
  • Read Chapters 1-5
  • Complete the exercises at the end of each chapter
Show all one activities

Career center

Learners who complete Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Data Scientist
Data Scientists are responsible for analyzing data, building predictive models, and communicating insights to stakeholders. This course provides a solid foundation in Python, a programming language commonly used in data science. By learning how to write Python code, students can develop the skills needed to extract insights from data, build machine learning models, and solve complex business problems.
Software Engineer
Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. Python is a popular programming language in software development, and this course provides a comprehensive introduction to the language. Students will learn how to write Python code, understand software design principles, and apply their knowledge to real-world software development projects.
Data Analyst
Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to help businesses make informed decisions. Python is widely used in data analysis, and this course provides a strong foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to perform data cleaning, data analysis, and data visualization tasks.
Web Developer
Web Developers design and develop websites and web applications. Python is a popular programming language for web development, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to write Python code, understand web development principles, and apply their knowledge to build dynamic and interactive web applications.
Machine Learning Engineer
Machine Learning Engineers design, develop, and deploy machine learning models. Python is a commonly used programming language in machine learning, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to build and train machine learning models, evaluate their performance, and deploy them to production.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts analyze business processes and data to help organizations improve their operations. Python is increasingly used in business analysis, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to perform data analysis, build predictive models, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Statistician
Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make informed decisions. Python is a commonly used programming language in statistics, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to perform statistical analysis, build statistical models, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Financial Analyst
Financial Analysts analyze financial data to help businesses make informed investment decisions. Python is increasingly used in financial analysis, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to perform financial analysis, build financial models, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Operations Research Analyst
Operations Research Analysts use mathematical and analytical techniques to help businesses improve their operations. Python is increasingly used in operations research, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to build optimization models, simulate business processes, and analyze data.
Actuary
Actuaries use mathematical and statistical techniques to assess risk and uncertainty in the insurance and financial industries. Python is increasingly used in actuarial science, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to build actuarial models, analyze data, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Market Research Analyst
Market Research Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses understand their customers and make informed marketing decisions. Python is increasingly used in market research, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to perform market research analysis, build predictive models, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Quantitative Analyst
Quantitative Analysts use mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze financial data and make investment decisions. Python is increasingly used in quantitative analysis, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to build financial models, analyze data, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Biostatistician
Biostatisticians use statistical techniques to analyze biological data and help researchers make informed decisions. Python is increasingly used in biostatistics, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to perform statistical analysis, build statistical models, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists investigate the causes and patterns of disease in human populations. Python is increasingly used in epidemiology, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to analyze epidemiological data, build statistical models, and communicate insights to stakeholders.
Data Journalist
Data Journalists use data to tell stories and inform the public. Python is increasingly used in data journalism, and this course provides a solid foundation in the language. Students will learn how to use Python to analyze data, build visualizations, and communicate insights to the public.

Reading list

We've selected 12 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python).
Python for Everybody is written by the same instructor as the course and is the textbook for the course.
Think Python provides a comprehensive overview of Python programming and is commonly used as a textbook in introductory Python courses.
Dive Into Python 3 comprehensive guide to Python programming that is suitable for both beginners and experienced programmers.
Python Programming is great for learners looking for a more comprehensive, academic introduction to Python programming.
Automate the Boring Stuff with Python helps learners utilize Python to automate everyday tasks.
The Python Standard Library guide to the extensive libraries included with Python.

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