Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project from edX

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Now that you've taken several courses on data science and machine learning, it’s time to put your learning to work on a data problem involving a real life scenario. Employers really care about how well you can apply your knowledge and skills to solve real world problems, and the work you do in this capstone project will make you stand out in the job market.

In this capstone project, you’ll explore data sets in New York’s 311 system, which is used by New Yorkers to report complaints for the non-emergency problems they face. Upon being reported, various agencies in New York get assigned to resolve these problems. The data related to these complaints is available in the New York City Open Dataset. On investigation, one can see that in the last few years the 311 complaints coming to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development in New York City have increased significantly.

Your task is to find out the answers to some of the questions that would help the Department of Housing Preservation and Development in New York City effectively tackle the 311 complaints coming to them. You will need to use the techniques you learned in your previous Python, data science, and machine learning courses, including data ingestion, data exploration, data visualization, feature engineering, probabilistic modeling, model validation, and more.

By the end of this course, you will have used real world data science tools to create a showcase project and demonstrate to employers that you are job ready and a worthy candidate in the field of data science.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Apply your knowledge of data science and machine learning to a real life scenario
Analyze and visualize data using python
Perform a feature engineering exercise using python

Build and validate a predictive machine learning model using python
Create and share actionable insights to real life data problems

Apply your knowledge of data science and machine learning to a real life scenario
Analyze and visualize data using python
Perform a feature engineering exercise using python
Build and validate a predictive machine learning model using python
Create and share actionable insights to real life data problems

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Builds a strong foundation for beginners in data science and machine learning

Develops and strengthens core skills and tools for data scientists

Uses real-world data from the New York City Open Dataset

Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials for practical application

Taught by instructors with experience in the field of data science

Introduces industry-relevant data science and machine learning techniques

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 Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project with these activities:

Participate in Data Analysis Discussions

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Encourages students to engage with peers, exchange ideas, and gain diverse perspectives on data analysis techniques.

Browse courses on Data Analysis

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Attend online or in-person discussion forums to share insights and ask questions.
Collaborate on data analysis projects with peers to enhance teamwork and communication skills.

Practice Data Ingestion Techniques

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Helps students improve their understanding of data ingestion techniques and their proficiency in using Python for data science tasks.

Browse courses on Data Ingestion

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Use Python libraries to read and load data from various sources (e.g., CSV, JSON, SQL).
Practice cleaning and transforming data to prepare it for analysis.

Explore Advanced Data Visualization Techniques

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Helps students expand their knowledge and proficiency in data visualization techniques beyond the scope of the course.

Browse courses on Data Visualization

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Follow online tutorials on advanced data visualization libraries (e.g., Plotly, Bokeh).
Practice creating interactive and informative visualizations.

Four other activities

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Develop a Machine Learning Model

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Provides students with hands-on experience in developing and validating a machine learning model using Python.

Browse courses on Machine Learning

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Select appropriate machine learning algorithms and train models using Python.
Evaluate and refine models to improve their performance.
Document the model development process and present findings.

Develop a Data Exploration and Analysis Report

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Provides students with an opportunity to synthesize their learning and demonstrate their ability to analyze and present data effectively.

Browse courses on Data Exploration

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Select a dataset and conduct exploratory data analysis.
Develop visualizations and insights based on the analysis.
Write a comprehensive report summarizing the findings.

Contribute to Open-Source Data Science Projects

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Encourages students to contribute to the data science community by participating in open-source projects.

Browse courses on Open Source

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Explore open-source data science projects relevant to course topics.
Identify areas where contributions can be made.
Submit code contributions or documentation improvements to the project.

Participate in Data Science Competitions

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Challenges students to apply their skills in real-world scenarios and gain experience in collaborative problem-solving.

Browse courses on Data Science

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Identify appropriate data science competitions aligned with course topics.
Participate in teams or individually to develop innovative solutions.
Reflect on the competition experience to enhance skills and knowledge.

Career center

Learners who complete Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Scientist

Data Scientists build and deploy machine learning models to solve real world problems in a wide range of applications using methodologies learned in the course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project, like data visualization, and model validation. Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project gives learners experience working with real data sets and demonstrates the full data science process from data ingestion to presenting actionable insights. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Data Scientists who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineers build and deploy machine learning models to solve real world problems in a wide range of applications using methodologies learned in the course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project, like data visualization, and model validation. Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project gives learners experience working with real data sets and demonstrates the full data science process from data ingestion to presenting actionable insights. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Machine Learning Engineers who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Business Analyst

Business Analysts use data to analyze business performance and develop recommendations to improve efficiency and profitability. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Business Analysts with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world business problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Business Analysts who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Statistician

Statisticians collect, analyze, interpret, and present data to inform decision-making. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Statisticians with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world data problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Statisticians who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Statistician

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Software Engineers with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world software problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Software Engineers who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to make informed decisions in a business setting. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Data Analysts with the opportunity to build a portfolio of real-world projects that demonstrate their skills in data analysis and machine learning. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Data Analysts who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Data Engineer

Data Engineers design and build the infrastructure and pipelines needed to manage and analyze data. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Data Engineers with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world data problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Data Engineers who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Data Visualization Specialist

Data Visualization Specialists design and create visualizations to communicate data insights. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Data Visualization Specialists with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world data visualization problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Data Visualization Specialists who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Visualization Specialist

Quantitative Analyst

Quantitative Analysts use mathematical and statistical models to analyze financial data. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Quantitative Analysts with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world financial problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Quantitative Analysts who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Actuary

Actuaries use mathematical and statistical models to assess risk. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Actuaries with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world risk assessment problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Actuaries who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists investigate the distribution and patterns of health events and diseases in a population. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Epidemiologists with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world epidemiology problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Epidemiologists who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Biostatistician

Biostatisticians use statistical methods to design and analyze studies in the field of biology. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Biostatisticians with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world biostatistics problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Biostatisticians who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Market Researcher

Market Researchers conduct research to understand consumer needs and behaviors. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Market Researchers with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world market research problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Market Researchers who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Econometrician

Econometricians use statistical methods to analyze economic data. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Econometricians with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world econometrics problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Econometricians who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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Data Scientist (Healthcare)

Data Scientists (Healthcare) use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world problems in the healthcare industry. The course Data Science and Machine Learning Capstone Project provides Data Scientists (Healthcare) with the opportunity to learn how to use data science and machine learning techniques to solve real-world healthcare problems. This course is particularly valuable for aspiring Data Scientists (Healthcare) who want to gain experience with using Python to solve real-world data problems.

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