What is big data, and why is it important to learn about?

“Big data” is a term widely used to describe our data-rich world, in which virtually every activity generates a digital data footprint that can be collected and analyzed. While data and data analysis are not necessarily new, the effective use of the extremely large - and rapidly-growing - datasets of today require new approaches to data management. In order to harness big data for important applications like machine learning and artificial intelligence, you need more than an Excel spreadsheet or a traditional relational database and SQL. Instead, an entire data infrastructure is necessary to collect and process this data at scale, including data pipelines, data lakes, and data warehouses. To make this possible, data engineers rely on new approaches to data processing such as MapReduce, developed by Google, the open-source Apache Hadoop ecosystem including Apache Spark and Apache Hive, and, increasingly, cloud computing and cloud database platforms like Cloudera.

What kinds of careers can I get with a background in big data?

With companies in practically every industry eager to discover ways to harness the power of big data in their operations, having a background in this area can open doors to a wide range of careers. Operations managers at manufacturing or logistics companies may harness data to improve their demand forecasting, inventory planning, and process efficiency; digital marketers use marketing analytics to better understand their customers and the effectiveness of their messaging; and “quants” at hedge funds rely on data-based financial engineering approaches to move millions of dollars in milliseconds. Understanding how big data applications are built and what they are capable of can thus be incredibly valuable even if you aren’t a data engineer or data scientist yourself. However, if you have the expertise and desire to work directly with big data yourself, data engineers are responsible for building the data infrastructure capable of reliably and efficiently delivering big data at scale, and data scientists are responsible for using a wide range of analytic and programming approaches to uncover insights from it. These two roles are in extremely high demand, and command salaries to match. According to Glassdoor , data engineers earn an average annual salary of $102,864, and data scientists earn an average annual salary of $113,309.

Can I learn about big data by taking online courses on Coursera?

Yes - in fact, Coursera is one of the best places to learn about big data. You can take individual courses and Specializations spanning multiple courses on big data, data science, and related topics from top-ranked universities from all over the world, from the University California San Diego to Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Coursera also offers the opportunity to learn from industry leaders in the field like Google Cloud, Cloudera, and IBM, including options to get professional certificates.

What skills or experience do I need to already have before starting to learn about big data?

The skills and experience that you might need to already have before starting to learn big data may include software programming knowledge as well as top skills in math, algebra, data science, and related areas. The types of programming languages that are common in big data environments include Python, SQL, Java, C, and overall data structure and algorithm insights. Working with structured and unstructured data may likely require knowledge and background in discrete mathematics, statistics, and linear algebra. Of course, learning about big data roles would also require you to bring good soft skills like listening, focus, communication, and flexibility to the table. Finally, what would also play a part before starting to learn big data might include a good education in data science or mathematics.

What kind of person is best suited to learn big data?

The kind of people best suited for work that involves big data are those who are keenly interested in data sciences, statistical modeling, data analysis, and the move to a big data future with the internet. People who love to work with data are best suited for roles in big data. This would likely include persons who may have quantitative experience in data technology, or a background and a skill set working with accounting, finance, ratios, and percentages. Big data enthusiasts may also be adventurous types, who take big risks and want to work at the forefront of technology and society.

How do I know if learning big data is right for me?

Learning big data may be right for you if you have strong analytical insights, a data science background, a head for numbers, and a familiarity with internet tools, cloud platforms, and data analysis software. Working in big data is one of the most in-demand jobs now, and the opportunity to work in a relevant field is very alluring. If you're flexible in your work roles, are a creative thinker, and have the discipline and right background, then learning big data may be right for you to advance your career forward.

What are the benefits of taking an online Big Data course?

Online Big Data courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Big Data skills. With a wide range of Big Data classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Big Data career skills.

What Big Data courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Big Data, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Big Data Courses - Learn Big Data Online

Results for "big data"

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Financial Management Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Leadership and Management, Accounting, Finance, Financial Accounting, Financial Analysis, Business Analysis, Financial Management, Marketing, Strategy, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Data Analysis, General Accounting, Strategy and Operations, Market Analysis, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Taxes, Entrepreneurship, Management Accounting, Investment Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Risk Management, Communication, Market Research, Regulations and Compliance, Cost Accounting, Problem Solving, Digital Marketing, Account Management, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Corporate Accouting, Marketing Management, Business Development, Business Process Management, Data Management, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Programming, Media Strategy & Planning, Probability & Statistics, Data Visualization, Innovation, Audit, Leadership Development, Planning, Business Transformation, Banking, Performance Management, Business Intelligence, Cash Management, Product Strategy, Python Programming, Sales, Statistical Analysis, Brand Management, Business Psychology, Customer Analysis, Business Communication, Creativity, Organizational Development, Product Management, Research and Design, Securities Trading, Culture, Data Analysis Software, Machine Learning, Social Media, Advertising, Behavioral Economics, Customer Relationship Management, Human Learning, Process Analysis, R Programming, Business Design, Correlation And Dependence, General Statistics, Influencing, People Management, Product Marketing, Adaptability, Change Management, Conflict Management, Marketing Design, Operational Analysis, Project Management, Advertising Sales, Collaboration, Interactive Data Visualization, Product Development, Regression, Statistical Machine Learning, Human Resources, Negotiation, Basic Descriptive Statistics, Benefits, Big Data, Budget Management, Data Model, Emotional Intelligence, Operations Management, Plot (Graphics), Data Visualization Software, Probability Distribution, Statistical Tests, Storytelling, Algorithms, Computer Programming, Data Mining, Employee Relations, Securities Sales, Business Research, Data Structures, Machine Learning Algorithms, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Contract Management, Extract, Transform, Load, Databases, Entrepreneurial Finance, Forecasting, Game Theory, Reinforcement Learning, Supply Chain and Logistics, Visual Design, Systems Design, Accounting Software, Econometrics, Natural Language Processing, SQL, Theoretical Computer Science, BlockChain, Data Architecture, Microsoft Excel, People Analytics, People Development, Strategic Thinking
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Certificate in Taxation
Skills you'll gain: Leadership and Management, Accounting, Finance, Financial Accounting, Financial Analysis, Business Analysis, Financial Management, Marketing, Strategy, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Data Analysis, General Accounting, Strategy and Operations, Market Analysis, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Taxes, Entrepreneurship, Management Accounting, Investment Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Risk Management, Communication, Market Research, Regulations and Compliance, Cost Accounting, Problem Solving, Digital Marketing, Account Management, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Corporate Accouting, Marketing Management, Business Development, Business Process Management, Data Management, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Programming, Media Strategy & Planning, Probability & Statistics, Data Visualization, Innovation, Audit, Leadership Development, Planning, Business Transformation, Banking, Performance Management, Business Intelligence, Cash Management, Product Strategy, Python Programming, Sales, Statistical Analysis, Brand Management, Business Psychology, Customer Analysis, Business Communication, Creativity, Organizational Development, Product Management, Research and Design, Securities Trading, Culture, Data Analysis Software, Machine Learning, Social Media, Advertising, Behavioral Economics, Customer Relationship Management, Human Learning, Process Analysis, R Programming, Business Design, Correlation And Dependence, General Statistics, Influencing, People Management, Product Marketing, Adaptability, Change Management, Conflict Management, Marketing Design, Operational Analysis, Project Management, Advertising Sales, Collaboration, Interactive Data Visualization, Product Development, Regression, Statistical Machine Learning, Human Resources, Negotiation, Basic Descriptive Statistics, Benefits, Big Data, Budget Management, Data Model, Emotional Intelligence, Operations Management, Plot (Graphics), Data Visualization Software, Probability Distribution, Statistical Tests, Storytelling, Algorithms, Computer Programming, Data Mining, Employee Relations, Securities Sales, Business Research, Data Structures, Machine Learning Algorithms, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Contract Management, Extract, Transform, Load, Databases, Entrepreneurial Finance, Forecasting, Game Theory, Reinforcement Learning, Supply Chain and Logistics, Visual Design, Systems Design, Accounting Software, Econometrics, Natural Language Processing, SQL, Theoretical Computer Science, BlockChain, Data Architecture, Microsoft Excel, People Analytics, People Development, Strategic Thinking
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership & Management
Skills you'll gain: Leadership and Management, Accounting, Finance, Financial Accounting, Financial Analysis, Business Analysis, Financial Management, Marketing, Strategy, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Data Analysis, General Accounting, Strategy and Operations, Market Analysis, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Taxes, Entrepreneurship, Management Accounting, Investment Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Risk Management, Communication, Market Research, Regulations and Compliance, Cost Accounting, Problem Solving, Digital Marketing, Account Management, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Corporate Accouting, Marketing Management, Business Development, Business Process Management, Data Management, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Programming, Media Strategy & Planning, Probability & Statistics, Data Visualization, Innovation, Audit, Leadership Development, Planning, Business Transformation, Banking, Performance Management, Business Intelligence, Cash Management, Product Strategy, Python Programming, Sales, Statistical Analysis, Brand Management, Business Psychology, Customer Analysis, Business Communication, Creativity, Organizational Development, Product Management, Research and Design, Securities Trading, Culture, Data Analysis Software, Machine Learning, Social Media, Advertising, Behavioral Economics, Customer Relationship Management, Human Learning, Process Analysis, R Programming, Business Design, Correlation And Dependence, General Statistics, Influencing, People Management, Product Marketing, Adaptability, Change Management, Conflict Management, Marketing Design, Operational Analysis, Project Management, Advertising Sales, Collaboration, Interactive Data Visualization, Product Development, Regression, Statistical Machine Learning, Human Resources, Negotiation, Basic Descriptive Statistics, Benefits, Big Data, Budget Management, Data Model, Emotional Intelligence, Operations Management, Plot (Graphics), Data Visualization Software, Probability Distribution, Statistical Tests, Storytelling, Algorithms, Computer Programming, Data Mining, Employee Relations, Securities Sales, Business Research, Data Structures, Machine Learning Algorithms, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Contract Management, Extract, Transform, Load, Databases, Entrepreneurial Finance, Forecasting, Game Theory, Reinforcement Learning, Supply Chain and Logistics, Visual Design, Systems Design, Accounting Software, Econometrics, Natural Language Processing, SQL, Theoretical Computer Science, BlockChain, Data Architecture, Microsoft Excel, People Analytics, People Development, Strategic Thinking
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Global Challenges in Business Graduate Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Leadership and Management, Accounting, Finance, Financial Accounting, Financial Analysis, Business Analysis, Financial Management, Marketing, Strategy, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Data Analysis, General Accounting, Strategy and Operations, Market Analysis, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Taxes, Entrepreneurship, Management Accounting, Investment Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Risk Management, Communication, Market Research, Regulations and Compliance, Cost Accounting, Problem Solving, Digital Marketing, Account Management, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Corporate Accouting, Marketing Management, Business Development, Business Process Management, Data Management, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Programming, Media Strategy & Planning, Probability & Statistics, Data Visualization, Innovation, Audit, Leadership Development, Planning, Business Transformation, Banking, Performance Management, Business Intelligence, Cash Management, Product Strategy, Python Programming, Sales, Statistical Analysis, Brand Management, Business Psychology, Customer Analysis, Business Communication, Creativity, Organizational Development, Product Management, Research and Design, Securities Trading, Culture, Data Analysis Software, Machine Learning, Social Media, Advertising, Behavioral Economics, Customer Relationship Management, Human Learning, Process Analysis, R Programming, Business Design, Correlation And Dependence, General Statistics, Influencing, People Management, Product Marketing, Adaptability, Change Management, Conflict Management, Marketing Design, Operational Analysis, Project Management, Advertising Sales, Collaboration, Interactive Data Visualization, Product Development, Regression, Statistical Machine Learning, Human Resources, Negotiation, Basic Descriptive Statistics, Benefits, Big Data, Budget Management, Data Model, Emotional Intelligence, Operations Management, Plot (Graphics), Data Visualization Software, Probability Distribution, Statistical Tests, Storytelling, Algorithms, Computer Programming, Data Mining, Employee Relations, Securities Sales, Business Research, Data Structures, Machine Learning Algorithms, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Contract Management, Extract, Transform, Load, Databases, Entrepreneurial Finance, Forecasting, Game Theory, Reinforcement Learning, Supply Chain and Logistics, Visual Design, Systems Design, Accounting Software, Econometrics, Natural Language Processing, SQL, Theoretical Computer Science, BlockChain, Data Architecture, Microsoft Excel, People Analytics, People Development, Strategic Thinking
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Status: Free
California Institute of the Arts
The Language of Design: Form and Meaning
Skills you'll gain: Graphic Design, Visual Design, Creativity, Interactive Design, Visualization (Computer Graphics)
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
852 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Amazon Ads
Foundations of Retail Media
Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing, E-Commerce
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Michigan
Introduction to Structured Query Language (SQL)
Skills you'll gain: Database Design, Databases, SQL
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
5.4K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
LearnQuest
Python Scripting: Files, Inheritance, and Databases
Skills you'll gain: Computer Programming, Python Programming, Programming Principles, Databases
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
18 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Coursera Project Network
Prezi para pequeñas empresas
Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Red Hat
Cloud-Native Development with OpenShift and Kubernetes
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Applications, Kubernetes, Cloud Computing, Cloud Platforms, Software As A Service
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
180 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Coursera Project Network
Créer un Moodboard pour votre marque avec Canva
Skills you'll gain: Brand Management, Digital Marketing, Graphic Design
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Codio
Cloud Computing Primer for Semi-tech and Business Learners
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Applications, Cloud Computing, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Platforms, Software As A Service
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
63 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months