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Announcing 8 degrees, 3 Professional Certificates, and a growing catalog of generative AI content to help learners build skills of the future 

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Announcing 8 degrees, 3 Professional Certificates, and a growing catalog of generative AI content to help learners build skills of the future 

By Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer, Coursera

Digital transformation, automation, and globalization continue to profoundly reshape the labor market and the world at large. With the rise of generative AI, this change is happening at an even more accelerated pace – up to 49% of workers could have half or more of their tasks exposed to large language models. To help learners adapt to this new future, Coursera is announcing new degrees, Professional Certificates, and other content offerings from leading universities and industry educators. 

We’re also excited to welcome 16 new partners to the Coursera community. Universities such as Anáhuac University Network (Red de Universidad Anáhuac), Ball State University, Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech), London Business School, and S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), and industry experts including Akamai Technologies, American Psychology Association, Cisco, Epic Games, Fractal Analytics Inc, Keller Williams, MedCerts, Moderna, Novartis, Unilever, and Zoho will help us deliver world-class programs to learners everywhere. 

Introducing 8 new career-focused degree programs, each affordably priced under $20,000

Degrees remain the most valuable credential for social and economic mobility, but learners need programs that are flexible, affordable, and accessible. We are excited to expand our portfolio of world-class online degrees with eight new programs from leading universities, bringing Coursera’s catalog to more than 50 bachelor’s and master’s degrees. With pricing under $20,000, all new degrees offer exceptional affordability and accessibility, especially well-suited for working adults. 

Illinois Tech is a nationally ranked private university that is committed to expanding access to job-relevant education – and known for graduates that receive a 90% employment rate within six months of graduation.  Together, we are announcing four industry-aligned degrees, which all feature performance-based admissions with no prerequisites or applications required. These programs are expected to begin their first cohorts in August 2023:

  • Master of Business Administration from Illinois Tech – This program prepares students for management careers in the technology space. In addition to core courses in finance, marketing, and digital transformation, students can also choose from a variety of electives in AI, data science, cybersecurity, and more.
  • Master of Science in Data Science from Illinois Tech Students will learn how to make sense of data using a blend of high-level mathematics, statistics, and computer science. The curriculum will include industry partner content to provide students with real-world experience. Graduates will be prepared for data science careers in business or industry.
  • Master of Science in Information Technology from Illinois Tech This program covers new and emerging information technologies, their application and integration, and the administrative practices used in their effective management. Taught by experienced faculty using a hands-on, reality-based approach, the curriculum is a blend of theoretical content and practical application with projects and laboratory-based instruction. Graduates will be prepared for careers in such areas as IT management, database administration, operations research, and more.
  • Bachelor of Information Technology from Illinois Tech Designed for students with any associate’s degree or at least 61 credit hours, this bachelor completion program will prepare graduates for careers in IT or cloud computing. The curriculum will introduce students to contemporary operating systems, hardware, systems programming, cloud technologies, and more.

“As a nationally ranked university with expertise in tech-driven fields, Illinois Tech is among the leaders in the state and the nation in providing students from diverse backgrounds with a world-class education that changes their lives. This partnership with Coursera further positions Illinois Tech as both an opportunity engine and university of the future—one that offers a powerful, relevant, digital education anytime, anywhere. We are proud to offer an accessible education that enables learners throughout the world to shape the future of technology.” – Kenneth T. Christensen, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Illinois Tech. 

Ball State University, an Indiana-based public research institution committed to serving learners throughout their lifetime educational journey, is nationally-recognized as a leader in delivering high-quality online programs. Today, we are announcing two job-aligned degrees from Ball State University that feature performance-based admissions with no prerequisites or application required. The first cohorts are expected to begin in August 2023.

  • Master of Science in Computer Science from Ball State University – This program, built specifically for learners with non-technical backgrounds, emphasizes hands-on learning experience in high-demand areas such as machine learning, data analytics, cybersecurity, and software engineering. Students can also deepen their knowledge in more specialized areas with electives such as AI, web development, and data visualization. The curriculum will incorporate industry content to enhance career outcomes, preparing graduates for roles in software development, network and systems engineering, and more. 
  • Master of Science in Data Science from Ball State University – In this program, also designed for learners with non-technical backgrounds, students will not only gain strong foundations in math, computer science, and statistics, but also hands-on experience in big data that they can apply immediately in their careers. The curriculum, which will incorporate industry content from SAS Institute, Inc. and others, will focus on high-demand skills in data science, machine learning, predictive modeling, and more. Graduates will be prepared for careers in fields such as business analysis, data analysis, and business intelligence. 

“For almost 25 years, Ball State University has been at the forefront of offering quality, innovative online programs, plus we are a top institution for social mobility. This partnership with Coursera is a natural next-step for us to expand higher education access. We are proud to offer these two new, affordable master’s degrees in high-demand fields as we respond to workforce needs in our own state of Indiana and beyond.” – Geoffrey S. Mearns, Ball State President  

University of Colorado, Boulder (CU Boulder), longtime degree partner and pioneer of performance-based admissions on the platform, is also announcing their fourth degree on Coursera:

  • Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder – This program takes a broad approach to advanced computer science with graduate-level courses in algorithms, machine learning, network systems, and more. Students can also explore interdisciplinary electives in electrical engineering, engineering management, or data science through courses from CU Boulder’s other degrees on Coursera. Graduates will be prepared for careers in software engineering, systems engineering, web development, and more. Admission is based on performance in three preliminary courses, not academic history. The first cohort is expected to begin in August 2023.

“We are excited to offer a Computer Science MS degree that uses CU Boulder’s unique and successful performance-based admissions approach on Coursera. This degree will make the modern, high-quality instruction that we provide to residential students available to a global audience.” – Bobby Schnabel, Computer Science Department External Chair & Professor at CU Boulder

As we expand our international degree portfolio, we are also proud to announce a new program from S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), the eighth degree from an Indian institution on Coursera:  

  • PGDM (Online) from SPJIMR This two-year Post Graduate Diploma in Management equips students with an integrated approach to functional management and related problem solving tools. In addition to general management courses, the curriculum includes a choice of three micro-specializations in areas such as marketing, supply chain, and finance. Students will also have the option to attend on-campus immersion days in Mumbai for academic sessions, guest lectures, and workshops. Applications for the program open in May and the first cohort is expected to begin in November 2023. 

“At the heart of SPJIMR’s PGDM Online is the belief that education should adapt to the needs of learners, and not the other way around. SPJIMR enables participants to pursue higher education on their own terms, fitting their studies around their busy lives, thanks to the flexibility of online learning. The course is designed to be accessible, convenient, and above all, responsive to the needs of the participants.” – Dr. Varun Nagaraj, Dean, SPJIMR

3 new Professional Certificates from industry experts prepare learners for in-demand jobs

Designed specifically for learners without a degree or industry experience, Entry-level Professional Certificates provide learners with the skills needed to land an entry-level role in a growing career field. A recent Coursera survey found that employers are on average 72% more likely to hire a candidate who has earned an Entry-level Professional Certificate. Today, we are introducing the following new programs from leading industry experts, bringing our portfolio of Entry-Level Certificates to more than 40: 

  • Front-End Developer Entry-Level Professional Certificate from IBM – This program will provide learners with the core skills needed to develop web and front-end applications. Learners will be introduced to industry tools including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, GitHub, and React and will be able to apply user interface and user experience (UI/UX) best practices and principles. Learners can pre-enroll for the program now, which is expected to launch at the end of June.
  • IT Project Manager Entry-Level Professional Certificate from IBM – This program will provide learners with the skills, tools, and portfolio to have a competitive edge in the job market as an entry-level IT project manager. In addition to developing crucial skills in project management, communication, leadership, and agile methodologies, learners will receive technical training in IT fundamentals, software engineering principles, and more. Learners can pre-enroll for the program now, which is expected to launch at the end of June.

Advanced Professional Certificates on Coursera are designed for intermediate or advanced learners that want to progress or specialize their careers. As part of our commitment to expanding immersive learning on the platform, we’re proud to launch a Spark AR Developer Certificate from Meta and a number of VR course experiences for learners: 

  • Spark AR Developer Advanced Professional Certificate from Meta – This advanced, six-course certificate teaches learners about AR, including the nuances of AR within social media, browsers, and mobile apps. Learners will explore how to build AR applications for marketing, education, gaming, and entertainment, using the latest tools including Unity, Meta Spark, Vuforia, Playcanvas, and more. The certificate is designed for learners with software development experience. To get the requisite background, learners can first take Meta’s entry-level Front-End Developer certificate on Coursera.  

Expanding our portfolio of AI content, including generative AI Teach Outs and Guided Projects 

As generative AI takes the world by storm, learners are looking for content that helps them understand this revolutionary technology and how to apply it in their work. We have launched several new pieces of content to meet this growing demand for AI skills:

  • AI for Good Specialization from DeepLearning.AI Created in partnership with the Microsoft AI for Good lab, this program will showcase how AI is being leveraged to address some of the world’s biggest challenges. Experts will share how they are driving AI initiatives that address social and environmental issues from mitigating climate change to supporting disaster response efforts. By the end of the program, learners will understand how to combine human and machine intelligence for positive real-world impact, and ensure AI initiatives are effective and achieve the right outcomes. Learners can pre-enroll for the new Specialization, which is expected to launch at the end of May.
  • ChatGPT Teach Out from University of Michigan This Teach-Out introduces learners to AI and explains how large language models and chatbots like ChatGPT work. Learners will better understand the ethical use of AI, the implications of authorship, and how tools like ChatGPT might be utilized and regulated moving forward.

As reskilling and upskilling become an even bigger imperative in an AI-enabled future, we are fortunate to partner with world-class educators to help learners and institutions thrive in a digital economy. 

Click here to read about several other announcements made at Coursera Conference 2023.

Glass Frogs: Clearing the Mystery of Clotting

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What New Innovations and Discoveries in STEM Intrigue You?

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7 Careers You Can Have In Generative AI & Machine Learning

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7 Careers You Can Have In Generative AI & Machine Learning

It’s an exciting time for artificial intelligence (AI). We’re still a long way from the sentient robots you see in movies like Ex Machina and The Terminator, but with the rise of large language models and scarily-impressive programs like ChatGPT and DALL-E, the question on everyone’s mind is: Will AI replace our jobs?

Experts say: Probably not. As generative AI tools become more sophisticated, so will the ways we interact with them. If you understand the technology, there are tons of opportunities to use these tools to your advantage as a developer. (Check out our free course Intro to ChatGPT to learn how.)

Plus, surveys suggest that this advancement in AI is creating jobs — and you could have the skills you need to get hired. Companies worldwide are looking for AI and machine learning experts to help them find ways to use cutting-edge tech to improve their products and operations, and the demand is skyrocketing for many of the roles we’re about to explore.

AI Engineer

AI Engineers build AI solutions to complex problems. Their responsibilities can range from building chatbots and smart assistants with natural language processing (NLP) to developing internal algorithms and programs that help automate a company’s processes.

An AI Engineer’s tools will depend on their specific role and specialization, but generally, the role requires strong programming, data science, and math skills. Python is one of the most popular programming languages used for machine learning and AI, and it’s a great place to start if you want to get into the field. You can learn the basics of the language in our Learn Python course.If you want to learn everything you need to land an entry-level job in AI, check out our Machine Learning/AI Engineer career path.

Prompt Engineer

This list includes a lot of tech-heavy roles, but you don’t need to be a programmer to work with AI. Being really good at writing prompts for chatbots is an in-demand skill to have on your resume if you want to become a Prompt Engineer (and you can learn how to write an effective prompt in our Intro to ChatGPT).

AI needs to understand its users, which is no easy task considering the ambiguities of human communication. The way we ask ChatGPT for information can affect the types of responses we get. Prompt Engineers figure out exactly how to word a command to achieve a desired result, and they help evaluate AI performance and uncover flaws by testing models with specialized and specific prompts. These tests can range from complex requests like essays on complicated subjects, to shorter prompts with subtle differences that help assess how word choice influences results.

Prompt engineering helps ensure that AI can properly interpret and respond to our commands, and companies will doubtlessly need native speakers of different languages and dialects worldwide to help train their models.

As a burgeoning career path, there’s no set roadmap to prompt engineering yet. The writing-heavy role requires strong communication skills, and a familiarity with AI systems and NLP is a plus.

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineers teach computers how to use data to make predictions, and they help build tools like recommender engines and facial recognition software. Many use Python and machine learning libraries like TensorFlow and Pandas to build and fine-tune their systems, but they also need strong data analysis and management skills to work with the huge datasets that train their models.

If you already know a little Python, check out our course Intro to Machine Learning (free for a limited time) to learn how to use it for machine learning. And if you want to build the skills you’ll need for a job, try  our Machine Learning Engineer career path

Algorithm Engineer

Algorithms underlie an AI’s ability to learn from data, and algorithm engineering requires extensive knowledge of computer science and architecture, data structures, programming, and development. Algorithm Engineers build and fine-tune algorithms for machine learning and AI systems and applications, and while the tools they use will depend on the projects they work on, Java and C++ are used extensively in the field.

If you want to start building the skills you need to become an Algorithm Engineer, try our course Learn Data Structures and Algorithms with Python.

Big Data Engineer

Raw data has to be prepped before it can be used, and Data Engineers build pipelines that automatically collect, clean, and format data for analysis. Big Data Engineers do the same thing, but on a much larger scale. (Big data refers to a dataset that’s so big it’s impossible to store, process, or analyze using traditional data science methods.) Their primary tools are SQL, a programming language used to query databases, and data management frameworks like Apache Spark or Hadoop to extract, process, query, and transform data at scale.

Want to learn more about big data engineering? Check out our free course Introduction to Big Data with PySpark.

NLP Engineer

NLP sits at the heart of human-computer interaction, and NLP Engineers build tools and systems for parsing and processing text and language. While the most common NLP tools include virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, NLP is also used in search engines, email filters, and recommender systems.

If you know a little bit of Python and want to dip your toes into NLP, check out our course Learn Text Generation (you can take this for free until April 17) or our skill path Apply Natural Language Processing With Python.

Data Scientist

“Data Scientist” is a catch-all that encompasses many of the roles listed above (and many others). While there are several different kinds of Data Scientists, many of them build machine learning models, algorithms, and applications. Others may help build the pipelines that collect and prepare training data.

R is one of the most popular programming languages among Data Scientists. It was designed for statistics, and it has many applications in machine learning and AI. You can pick up the basics in our free course Learn R, then start building your data science skills with our course Learn Linear Regression in R (free for a limited time) and our Data Scientist: Machine Learning Specialist career path.

How to start a career in AI

Tons of tech companies have dropped degree requirements for various roles, so you no longer need a degree to find a job in AI. Many people are building their skills and launching new careers on their own.

If a career in AI sounds right for you, you can start building your skills with the courses below (they’re free until April 17).

Then once you’ve sharpened your skills, you’ll need a portfolio of coding projects that showcase your skills with machine learning and AI. Our projects library is a great source of info if you need ideas, and we also offer Career Services that’ll help you learn about and prepare for the interview process.

Want A Job In AI? Here Are The Languages & Skills to Learn

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Want A Job In AI? Here Are The Languages & Skills to Learn

The rise of AI technology like ChatGPT is revolutionizing not only how we do our jobs, but also what types of jobs we can get. For budding technologists or job seekers, the AI boom means there are even more opportunities to have careers that touch this cutting-edge tech field.

In the past year, the number of AI-related job postings has increased across practically every sector in the United States, according to a recent report out of Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered AI. Put another way: People with AI skills are well-positioned to get hired in today’s job market. 

We can help you develop the skills you need to work in AI with our catalog of courses for programmers of all levels. Our new course Intro to ChatGPT will take you under the hood of the AI chatbot’s functionality and get you thinking critically about the ethics of AI. 

We’re also making four of our Pro courses free for a limited time, so you can start learning about essential AI topics like machine learning, text generation, and cloud computing. Read on to learn more about the in-demand technical skills and programming languages that you need to get a job in AI, and the courses and paths that will help you reach your goals.

Programming  

No surprise here: Coding is a crucial part of most jobs in AI. But which programming languages are the most useful to learn for AI-related work?

The 2023 AI Index Report found that Python was the top skill included across AI job listings in 2022. With Python’s simple syntax and pre-written libraries and frameworks, you can start coding more complicated AI and machine learning concepts faster. 

Fortunately for beginners, Python is a great first programming language to learn if you’re brand new to coding. Already have some Python experience? You can take our course Learn Text Generation for free until April 17, and we’ll walk you through the process of training a computer to create language using Python. 

Other programming languages that are often used for AI include Java, C++, R, and SQL.

Machine learning

Machine learning is a subset of AI that uses algorithms to make decisions based on patterns found in data. Our course Intro to Machine Learning will help you understand one of the hottest fields in computer science and the various ways machine learning algorithms affect our daily lives. You have until April 17 to take this course for free, so start learning now!

You can go even deeper with the path Learn Machine Learning, where you’ll get hands-on practice applying machine learning methods to real-life scenarios. And if you have your sights set on becoming a Machine Learning Engineer, dive into the Data Scientist: Machine Learning Engineer career path. Read this blog to learn more about the types of jobs you can have in machine learning

Natural language processing

Natural language processing (aka NLP) is how we get computers to interpret, analyze, and approximate the generation of human speech. Everything from your phone’s autocorrect feature to the Amazon Alexa in your kitchen uses NLP in some capacity. 

If you want to learn how to make computers act more like humans, try the path Apply Natural Language Processing with Python — it’s a great entryway into AI. Or if your goal is to specialize in NLP, the career path Data Scientist: Natural Language Processing Specialist will teach you the technical skills you need, and set you up with portfolio-ready projects that you can use in job applications. 

Data analytics

Both data analytics and AI are concerned with finding patterns in data that inform decisions — but they accomplish this in different ways. Data analysis is the process of collecting and examining data for insights using programming languages like Python, R, and SQL. With AI, machines learn to replicate human cognitive intelligence by crunching data, and let their learnings guide future decisions. We have lots of data analytics courses and paths that will teach you key programming languages and concepts.

If you already know the programming language R, you can take our course Learn Linear Regression with R to learn how to make and interpret linear regression models. This course is totally free between now and April 17. (And if you want to get started with R, check out our beginner-friendly R courses and tutorials.)

Math and statistics 

Statistics, probability, linear algebra, and calculus are at the core of creating algorithms or interacting with certain machine learning models. Feel like your math skills are a bit rusty? We have courses in core math subjects — like Probability, Linear Algebra, and Learn Statistics with Python— that will help you apply these concepts in a coding context. 

Cloud computing 

It takes a lot of computing power to train and run AI models. (BTW, it also requires a massive amount of energy: Studies suggest that training a large deep-learning model produces 626,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, which is about equal to the lifetime emissions of five cars.) 

AI-focused businesses need to consider how they store and analyze the massive amounts of data they work with. Round out your AI knowledge by learning about big data technologies like Hadoop Distributed File System, as well as cloud computing platforms like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. 

Intro to Cloud Computing, which is available for free until April 17, will introduce you to the basics of cloud computing, so you can better understand the different deployment models and types of cloud services that are out there.

If you’re feeling energized to start your journey towards a career in AI, be sure to explore the courses in these subjects that are free for a limited time. And keep reading the blog for more advice on finding a job and advancing your career in popular tech fields.

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An illustrator shares how she finds calm amid the hustle and bustle of New York City. Where do you go when life gets too hectic?