Using Python for Research
Elevate your research skills with Python
Join Harvard University faculty to take your introductory knowledge of Python programming to the next level and learn how to use Python 3 for your research.
2-4 hours per week
What You'll Learn
This course bridges the gap between introductory and advanced courses in Python. While there are many excellent introductory Python courses available, most typically do not go deep enough for you to apply your Python skills to research projects. In this course, after first reviewing the basics of Python 3, we learn about tools commonly used in research settings. This version of the course includes a new module on statistical learning.
Using a combination of a guided introduction and more independent in-depth exploration, you will get to practice your new Python skills with various case studies chosen for their scientific breadth and their coverage of different Python features.
The course will be delivered via edX and connect learners around the world. By the end of the course, participants will learn:
- Python 3 programming basics (a review)
- Python tools (e.g., NumPy and SciPy modules) for research applications
- How to apply Python research tools in practical settings
Course Overview
Review of basic Python 3 language concepts and syntax.
Introduction to Python modules commonly used in scientific computation, such as NumPy.
This collection of six case studies from different disciplines provides opportunities to practice Python research skills.
Exploration of statistical learning using the scikit-learn library followed by a two-part case study that allows you to further practice your coding skills.
Your Instructor
Jukka-Pekka "JP" Onnela is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics in the Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is also the director of the school's Health Data Science master's degree program. His research focuses on statistical network science and digital phenotyping methods. JP did postdoctoral training at Harvard and Oxford, and received his doctorate at the Helsinki University of Technology. In 2013, he was awarded an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award.
Ways to take this course
When you enroll in this course, you will have the option of pursuing a Verified Certificate or Auditing the Course.
A Verified Certificate costs $249 and provides unlimited access to full course materials, activities, tests, and forums. At the end of the course, learners who earn a passing grade can receive a certificate.
Alternatively, learners can Audit the course for free and have access to select course material, activities, tests, and forums. Please note that this track does not offer a certificate for learners who earn a passing grade.