SQL stands for Structured Query Language and is often pronounced as either "s-q-l" or "sequel." It is widely used in data science, enabling businesses to make powerful and strategic decisions.
Many big data platforms utilize SQL as their primary API for relational databases, making it popular among data practitioners and machine learning specialists who work with large amounts of data. These professionals are competent in SQL.
SQL is a popular choice among data practitioners and machine learning specialists who work with large volumes of data. Its proficiency in handling structured data makes it an essential skill for Data Scientists.
When it comes to learning SQL, the choice of database technology ultimately depends on your personal preferences and goals. In this article, we aim to highlight a few SQL courses that can help you develop a good understanding of SQL and enhance your knowledge of database systems.
9 High-ROI SQL Courses
These SQL courses will help you gain a fundamental understanding of SQL in five commonly used relational database management systems.
Learn SQL - Nanodegree
Udacity offers this Nano-degree program to help learners Master SQL in Big Data Analysis with a guided project for Deforestation Exploration.
It is an excellent program that offers Technical Mentor Support to help beginners to become highly equipped with sound data analysis skills.
This is one of the most comprehensive learning programs on the internet that covers every important concept required for efficient data analysis to supplement insight-driven decision-making and strategies for business.
What you will learn?
- Learn Basics of SQL
- Understand SQL Joins
- SQL Aggregations
- SQL Subqueries & Temporary Tables
- SQL Data Cleaning
- SQL Window Functions
- SQL Advanced JOINs AND Performance Tuning
Is it right for you?
This Nanodegree program is suitable for learners who don't have any experience in computer science, programming, or database systems.
You are only needed to understand the basic data types which you can learn in less than a day on the web.
Upon completion, you will have gained lifelong skills in SQL and competency in Data Analysis to work on Big Data projects.
GO TO — Learn SQL - Nanodegree
SQL Fundamental Skill Path
The SQL fundamentals skill path is developed by Dataquest to help beginners grasp the fundamental concepts of SQL in data science.
This is an excellent course to learn the best practices of working with SQL while mastering the principles of filtering and sorting data.
What you will learn?
- Writing SQL queries
- Filtering data with FRONT and LIMIT
- Write effective SQL Code
- Maths with SQL
- Combine data using join
- Filter and sort data with more advanced queries, such as if/then expressions
- Summarize data with SQL
- Use Set operators like UNION and EXCEPT
- Use SELECT cause
Is it right for you?
This skill path is suitable for absolute beginners who do not have any experience in computer science or database systems.
By the end, you will have the skills to perform SQL queries with real data, extract data from the databases, write and validate proper code to filter and analyze datasets, Build repeatable processes to save a massive amount of time.
GO TO — SQL Fundamentals Skill Path
Learn SQL Basics for Data Science Specialization
UC Davis - The University of California offers this highest-rated specialization to help learners become skilled in SQL to carry out the common Data Science tasks.
This course is suitable for data science learners to become skilled in Data Analysis, Apache Spark, Delta Lake, Sqlite, Predictive Analytics, Exploratory Data Analysis and more.
What you will learn?
- Learn SQL commands to filter, sort, & summarize data.
- Manipulate strings, dates, & numerical data for analysis
- Use Databricks workspace to create an end-to-end pipeline that reads and transforms the data, and saves the result.
- Evaluate and create datasets to solve real-world problems using SQL
- Perform Statistical Analysis to present using findings to make recommendations
Is it right for you?
This specialization is endorsed by Google and is an excellent resource on the internet for learners to gain the fundamental SQL skills for data science.
The experienced instructors teach it to help beginners in data science to master various applications of SQL commonly used today.
GO TO — Learn SQL Basics for Data Science Specialization
Introduction to SQL
This course, offered by DataCamp, aims to equip data science learners with a firm foundation in relational databases.
This course will help you understand the syntax of SQL in databases like MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL and Oracle.
What you will learn?
- Querying tables in databases
- Wrangle and extract data from these databases using a SQL language
- Thoroughly learn Selecting Columns
- Build a deeper understanding of Filtering Rows
- Learn Aggregate Functions
Is it right for you?
This course is excellent for beginners to learn the basics of SQL in data science.
You will build proficiency and become highly prepared for learning advanced topics.
GO TO — Introduction to SQL
Intermediate SQL for Data Analysis
This hands-on course to learn SQL for Data Analysis offered by Dataquest is unique and packed with interactive lessons to help you become confident in Data Analysis workflow with a guided project.
It's good for data science learners to understand the key concepts of relational databases, build familiarity with advanced SQL queries and learn to write analysis to communicate the results.
What you will learn?
- Query data across tables
- Learn concepts such as the different types of joins
- Join data from more complex databases
- Organize queries for better readability
- Understand Table Relations and Normalization
- Design, create, and populate a normalized SQL database
Is it right for you?
This intermediate-level course is very suitable for learners who have basic familiarity with SQL.
By the end, you will have gained advanced skills to showcase your skills to employers for data science roles.
GO TO — Intermediate SQL for Data Analysis
PostgreSQL for Everybody Specialization
This hands-on specialization offered by The University of Michigan aims to help learners gain important SQL skills in a real-world environment.
It is very suitable for data science learners who want to strengthen their Machine Learning skills using Natural Language Processing in PostgreSQL.
It also focuses on data mining and application development.
What you will learn?
- Basics of SQL in PostgreSQL
- Database design with a hands-on assignment
- Intermediate level topics PostgreSQL
- SQL Techniques and specifics of aggregation, transactions, reading and parsing CSV files
- Learn psql and SQL commands to implement CRUD operations for tables in the database.
- Database Architecture and scalable deployment configuration
- Build and differentiate relationships within PostgreSQL.
- JSON and Natural Language Processing
- NoSQL with Elasticsearch
- Understand the use and implementation of the relational databases for high-speed search and indexing
Is it right for you?
This specialization is suitable for learners who have experience in Python and also JSON.
By the end, you will become equipped to design a PostgreSQL database, architecture and deployment.
GO TO — PostgreSQL for Everybody Specialization
Intermediate SQL
This interactive course offered by DataCamp aims to equip data science learners to master the complex SQL queries and prepare data sets for analysis in PostgreSQL.
This course primarily focuses on Data Analysis and teaches the techniques used by data practitioners to manipulate and transform the data to make sense of it.
You will make use of European Soccer Database to discover and learn how analysis is performed on the datasets to some interesting discovery facts.
What you will learn?
- Wrangle, filter, and categorize information
- Learn to use CASE statements
- Learn Short and Simple Subqueries
- Understand subqueries and window functions
- Learn Correlated Queries, Nested Queries, and Common Table Expressions
- Learn to construct queries using multiple common table expressions
Is it right for you?
This course is suitable for learners who have beginner-level skills in SQL and familiarity with PostgreSQL.
By the end, you will have more confidence in using SQL for Data Analysis and become highly prepared to learn advanced topics for Data Science.
GO TO — Intermediate SQL
Intermediate Relational Database and SQL
This hand-on guided Project offered by Coursera Project Network aims to equip data science learners with skills to create and maintain relational databases like MySQL, Oracle and MS Access.
You will become acquainted with all the key concepts for implementation and applications of SQL.
What you will learn?
- Learn about user interface orientation
- Preview finished products
- Create and drop databases
- Create and drop tables
- Create and drop primary keys
- Create and drop indexes
- Create and drop foreign keys
- Test and create technical documentation
Is it right for you?
This course is for learners who have experience with SQL and also for those who want to upgrade their skills for a designer or database administrator roles.
By the end, you will have a proper understanding of Database design, Relational Database, Database Administration and more.
GO TO — Intermediate Relational Database and SQL
Exploratory Data Analysis in SQL
This intermediate-level course offered by DataCamp purposes to help learners build upon their existing skills on how to explore the database and analyze the data in it.
It is an excellent course for data science learners who can solidify their data analysis skills using Stack Overflow Data.
Through the guided series of lectures and hands-on exercises, you will gain advanced familiarity with numeric, character, and date/time data types and also learn techniques to clean up messy data.
This course is also part of the SQL for Business Analysis Career Track by DataCamp.
What you will learn?
- Use functions to aggregate and summarize to analyze data
- Numeric data types and summary functions
- Creating temporary tables
- Summarizing and aggregating numeric data
- Exploring categorical data and unstructured text
Is it right for you?
This course will require background in Data Analysis and expert knowledge of SQL.
By the end of this course, you'll be positively ready to explore your own PostgreSQL databases and analyzing the data in them.
GO TO — Exploratory Data Analysis in SQL
SQL Interview Prep
SQL plays a decisive role in Data Science and one tiny subset of all Data Science interviews includes evaluating your SQL Skills.
Employers want to see the proof of SQL skills by assessing your technical knowledge of SQL and that means SQL for Data Science Courses can be useful as they're teaching you the things you should know.
Do you need a SQL Certificate for Interviews
SQL is a decades-old language, and a critical skill for working with data, but you do not need an SQL certificate.
The recruiters who hire data scientists rarely care about SQL certifications and getting a SQL certificate, even from the best educator, isn’t likely to jolt their decision making.
SQL Certifications may be a good fit for the SQL developers and database engineers such as Google Cloud Database Engineer.
While the certificate from a data science certification program is highly unlikely to get you a job, the actual skills that you learn as part of the program definitely can!
There are no official SQL Certification programs but SQL learning programs from data science educators like Udacity, Dataquest and DataCamp can be a valuable investment of your time and money, so long as you keep in mind that what you’re getting out of them is the skills you learn, and pick your program accordingly.
Closing Note
There are many courses online that can help you bootstrap your knowledge to become competent in SQL.
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