Foundations learning roadmap

The tested professional baseline every data role requires before a specialization.

8 modules About 71 hoursFree curated resources

What you will learn

  1. 01

    Command Line

    Inspect files and processes, combine commands with pipes, and automate a repeatable file-processing task safely.

    Navigation, files & pipes · Processes, permissions & environment · Safe shell scripts

    5h
  2. 02

    Python Foundations

    Write, test, and run a small Python program with clear functions, deliberate error handling, and a reproducible environment.

    Control flow, functions & modules · Files, parsing & errors · Environments, dependencies & tests

    10h
  3. 03

    Git & GitHub

    Create a focused branch, review its changes, resolve a conflict, and merge it through a clear pull request.

    Files, staging & commits · Branches & pull requests · Conflicts & safe recovery

    6h
  4. 04

    Tabular Python

    Transform messy tabular data with vectorized NumPy and pandas operations, then enforce an explicit data contract.

    NumPy arrays & vectorization · pandas cleaning, joins & grouping · Schemas & quality checks

    10h
  5. 05

    SQL Foundations

    Build from SELECT, filtering, sorting, and grouping to correct joins, CTEs, window functions, and validated business answers.

    SELECT, FROM, WHERE & NULLs · Joins, grouping & CTEs · Windows, plans & validation

    10h
  6. 06

    Statistics Basics

    Describe uncertainty in a dataset, choose an appropriate comparison, and communicate what the evidence cannot prove.

    Distributions, sampling & uncertainty · Intervals, effects & tests · Correlation & causal limits

    10h
  7. 07

    AI Literacy

    Use an AI assistant on a bounded data task while protecting sensitive data, testing its output, and documenting its contribution.

    How models work & fail · Claims & code verification · Privacy, injection & disclosure

    6h
  8. 08

    Foundation Readiness Capstone

    Deliver a reproducible data investigation that uses Python, SQL, statistics, version control, and documented AI assistance to support a defensible decision.

    Decision & metric framing · Reproducible investigation · Recommendation & limitations

    14h