Behind every mouse click and touch-screen tap, there is a computer program that makes things happen. This course introduces the fundamental building blocks of programming and teaches you how to write fun and useful programs using the Python language.
Give your career the gift of Coursera Plus with $160 off, billed annually. Save today.
Learn to Program: The Fundamentals
Instructors: Jennifer Campbell
494,166 already enrolled
Included with
(6,561 reviews)
Details to know
Add to your LinkedIn profile
8 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 7 modules in this course
This module gives an overview of the course, the editor we will use to write programs, and an introduction to fundamental concepts in Python including variables, mathematical expressions, and functions.
What's included
8 videos10 readings1 assignment
This module introduces strings (a Python data type used to represent text), and a process to follow when creating a function.
What's included
6 videos6 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment
This module introduces Booleans (logical values True and False), how to convert between types, how to use Boolean expressions in if statements to selectively run code, and the concept of a Python module.
What's included
7 videos7 readings1 assignment
This module introduces one way to repeat code (using a for loop), how to manipulate strings, and how to use a debugger to watch a program execute step by step.
What's included
5 videos5 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment
This module introduces another way to repeat code (using a while loop), how to properly document your code to help other programmers understand it, Python's list data type, and the concept of mutation.
What's included
6 videos6 readings1 assignment
This module introduces how to use a for loop over the indexes of a list, how to nest lists, and how to read a write files.
What's included
7 videos6 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment
This module introduces tuples (an immutable version of lists), and Python's dictionary type.
What's included
4 videos3 readings2 assignments
Instructors
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Software Development
Duke University
University of Michigan
Scrimba
University of Leeds
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Learner reviews
Showing 3 of 6561
6,561 reviews
- 5 stars
78.63%
- 4 stars
17.82%
- 3 stars
1.96%
- 2 stars
0.60%
- 1 star
0.95%
New to Software Development? Start here.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.