AI & Machine Learning Essentials

AI & Machine Learning Essentials

Begin your AI education by exploring key data and AI techniques, Python for data analysis, cloud computing for AI, and machine learning basics. Gain hands-on experience to tackle real-world data challenges.

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Flatiron School
LIMITED TIME OFFER

$2,700.00

$3,000.00
Full-time or Part-time
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$299.99/mo

$499.99/mo
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Financing and flexible payment options available. Contact Us

AI & Machine Learning Essentials

Powered by
Flatiron School

Explore the essentials of data and AI techniques, methodologies, and best practices.

$2,700.00 USD

$3,000.00 USD
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Financing and flexible payment options available. Learn more

Next Cohort Date

January 5, 2026
December 2, 2024

Program Features

Qualification

Certificate

Duration

9 weeks

Commitment

20 hrs weekly

Skill Level

Beginner

Delivery

Weekly mentorship, feedback, and support

Start Date

First Monday of each month

Led By

Experienced industry mentors

Features

Flexible schedules and small class sizes (8 max)

Value

Affordable high-quality education

Learn the essentials of artificial intelligence

Take the first step towards your career as an artificial intelligence specialist

This hands-on program is for aspiring artificial intelligence specialists who want to learn how to work with data and AI in the technology industry. Under the guidance of your industry mentor, you'll learn Python programming for data analysis and visualizations, cloud computing for generative AI and dashboards, the basics of machine learning, and gain hands-on experience to tackle real-world data challenges. By the end, you'll be prepared to excel in your artificial intelligence studies.

The SMU x Flatiron School difference: 

  • Mentorship by an artificial intelligence specialist
  • Small group classes (max 8 students)
  • 100% online programs

Over the course of 9 weeks you'll go from complete beginner to understanding the basics of one of the most popular coding languages in the world and the intricacies of machine learning AI. Throughout the program you’ll be personally mentored by an industry expert - expect highly personalized mentorship with small class sizes. Classes are 100% online, so you can learn from the comfort of your own home, in your own time.

On completion of this program, you may choose to continue on to Artificial Intelligence Foundations I

Curriculum

Industry-approved curriculum to support your journey into the world of AI

Introduction to Python - 3 weeks

This introduction to Python course is designed to equip you with essential skills applicable to data science. Throughout this course, you'll delve into fundamental programming concepts starting with scripting basics, understanding compiled vs. interpreted languages, and creating algorithms for simple tasks. You'll explore operators, loops (while and for), and data structures like tuples, lists, dictionaries, and strings. Additionally, you'll learn about libraries and functions, enabling you to leverage Python's extensive ecosystem for complex tasks. This course culminates in a project where you are tasked with developing a Python script to analyze data in a file. By the end of the course, you will have developed your understanding to develop efficient code, and tackle real-world challenges in the technical domain of data science.

What you'll learn:

  • Apply the basics of programming language methodologies to real world scenarios
  • Demonstrate foundational skills for scripting with a programming language, Python

Introduction to Data Science - 3 weeks

You will embark on an immersive journey into the world of data analysis and visualization using Python. Throughout this course, you'll learn essential statistical measures, explore different types of data, and master data analysis techniques using the pandas library. You'll delve into data visualization with Python libraries such as Seaborn and Matplotlib, gaining insights into qualitative, quantitative, and multivariate data. The course culminates in a project, wherein you will apply your knowledge to perform a full exploratory data analysis process, demonstrate proficiency in descriptive data analysis and visualization using pandas. By the end of this course, you'll emerge equipped with the skills to gather insights from data, perform advanced data analysis, and effectively communicate your findings through visualizations and descriptive statistics.

What you'll learn:

  • Implement foundational statistical measurement with data using scripting
  • Demonstrate gathering insights from data with visualizations
  • Integrate object oriented programming (OOP) with Python for data cleaning and analysis

Introduction to SQL - 3 weeks

This course is designed to equip you with essential skills in structured query language (SQL), data engineering, database administration, and data analysis. Learn the essentials of mathematics, probability, and statistics for data science as well as learn how to perform more advanced data analysis and cleaning with Python. Throughout this course, you'll start by getting familiar with SQL, learning how to connect to databases, and performing basic queries. As you progress, you'll delve into more advanced topics such as filtering, ordering, and grouping data, as well as understanding table relations and implementing joins and subqueries. In the culminating project, you will demonstrate proficiency in SQL by applying queries on a database within a Python environment and reflecting on the database design and outputs. This project serves as a practical assessment of your ability to conceptually apply SQL knowledge and understanding of database concepts, preparing you for real-world data science challenges.

What you'll learn:

  • Utilize industry standard techniques to analyze data with, programming language (Python), structured query language (SQL), and the cloud
  • Explore and manipulate data with mathematics, probability, and statistics
  • Analyze data for a business problem with visualizations with a dashboard

Tuition

Flexible small group classes are the best way to learn from top industry mentors in a fun, collaborative environment, while still getting plenty of personalized feedback.

Upfront

$2,700

Pay as You Go

$3,000

3 monthly payments of $1,000

Course Mentors

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AI & Machine Learning Essentials FAQs

Learn more

What is the next step after I apply?

1. Take the Assessment: Take our short 15-minute cognitive assessment. Don’t worry, no studying or technical skills required! This step is required for admission.

2. Create a Genius Account: You'll receive an email from Genius, a platform we use to guide you along the registration process. You'll create an account and use it to register through our course catalog.

Can I use my military benefits to apply to your programs?

Our programs are not currently set up to accept military benefits, such as the GI Bill, as a form of payment directly from the student at this time. However, if your military benefits can be arranged to pay the school directly, this may be an option in rare cases.

Do I need a college degree to enroll in your programs?

No, you do not need a college degree to enroll in our programs. A high school diploma or GED is the only educational requirement. Our programs are designed to be accessible to a wide range of students with diverse backgrounds.

Can I use FAFSA or financial aid to pay for your programs?

No, we do not accept FAFSA or traditional financial aid for our programs. However, we do offer loans for full-time students, as well as interest-free installment plans and upfront payment options for everyone else. Please contact us for more details about these flexible payment options.

Will I earn a certificate or some other credential when I complete the Essentials program?

Yes! Upon the completion of each program in the pathway, you will receive a Credly digital badge from SMU and a completion certificate. Digital badges can be used in email signatures or digital resumes, and certificates can be displayed on portfolio websites and social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Thousands of our community members use their program certificates and badges to demonstrate skills to potential employers — including our hiring partners — along with their LinkedIn networks. Our curriculum is powered by Flatiron School, whose programs are well-regarded by many top employers, who contribute to our curriculum, hire our community, and partner with us to train their own teams.

Do I need prior experience to enroll in the Essentials program?

Nope! This program is designed for complete beginners - no experience required.

Can I skip the intro program and go directly to the Foundations program?

It is VERY occasionally possible to skip the essentials program and go directly to Foundations I. However, we highly recommend that most students do not skip Essentials as it covers a tremendous amount of information and skills that will be used throughout the entire career pathway program and will require some catching up if skipped.

The essentials program is still difficult and covers a ton of material that is necessary for proceeding in the following programs and won't be reviewed in  Foundations. All of the future program material will build upon the essentials.

If you would like to be considered to enter directly into the Foundations-level programs, you'll be required to submit materials demonstrating your proficiency in the materials covered in the Essentials program.

What are the prerequisites for the essentials program?

For this program, you will need basic computer skills and a computer that meets the minimum specifications.

What are the software and hardware requirements?

Software:

Visual Studio will be used in this program and can be downloaded for free.

Hardware:

Students will need a computer that meets the minimum requirements for Visual Studio 2022.

Ready to Make a Change?

Whether you want to analyze data, develop software, prevent the next cyber attack, or create the next internet-breaking AI, we provide the training to bring your ideas to life.

Let's build your future together.

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