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My Experience Completing the Microsoft Professional Program Certificate in Data Science

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My Experience Completing the Microsoft Professional Program Certificate in Data Science

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced an interesting new educational track designed to help people grow skills in the area of data science. Originally titled “Microsoft Professional Degree”, they later updated the name to the current “Microsoft Professional Program in Data Science” perhaps to lower the emphasis of the certification and instead highlight the value of the skills learned over the course of the program.

As Microsoft was developing the material and solidifying the content, they asked a set of Microsoft employees to complete the 10 courses and provide detailed feedback in an expedited fashion as part of a pilot program to help improve the program. I was lucky to be one of the participants of the pilot program and completed the program in August 2016.

The courses:

The program consists of 10 required courses to complete the program, with 2 or more course options for four of the courses (example: For the 5th course, you can take “Intro to R” or “Intro to Python”). Each of the courses is hosted on www.edx.org, an outstanding online learning platform that supports numerous teaching styles as you will learn over the course of the program. The courses are taught from a variety of industry professionals, MVPs, Microsoft employees, and college professors. The full list of courses can be found here:
https://www.edx.org/microsoft-professional-program-certficate-data-science

The cost:

Each course costs $99 for a verified certificate, with the total cost of the 10 courses equaling $990. When I went through the program in 2016, the prices were a bit lower, with each course varying in cost between $25 - $99, with the total cost of the 10 courses I completed equaling $467. There is an option to audit the courses for free, but you will not obtain the certificate and will not complete the official program, but can complete 100% of the videos, labs, and quizzes from the program.

The time commitment:

While this will vary greatly depending on your background, interest, and motivation to complete the course, it is possible to get consumed with the courses and complete them very rapidly. I completed the first 9 courses in roughly 7 weeks, followed by the final project being open for 6 weeks. In the first week of the final project (course #10), I had a score that I felt was sufficient to safely complete the program, but continued to work on the final project for the entire 6 weeks because I found it so interesting.

 

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Overall, the program was an excellent experience and I highly recommend it to anyone in the data field. I was able to cover content that I haven’t studied in years while exploring new areas that I’ve been wanting to invest in, but haven’t made a priority until now. I have a much better broad understanding of the topics covered in the course and have already started to leverage them in my customer environments.

Let me know if you have any questions or feedback on the courses and program.

Thanks,
Sam Lester (MSFT)

Comments

  • Anonymous
    November 23, 2016
    Hi, I finished the Power BI, and Started the T-SQL Course, I am interested in the complete the program, but I am worried about my time frame, what it is the allowable time frame to complete the program?
  • Anonymous
    November 23, 2016
    Hi Mohamed, good question. I'm not exactly sure, but hopefully one of the following links can help. The course schedule is published here:https://github.com/MicrosoftLearning/Data-Science-Orientation/raw/master/Data%20Science%20Timetable.pdfAnd there is a thread in the forums asking about classes spanning multiple course "runs" here:http://trainingsupport.microsoft.com/en-us/tcmpd/forum/tcmpd_datascience-tcmpd_program/verified-certificates-across-multiple-runs-for-the/980b7982-8d24-4bef-9bdb-46edac93aeadIf this doesn't answer the question directly, you can post a question in the Data Science program forums here:http://trainingsupport.microsoft.com/en-us/tcmpd/forum/tcmpd_datascience?tab=ThreadsThanks,Sam
    • Anonymous
      November 25, 2016
      Hi Sam, I am from public health field and extensively using data for evidence-based decision making. Not sure how much this course will contribute to my career growth even though I started to take courses. RegardsKibria
  • Anonymous
    December 01, 2016
    Thank you for sharing this!
  • Anonymous
    February 13, 2017
    Hi! I am currently enrolled in the current iteration of the program.I was wondering if this certificate/degree has any real value in the practical World.I mean can I manage to secure a job based on this qualification? Will companies consider this as a reasonable qualification, will Microsoft, for instance, consider it so?After all, there must be a reason the certified version is offered at a cost.Really looking forward to the possibilities though.
  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2017
    What chances are in getting a rewarding job once I am getting this certificate? Any idea about the salary average, and chances to go further with Data Science. Thank you guys.
  • Anonymous
    March 16, 2017
    It sounds interesting, but they probably changed the name of the program because Data Science is the in thing and they want to compete with Coursera and Udacity. Knowing that the courses are offered on EdX and I've just finished one of the courses without knowing it was part of a program, it is definitely something I'd consider taking.
  • Anonymous
    April 17, 2017
    What chances are in getting a rewarding job once I am getting this certificate? Any idea about the salary average, and chances to go further with Data Science. Thank you guys.
  • Anonymous
    May 30, 2017
    Hi. Does one have to get all the courses' certificates to get the final Microsoft certificate at the end?
    • Anonymous
      June 16, 2017
      Hi Abdoo, the MPP program consists of 10 courses. For each of these, you can receive "credit" for the individual course that can be added to your LinkedIn profile, etc. However, to receive the completed MPP in Data Science certification, you need to complete all 10 of the courses.Thanks,Sam
  • Anonymous
    July 25, 2017
    Thanks for sharing Sam!! This is really helpful. Does this certificate issued by Microsoft or by edx once completed all the required courses?
  • Anonymous
    August 09, 2017
    Hello, do any one can help me with this doubt that can I upgrade only to selected courses certificate rather than applying for all 10 courses certificates. Like is it the case that you can upgrade to the next course certificate only if you had upgraded for the previous courses?
  • Anonymous
    September 01, 2017
    Sam -- I read your post at the beginning of this year and it prompted me to start this track. I've recently finished my 9th and have written up some notes for others considering taking these classes. Perhaps others will find these helpful: http://geosolve.com/blog/microsoft-professional-program-data-science I've followed the R sequence rather than the Python. Altogether great courses sharing practical knowledge. The courses by Cynthia Rudin and Steve Elston were particularly good. Looking fwd to capstone in October. Kind regards - Jonathan
    • Anonymous
      September 02, 2017
      Hi Jonathan, congratulations on reaching the final project and thanks for the message. I just checked out a few of your course write-ups and they look great! Thanks again and enjoy the capstone project,Sam
    • Anonymous
      September 13, 2017
      Hi Jonathan, can I just confirm the cost of getting the certifications with you? Samuel mentioned that his total cost for the 10 courses came up to around $467 but every single course says that the certification will cost $99 each which will amount to $999. Is this the case for you as well? Thanks
      • Anonymous
        September 14, 2017
        Hi Jake, I just checked back with Edx and it looks like the prices have increased since I took them in Spring/Summer of 2016. I'll update the blog article with the updated prices.Thanks,Sam
        • Anonymous
          September 20, 2017
          Thanks for the response Sam!
  • Anonymous
    January 04, 2018
    Hello,I read your blog and wanted to get some information about the course.About Me: I am looking for a transition from HR field to Data Science. I am absolutely new to this field. I hold MBA degree in Human Resources.- Do you think this would be the right course for beginners ?- Does this course ensure a decent job in the industry ?- Lastly, Do I need any prior technical experience ?Your response is highly appreciated. Thanks.
    • Anonymous
      January 07, 2018
      Hi Deepti, these are certainly tricky questions to answer. Since you can "audit" the courses for free, I'd suggest that you try them out to see if they are intuitive for beginners. I've been in this industry for ages, so it is hard to put myself in the shoes of a beginner on some of these topics. In terms of landing a job when completing these courses, I think that the MPP programs will function like other certifications/accreditations in that they are great to add to your CV/resume, but likely do not stand alone as a qualification for a job. That being said, it is a great starting point to ramp up quickly. Going through these courses will give you a very broad experience across numerous cloud technologies and tools, which will help a lot as you continue to learn. Best of luck in your career transition!
  • Anonymous
    August 01, 2018
    I have applied to a few Master's in Data Science programs. I am a software engineer with 11 years of experience. But "no" experience in python/R/data exploration/predictive analytics/ML/AI etc. Attended a 5 day boot camp to gain some. I now have an idea about the field. Started practicing a bit as well. Highest degree I hold is a Bachelors in Computer Science and Engineering. Always wanted an MS. So planning to do online MS. The question I have: should I shed 30 grand and do an MS or Microsoft Professional Program? Is MPP valued like an MS?
  • Anonymous
    September 02, 2018
    Hi. Does one have to paid for all the courses certificates to get the final Microsoft certificate at the end?