5 Free Advanced Python Programming Courses

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Learning a language or finding good introductory Python courses is relatively easy, but when it comes to mastering advanced concepts, finding free yet high-quality resources can be quite challenging. Most of the excellent content for advanced courses is typically limited to paid options. However, fear not! Today, I've got you covered. I'll be sharing a list of 5 advanced Python courses that you can take to level up your skills without spending a penny. So, without any further wait, let's dive in!

1. Python 3 Programming Specialization by University Of Michigan

This specialization, available on Coursera, is well-known in the Python community, boasting a whopping 4.7 rating and over 16,000 reviews. It comprises 5 courses covering a wide range of advanced topics. Since you're already familiar with the basics of Python, feel free to skip the introductory course and explore the rest. Here's a brief overview:

Course 2: Python Functions, Files, and Dictionaries: Dive into dictionary data structures, user-defined functions, sorting techniques, and more.
Course 3: Data Collection and Processing with Python: Master Python list comprehensions, interact with REST APIs, and manipulate data efficiently.
Course 4: Python Classes and Inheritance: Learn about classes, instances, inheritance, and advanced class design principles.
Course 5: Python Project: pillow, tesseract, and OpenCV: Gain hands-on experience with image manipulation, text detection, and face recognition using third-party libraries.

Course Link: Python 3 Programming Specialization by University of Michigan

Note: You can audit this specialization to enjoy the content for free. However, you won't receive a certificate of completion unless you pay for the specialization.

2. Advanced Python by Patrick Loeber

Patrick Loeber, a software engineer and developer advocate at AssemblyAI, offers an advanced Python course through videos on his YouTube channel. With over 263K subscribers. The code used for explanation can be found on his website. His course covers a variety of topics, including:

• Lists, Tuples, Dictionaries, Strings, Collections, and Sets
• Functional Programming with Lambda functions and Itertools
• Exception Handling, Logging, and JSON Manipulation
• Multithreading, Multiprocessing, and Concurrency
• The asterisk (*) operator
• Shallow vs. Deep Copying
• Context Managers
• And much more!

Course Link: Advanced Python by Patrick Loeber

3. Learn Advanced Python 3 by Codecademy

Codecademy is a popular online platform that offers numerous free courses. This particular course takes 6 hours to complete and will take your Python programming skills to the next level. You'll learn new paradigms that will give you the flexibility to create clean, effective code and make you a truly advanced Python 3 programmer. The fun part about this course is that it includes mini-projects that deepen your understanding of the concepts under discussion.

Here's the course content:

• Learn to debug and track software with logging, including an ATM project
• Explore creating efficient programs using functional programming, with a focus on higher-order functions
• Analyze hotel databases using SQLite 3 for a deeper understanding of Python's database capabilities
• Implement code more efficiently through concurrent programming techniques
• Discover how to package and deploy Python scripts using Flask for effective application distribution

If you find the content of the advanced course a bit challenging, you can step down to their Learn Intermediate Python 3 course. It covers topics like functions, OOP, unit testing, iterators and generators, specialized collections, and resource management in Python.

Course Link: Learn Advanced Python 3 by Codecademy

4. Python Programming MOOC 2023

This course material page offers both the Introduction to Programming course (BSCS1001, 5 cr) and the Advanced Course in Programming (BSCS1002, 5 cr) from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki. If you're already familiar with Python basics, you can use the first part of the course as a refresher or skip it entirely. However, the real gem lies in the second part, which focuses on advanced Python programming concepts. You'll find recordings, slides, and numerous exercises to sharpen your skills.

Here's what this course covers:

• Objects and Methods, Encapsulation, Scope of Methods, and Class Attributes
• Class Hierarchies, Access Modifiers, Object-Oriented Programming Techniques, and Developing a Larger Application
• List Comprehensions and Recursion
• Functions as Arguments, Generators, Functional Programming, and Regular Expressions
• PyGame - Animation, Events, and Different Techniques
• Gaming project in Python from Scratch

Course Link: Python Programming MOOC 2023

5. Scientific Computing with Python (Beta) - FreeCodeCamp

If you prefer project-based learning, this course is well-suited for you. The Scientific Computing with Python (Beta) curriculum will equip you with the skills to analyze and manipulate data using Python. You'll learn key concepts like data structures, algorithms, object-oriented programming, and how to perform complex calculations using a variety of tools.

Let's take a look at the course content:

• Learn String Manipulation by Building a Cipher
• Learn How to Work with Numbers and Strings by Implementing the Luhn Algorithm
• Learn Lambda Functions by Creating an Expense Tracker
• Learn Python List Comprehension by Building a Case Converter Program
• Learn Regular Expressions by Building a Password Generator Program
• Learn Algorithm Design by Building a Shortest Path Algorithm
• Learn Recursion by Solving the Tower of Hanoi Mathematical Puzzle
• Learn Data Structures by Building the Merge Sort Algorithm
• Learn Classes and Objects by Building a Sudoku Solver
• Learn Tree Traversal by Building a Binary Search Tree

After these guided projects, you'll be asked to work on some projects from scratch like an Arithmetic Formatter, Time Calculator, Budget App, Polygon Area Calculator, and Probability Calculator to put your knowledge to the test.

Course Link: Scientific Computing with Python (Beta) - FreeCodeCamp

Wrapping Up

These free courses offer a fantastic opportunity to advance your Python skills without breaking the bank. However, if you're eager to explore paid options for more in-depth learning, I recommend checking out the following resources:

• Fluent Python by Luciano Ramalho, 2nd Edition - Shows you how to make your code shorter, faster, and more readable at the same time
• Courses by Fred Baptiste on Udemy - To get better at everyday Python programming
• Serious Python by Julien Danjou - Covers deployment, scalability, testing, and more
• Architecture Patterns with Python by Harry Percival and Bob Gregory - Covers architectural design patterns

Here's a BONUS for you: You can access "Architecture Patterns with Python" for FREE on the author’s website. Enjoy its content over here. Happy learning!

Kanwal Mehreen Kanwal is a machine learning engineer and a technical writer with a profound passion for data science and the intersection of AI with medicine. She co-authored the ebook "Maximizing Productivity with ChatGPT". As a Google Generation Scholar 2022 for APAC, she champions diversity and academic excellence. She's also recognized as a Teradata Diversity in Tech Scholar, Mitacs Globalink Research Scholar, and Harvard WeCode Scholar. Kanwal is an ardent advocate for change, having founded FEMCodes to empower women in STEM fields.