Getting Started
Ready to learn the foundations of AI and Data Science? Let's jump right in!
Background Knowledge in Data Science?
pandas are more than just cute animals, you can jump into the projects right away!What To Expect?
University of Illinois Professors Karle Flanagan and Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider will guide you through a project-focused, interactive, and mastery-based curriculum covering foundational AI and Data Science! If you achieve mastery through the full curriculum, you will earn the Data Science DISCOVERY MicroCredential that you can share on your LinkedIn, or anywhere else!
Here's the core curriculum you'll complete:
- Over 40 professor-guided lessons organized into six modules teaching you foundational concepts in AI and data science,
- Over 20 real-world projects where you'll use apply the AI and data science skills you learned to discover insights about data,
- Over 500 mastery-based practice problems to test your understanding of what you've learned,
- Dozens of original, clean datasets that you can use in your own projects in any way,
- A DISCOVERY MicroCredential that you can earn and share after completing DISCOVERY!
Since you will be learning the foundations of AI and Data Science, this is NOT a "Using Generative AI" course. Generative AI is an extremely powerful tool, but we want to understand the technology behind it. There are many, many other courses that can teach how how to use tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other "Generative AIs". Here in DISCOVERY, we want to go beyond simply using AI and give you an understanding of the foundations of how it works!
Let's get started! 🎉
Start Now!
We use our own purpose-built learning platform called Mastery Platform to seamlessly guide you through the course across projects, assessments, and more! Sign into Mastery Platform to get started on DISCOVERY:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is there a cost to earn or receive the MicroCredential?
There is no cost to any part of DISCOVERY, including earning and receiving the digital MicroCredential. All content on the DISCOVERY website, including ALL of the assessments, projects, videos, starter code, datasets, and the MicroCredential are provided by The University of Illinois.
Our amazing partners across the state of Illinois makes it possible to offer this at no cost. We believe this will highlight some of the incredible value you can find here at The University of Illinois and you might join us in the future (either as an on-campus student, in a graduate degree program, or just earning an advanced certificate).
Q: Do I earn Illinois course credit by earning this MicroCredential?
No. You do not receive any college credit for completing DISCOVERY or earning the MicroCredential.
If you attend the University of Illinois as an undergraduate student, this course will provide you the foundations for you to take the proficiency exam in CS/STAT/IS 107. This proctored exam is only available to students enrolled at The University of Illinois and will fulfill the CS/STAT/IS 107 course prerequisite so that you can immediately start with more advanced course work.
Even if you complete DISCOVERY, you can also choose to take CS/STAT/IS 107! The course extends the DISCOVERY curriculum with semester-long projects, weekly lab sections with weekly Data Science labs, office hours, proctored exams, lectures with Professors Karle and Wade, and more!
Q: When do I receive my MicroCredential?
We issue MicroCredentials one per week, so within one week of completing DISCOVERY!
When you complete DISCOVERY, we will verify you have completed all of the DISCOVERY -- which includes completing all lessons, all mastery-based activities, and all of the core course projects -- and then send you an e-mail with your MicroCredential. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to us anytime! :)