Clinical Professor, School of Information
Python Data Structures
What You'll Learn
- Explain the principles of data structures & how they are used
- Create programs that are able to read and write data from files
- Store data as key/value pairs using Python dictionaries
- Accomplish multi-step tasks like sorting or looping using tuples
7 Modules
21 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Python Data Structures
This course will introduce the core data structures of the Python programming language. We will move past the basics of procedural programming and explore how we can use the Python built-in data structures such as lists, dictionaries, and tuples to perform increasingly complex data analysis. This course will cover Chapters 6-10 of the textbook “Python for Everybody”. This course covers Python 3.
Skills You'll Gain
- Data Structures
- JSON
- Python For Data Analysis
- Python (Programming Language)
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Python Data Structures, an engaging course designed to move beyond basic procedural programming into the core data structures of Python. You will explore lists, dictionaries, tuples, and string operations to perform advanced data analysis. The course covers Chapters 6–10 of Python for Everybody using Python 3, equipping you with essential skills for programming and data manipulation.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Installing Python
- Installing Python
- Installing Python for Windows and for Macintosh (MacOS)
- Choosing a text editor
- Practice using the Python playground
Module 2: Chapter 6 Strings
- Creating strings and performing basic operations
- String methods for manipulating strings
- Indexing and slicing techniques
Module 3: Chapter 7 Files
- Opening and reading files
- Searching and filtering content
- Reading entire files into memory
- Writing data to files
Module 4: Chapter 8 Lists
- Creating lists, accessing list elements by index, and use slicing
- Using built-in list operations and methods
- Iterating through lists
- Splitting strings into lists and processing file data into lists
Module 5: Chapter 9 Dictionaries
- Creating dictionaries, accessing values using keys, and adding or updating key-value pairs
- Counting occurrences of items with dictionaries
- Looping through dictionaries over keys, values, or key-value pairs
- Using advanced dictionary methods for safer access and more flexible iteration
Module 6: Chapter 10 Tuples
- Creating tuples, accessing elements, and understanding immutability
- Assigning and comparing tuples in sorting contexts
- Using tuples with dictionaries and sorting operations
Module 7: Graduation
- Graduation Ceremony
- Rate Course
Grading Policy
To earn the certificate, learners must achieve an overall grade of 80%. All course materials and assignments are available for self-paced learning. There are 12 assignments, equally weighted across the course.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
