Meta Introduction to Databases
The Details:
In this course, you will be introduced to databases and explore the modern ways in which they are used. Learn to distinguish between different types of database management systems then practice basic creation and data selection with the use of Structured Query Language (SQL) commands.
Coursera
Upsides:
- Like most of Coursera’s introductory courses within a specialization, this class is kept extremely light and breezy. Expect to learn CRUD (create, read, update, delete) functions using SQL for databases.
- If you already use SQL as a data analyst, even at a very rudimentary level, you’re a full quarter done already. The course doesn’t go much further than SELECT, WHERE, and ORDER BY for Read functions.
- No peer reviewed projects! Those are the bane of Coursera students’ existence.
- Lessons are very clear. You also always know exactly what you need to do in exercises.
Downsides:
- The quizzes (especially the last one) look for very specific query strings. I created a query that used DISTINCT in it, which should have been acceptable given the text of the question, but I lost full credit for it. I know there are other courses that accept multiple potential solutions. 🤷🏻
- The exercise tool that was used to let the student create and manipulate tables was a total dog. I used other applications I owned to do the exercises.
Overall, It’s a five week course, but an experienced analyst can probably blow through three of the week’s tests in about an hour, leaving two weeks to concentrate on the ERDs and UPDATEs.
One note, though:
I’m going through the whole Meta-certified Database Engineer certification, and I’m curious about the scope of the classes vs. the content of the certification at the end.
There are currently nine total courses planned, including this one. About five of them are up and ready, with the remaining four planned for the future. The final two are a capstone and interview prep.
I just wonder if seven functional courses (not counting the last two) are enough.
