Best Computer Science Courses to Fast-Track Your Career

Published: October 12, 2023

To get an edge over others in today’s competitive job market, Computer Science enthusiasts or professionals must always understand the subject. With the computer science sector expected to grow by 26.9% between 2020-2026, a definite boom is upon us.

And given that the average salary of a data scientist is $124,014 per annum, professionals are growing increasingly interested in taking appropriate computer science courses to broaden their knowledge and abilities. Yet, because so many programs and options are available, learners might need help selecting the proper and relevant courses for their subject of study.

Furthermore, systematically completing such courses might lead to many fascinating employment prospects early. These top computer science courses or disciplines can be classified in various ways, including popularity, interest, job choices, etc.

Therefore, given the popularity and application of computer science, we have shortlisted the best online computer science courses to help you choose and kickstart your career as a computer science specialist!

Best Computer Science Courses, Certificates, and Programs for 2023

At Internet of Learning, we believe in picking and presenting not just any of these computer science courses but the best and highest-rated in all categories. Thus, before we get into the specifics, we have compiled a list of the top computer science courses available online for your convenience.

  1. Computer Science 101: Master the Theory Behind Programming – Udemy
  2. Basics of Computer Science – Skillshare
  3. Computer Science: Intro to sets – Skillshare
  4. Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose – Coursera
  5. AP CSP: Computer Science Principles and Python – Udemy

For a detailed review, let us take a closer look at these best courses for computer science. Then, using our course scoring method, we will investigate each course. These courses’ analyses are listed in no particular order.

1. Computer Science 101: Master the Theory Behind Programming – Udemy

understanding of the fundamentals of computer science

This course material includes 10 hours of on-demand video, 20 articles, and 1 downloadable resource. At the end of this course, you will have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of computer science theory and command over algorithm analysis.

In addition, you will be able to compare different algorithms. In this course, you will also learn core sorting algorithms.

Talking about the best computer science courses, the first one that we will discuss is offered by Udemy. The course comes with a price tag of $49.99, but currently, it is on sale and comes at the cost of $16.99. It is a best-seller course with a rating of 4.5/5.0 stars; currently, 27,408 students are enrolled in it.

Kurt Anderson is the instructor for this course. Kurt is a self-taught multimedia designer, computer scientist, and YouTube guru. He has excellent command over Adobe Production Suite. Adobe InDesign CC: Your Complete Guides to InDesign is another one of his courses being offered on the platform.

The student reviews for this course are excellent. One such review states,

“Very knowledgeable teacher, and can present in a very clear and concise way. Which is extremely important if you are trying to teach people with zero background experience or knowledge in this field of study. Well done.”

Based on the faculty profile and student reviews, we will rate this course an 8.9/9.0. So enroll in this course immediately if you want to learn from someone passionate about computer science!

2. Basics of Computer Science – Skillshare

best certification courses for computer science

When discussing the best certification courses for computer science, this one presented by Skillshare is worth mentioning. The course comes with a 7-day free access followed by a fee of $24 per annum. It currently has 855 students enrolled in it, which speaks of its newness. It has a rating of 4.5/5.0.

At the end of this course, you should enjoy a full command of computer science fundamentals, especially in the relevance of the operating system. You will also learn about different CPU-bound processes and how they function in significance to the dimension of computer science.

instructor for this course

Vignesh Sekar is the instructor for this course. He holds a bachelor of engineering degree in computer science and has been a self-employed computer science instructor since the inception of his career.

Students love the course, as displayed by the review. One student said,

“I really wish Vignesh Sekar had more Computer Science classes on Skillshare because he is a phenomenal teacher! I love that he repeats certain concepts so that I can revisit them without having to go back several lessons. Vignesh explains the processes that go on in the OS very clearly and manages not to make the subject matter dull or unintuitive. I got way more out of this course than I expected. I do wish there were more quiz questions, but I still have a really solid foundation on which to continue learning Computer Science!”

Based on the course curriculum and student reviews, we will rate this course an 8.5/9.0. Check this course immediately if you want to learn from a reputed and professional academic!

3. Computer Science: Intro to Sets – Skillshare

learn about discrete mathematics and its relationship

This course teaches you about discrete mathematics and its relationship with computer science algorithms. You will also explore the basic concepts of computer science, including but not limited to functions and group theory.

This best computer science courses that we will cover are again on Skillshare. The course has a 7-day free access and a $24 yearly subscription. It currently has 100 students enrolled in it, which tells of its freshness. It has a rating of 4.6/5.0.

best computer science course on skillshare

Vignesh Sekar is the instructor for this course. He holds a bachelor of engineering degree in computer science and has been a self-employed computer science instructor since the inception of his career.

Students like the course, as displayed by the review. One review says,

“This class exceeded my expectations! I hope Vignesh can more videos on computer science.”

Based on the student reviews and faculty profile, we will rate this course an 8.3/9.0. So check out this course right away if you want to enjoy a short and straightforward approach to computer science!

4. Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose – Coursera

computer science offered by Princeton university

One of the best online courses for computer science is offered by Princeton University on Coursera. It has a rating of 4.7/5.0 stars. The course is free and will take approximately 88 hours to complete. Currently, 248,141 students are enrolled in it.

At the end of this online computer science class, you will have command over different concepts and fundamentals, including various programming variables, conditionals and loops, and arrays. All of this will be taught to you regarding Java as the preferred programming language in this course regarding computer science and its applications.

Therefore we recommend you also check out the best Java certification courses to strengthen further your understanding and command of the concepts taught in this course.

computer science lecturers profile

Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne are the instructors for this course. Robert is a professor and the founding chair of the computer science department at Princeton University. Kevin is a computer science lecturer at Princeton University and holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University. Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machine learning is another one of their courses being offered on Coursera with the support of Princeton University.

Unfortunately, student reviews for this computer science course are unavailable on the website. Still, given the course curriculum and excellent instructor profiles, we assure you that this is indeed one of the top computer science courses!

Based on the faculty profile, we will rate this course an 8.8/9.0. So check this course right away if you want to learn from two of the best computer science academics in the industry!

5. AP CSP: Computer Science Principles and Python – Udemy

top computer science course on udemy

Last but not least, Udemy offers the last top computer science course we will cover. The course comes with a price tag of $84.99, but currently, it is being offered at $16.99. It has a rating of 4.7/5.0 stars and is one of the highest-rated courses in this domain. 92 students have already enrolled in this online offering.

The course content comprises 3.5 hours of on-demand videos. In this course, you will learn the theories and fundamentals of Computer Science in line with the AP CSP course and other essential concepts for the AP CSP exam, such as programming logic and pseudocode. You will also learn the basics and coding techniques of Python language in relevance to computer science.

This is why we recommend that if you decide to enroll in this course, you check out the best Python courses beforehand.

instructor for this course

Dr. Codie ( a pseudonym)  is the instructor for this course. Doctor Codie is a university lecturer in computer science, and he’s passionate about teaching. He has been teaching for decades to students all over the globe in the field of computer science and programming.

Based on the course content, we will rate this course an 8.2/9.0. So, enroll in this course right away if you want to prepare for the AP CSP exam and learn computer science concepts!

6 Factors to consider when choosing the best Computer Science Course

Let us highlight the varied factors and characteristics we have explored for choosing these top online courses for computer science.

  1. Instructors Rating:   What is the instructor’s skill set, and how have the students and the course participants rated them?
  2. Teaching Methodologies: How is the course taught, and what kind of teaching mediums and tools are involved?
  3. Course Curriculum: The topics, concepts, and projects that will be covered and taught in the course.
  4. Eligibility Criteria: What are the minimum requirements you must fulfill to qualify for a course?
  5. Cost: What is the price tag of the course, and what kind of payment plans and pricing options are offered?
  6. The Reputation of the Platform:  What are the general reviews about the online learning platform on which the course is being offered, and what are its pros and cons?

After analyzing the courses based on these factors, we have assigned a particular rating to each course. After enrolling in one of these best computer science courses, consider reviewing these online learning tips. These will help you make the most of your best courses in computer science.

Conclusion

We assessed the elements of the best computer science courses; now, you can use the knowledge in this blog to determine which course is best for you and your professional aims.

According to our research, “Computer Science 101: Master the Theory Behind Programming – Udemy,” provides the best approach to skills, primarily based on the course substance and excellent instructor profile. But before deciding, compare your needs to each of these best courses in computer science and choose the one that best meets your needs and skills.

Additionally, programming languages are one aspect of Computer Science. Therefore, if you’re interested in learning more about coding, variables, syntax, and other topics, make sure to check out the best online programming language courses, which is a related blog to this one.

We wish you the best of luck in your online learning journey!