9 Online Courses Young India is drooling over

A decade ago, not many Indians were willing to take the risk of taking up entrepreneurship. However, as the startup revolution rocked the country, India currently ranks third among the global start-up ecosystem, after the US and UK. A report by Microsoft Ventures and Venture Intelligence expected Indian startups to reach 11,500 by 2020.

Considering the rising interest and inclination towards entrepreneurship as a career path and the soaring fierce competition, it has become imperative to hone and refine your skills before starting out on your entrepreneurial journey.

Online education portal Coursera has nearly 18 million users globally, with India accounting for a whopping 1.4 million, the second largest learner market after US. With over 1800 courses and 140 partner institutions, it offers certificate courses from reputed institutions at affordable rates:

Business Insider sat down with Coursera India Manager Kabir Chadha to discuss the most coveted online course certificates in India:

1. Data Science - Johns Hopkins University

In this course you will get an introduction to the main tools and ideas in the data scientist's toolbox.

There are two components to this course. The first is a conceptual introduction to the ideas behind turning data into actionable knowledge. The second is a practical introduction to the tools that will be used in the program like version control, markdown, git, GitHub, R, and RStudio.

2. Introduction to Project Management Principles and Practices - University of California, Irvine

In this course, you’ll learn the key roles and responsibilities of the project manager and project team. You’ll also learn to answer some key questions upfront to help you meet project objectives.

3. Social Media Marketing - Northwestern University

This course has been designed to give you the tools, insights, knowledge, and skills to immediately impact your organization. The course will also help you network with thought leaders in social.

4. Business Analytics - University of Pennsylvania

This Specialization provides an introduction to big data analytics for all business professionals, including those with no prior analytics experience.

You’ll learn how data analysts describe, predict, and inform business decisions in the specific areas of marketing, human resources, finance, and operations, and you’ll develop basic data literacy and an analytic mindset that will help you make strategic decisions based on data.

5. Big Data - University of California, San Diego

This course is for those new to data science and interested in understanding why the Big Data Era has come to be. It is for those who want to become conversant with the terminology and the core concepts behind big data problems, applications, and systems.

It is for those who want to start thinking about how Big Data might be useful in their business or career.

6. Strategic Management and Innovation - Copenhagen Business School

This course prepares you to think strategically in an age when companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft have become more valuable (in market cap terms) than companies like Exxon.

7. An Introduction to Programming the Internet of Things (IOT) - University of California, Irvine

The explosive growth of the “Internet of Things” is changing our world and the rapid drop in price for typical IoT components is allowing people to innovate new designs and products at home.

You will learn the importance of IoT in society, the current components of typical IoT devices and trends for the future. IoT design considerations, constraints and interfacing between the physical world and your device will also be covered.

You will also learn how to make design trade-offs between hardware and software. We'll also cover key components of networking to ensure that students understand how to connect their device to the Internet.

8. Machine Learning - University of Washington

This Specialization provides a case-based introduction to the exciting, high-demand field of machine learning.

You’ll learn to analyze large and complex datasets, build applications that can make predictions from data, and create systems that adapt and improve over time.

9. Software Product Management - University of Alberta

In this specialization you will master Agile software practices to lead a team of developers and interact with clients.

Image Credit: Indiatimes