Curriculum overview

The detailed curriculum is maintained in the curriculum-development repository.

The Starters Academy consists of a Bootcamp, six Specializations, six Hackathons and one Capstone project.

Bootcamp and Specialization 1

The Bootcamp opens Specialization 1 with two days of remote classes. Specialization 1 contains 17 mandatory Small Learning Units (SLU01–17) and four optional units: SLU18, SLU19, SLU32 and SLU64. It ends with Hackathon 1.

Specializations 2–6

Each remaining Specialization contains three Big Learning Units (BLUs) focused on a data science topic and ends with a Hackathon.

Learning Units

Learning Units contain teaching material and an exercise notebook graded by the Portal. SLUs are shorter units used in Specialization 1; BLUs are longer units used in Specializations 2–6.

A score of at least 16/20 is required to pass a Learning Unit. You may submit multiple attempts before its deadline. Only deadline-valid submissions count for progression and certificate eligibility. Late work remains available for learning but normally does not restore eligibility. If a documented Portal incident prevented an on-time submission, staff may validate the recorded late submission as an exception.

Hackathons

Hackathons are day-long team exercises in which students solve and present a data science problem. Hackathon 1 is required to continue after Specialization 1. See the course overview for the full progression and certification rules.

Capstone

The Capstone is the individual final project. Each student completes a data science project and submits the required reports, application and code. See Capstone Project.