Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)

Combining the fields of statistics, optimisation, data mining and computing, machine learning is being adopted across industries due to its ability to solve problems in the presence of big data sets. Recent successes of machine learning include its application in commercial tasks such as search engines, recommendation systems (for example Netflix and Amazon), and marketing. Machine learning methods are also increasingly being used in financial institutions for algorithmic trading, predicting customer behaviour, compliance and risk.

This eight-week online technical course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) covers a wide range of machine learning methods, following a practical approach to machine learning in modern business analytics. Throughout the course, you’ll engage with real-world problems as you apply machine learning models to data sets in R, interpret the predictions, and evaluate these predictions to inform business decisions.

This online certificate course is designed for professionals looking to improve the data analytics of an organisation through the integration of machine learning techniques. Mid to senior managers, data specialists, consultants, analysts, IT, and business professionals who are interested in the practical applications of machine learning will benefit from the in-depth exploration of core principles and methods. If you are interested in upskilling, transitioning into a data science role, or wanting to improve your understanding of the business applications of data science in any industry or business area, this course will assist you in developing and validating your practical machine learning skills and knowledge.

Prerequisites
This course is technical in nature. It makes use of coding in R and covers the application of machine learning in business. Some algebraic and calculus knowledge is strongly advised, but is not required. Training in tertiary-level statistics and knowledge of a functional or object-oriented language are advantageous. HTML is not considered a programming language in this context. No specific software is required for this online certificate course.

This Machine Learning: Practical Applications online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies.

The course has an estimated 75 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.