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Data Science

Data scientists are building machine learning models, driving business strategy, and commanding some of the highest salaries in tech. This is where you build the expertise to join them.

Duration

22 weeks at 20 hours/week

Level

Intermediate

Start Date

Jul 20, 2026

Format

Learn at your own pace.

Register Interest

This is What a Career in Data Science Looks Like

People are leaving this programme and stepping into data science roles at the organisations building Africa’s digital future. You could be next.

Catherine O.
Lead Editor
FW Africa

Dela K.
Facilitator
Angels Specialist School International

Hope A.
Investigation Officer II
Public Complaints Commission

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“Other than technical lessons, one thing I learned from ALX is that success comes from stepping out of your comfort zone.”

Dorine M

Data Scientist

Mastercard Foundation

Why people choose ALX for their career in AI & Data

“I started as a high school student with an idea. Today, I’m a tech professional while building my own startup, Cheemba — a journey shaped through ALX programmes.

Gisele

The Knowledge That Makes You a Data Scientist

Data and AI Literacy Foundations

Equip learners with the foundational mindset and technical literacy needed to solve complex problems using structured reasoning, programmatic logic, and the EGAD framework.

Outcomes

Develop the analytical mindset and technical foundation to solve complex problems using structured reasoning, programmatic logic, and the EGAD framework.

Enables learners to transform raw data into reliable business insights by mastering data cleaning, governance, and statistical reasoning within a spreadsheet environment. Learners will develop the technical proficiency to source and prepare datasets, apply descriptive analytics, and use AI-powered tools to visualize patterns and validate assumptions for data-driven decision-making.

Outcomes

Transform raw data into reliable business insights by mastering data cleaning, statistical analysis, and AI-powered visualization within a spreadsheet environment..

A comprehensive foundation in relational database management, focusing on the ability to design, query, and optimize complex data structures using SQL. Learners will master everything from basic data retrieval to advanced analytical functions, window functions, and database normalization, all while applying best practices within production-grade notebook environments.

Outcomes

Design, query, and optimize relational databases using SQL—from basic data retrieval to advanced analytical functions and database normalization.

This course focuses on transforming complex datasets into impactful visual stories by mastering data modeling, Power Query transformations, and DAX expressions within Power BI. Learners will develop the skills to design interactive dashboards and accessible reports that effectively communicate insights to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Outcomes

Build interactive Power BI dashboards and reports that turn complex data into compelling visual stories using data modeling, Power Query, and DAX.

Master Python fundamentals like data structures, control flow, and modular functions while building a professional development workflow with Git, GitHub, and AI coding tools from the start.

Outcomes

A working Python foundation and the version-controlled codebase to prove it, built the way professional data teams expect.

Write scalable, professional-grade Python using Object-Oriented Programming, algorithmic complexity analysis, and advanced data manipulation with NumPy and pandas with AI accelerating the most complex transformations.

Outcomes

The ability to architect clean, efficient, reusable code that data science teams can build on, not just scripts that run once.

Transform raw data into persuasive narratives using exploratory analysis, statistical hypothesis testing, and advanced visualisations — then package and deploy your work as a professional Python project.

Outcomes

A published Python package and a data story that demonstrates end-to-end analytical thinking to any hiring team.

Build, evaluate, and deploy predictive regression models using scikit-learn, applying regularisation techniques and translating model performance metrics into business language stakeholders can act on.

Outcomes

Your first production-ready machine learning model, saved and deployable, with the evaluation rigour to back every recommendation it makes.

Predict categories and navigate model trade-offs using Decision Trees, Random Forests, and Logistic Regression, including strategies for handling the imbalanced datasets that appear most often in real-world, high-stakes problems.

Outcomes

The classification toolkit and business translation ability that separates data scientists who build models from those who build solutions.

Apply the most powerful classifiers in the toolkit including SVMs, KNN, Naive Bayes, and Neural Networks, and use cross-validation and Grid Search to rigorously identify the best model for any dataset.

Outcomes

The advanced modelling range and systematic evaluation approach that makes you competitive for senior data science roles.

Uncover hidden patterns in unlabelled data using PCA, t-SNE, K-Means, and hierarchical clustering, then translate abstract cluster outputs into actionable business personas and strategic recommendations.

Outcomes

The ability to find structure where none was obvious and turn it into something an organisation can make decisions from.

Build recommendation engines using probabilistic clustering, content-based and collaborative filtering, and AI-powered zero-shot classification, and work with geographic data to surface insights across spatial dimensions.

Outcomes

A working recommendation system built on real-world agricultural data, demonstrating the personalisation and geospatial capability that advanced data roles increasingly demand.

Transform unstructured text into actionable intelligence using NLP pipelines, TF-IDF vectorisation, and modern Hugging Face Transformers for high-accuracy text classification without manual training.

Outcomes

The NLP capability to unlock insight from the unstructured data most organisations are sitting on but cannot yet use.

Have any questions?

Hi, I’m LEA, your ALX AI Assistant. I’m here to help, ask me anything.

What is data science?

Data science is the discipline of using data, statistical methods, and machine learning to build models that predict outcomes, classify information, and uncover patterns that are not visible through standard analysis. Data scientists work at the intersection of mathematics, programming, and business strategy, turning data into decisions at scale.

Data analytics focuses on examining existing data to understand what has happened and why. Data science goes further. It builds predictive models and machine learning systems to forecast what will happen, automate decisions, and find structure in large, complex datasets. Data science requires deeper programming and mathematical skills, and the programme reflects that.

The programme takes you from data literacy and spreadsheet analysis through Python programming, exploratory data analysis, statistical reasoning, supervised and unsupervised machine learning, natural language processing, and recommendation systems. Every stage is built around real-world projects, including work on agricultural productivity, public health risk prediction, humanitarian aid allocation, and disaster relief.

Data scientists work in roles including Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, AI Engineer, Research Scientist, and Senior Data Analyst. They are among the most in-demand professionals globally, with applications across healthcare, finance, agriculture, logistics, and technology.

You do not need prior programming experience. The programme builds Python from the foundations up, teaching data structures, control flow, and modular functions before moving into data manipulation and machine learning. What you need is persistence. This is one of the more demanding programmes in the portfolio, and the projects reflect that.

The first intake launches on 20 July 2026. The programme covers significantly more ground than most programmes in the portfolio. Following the recommended pace gives you a clear timeline. You can also move faster if your background allows

Deeply. The programme’s projects are deliberately built around African contexts, including water access in rural communities, food security for agricultural organisations, humanitarian aid allocation across African countries, and environmental monitoring. The skills are global. The application is grounded.

When you complete your first Data Science short course, you are automatically enrolled in Professional Foundations. From that point you complete both in parallel. Professional Foundations is required for your Data Science Programme Certificate, but you do not need to finish it before you can continue your Data Science short courses. If you have already completed Professional Foundations through a previous programme, the system will recognise that and you will not be asked to repeat it.