Best R Programming Courses & Certifications for 2020

Do you want to pick up the R programming language? If so, in this guide, we’ve listed a handful of the best R programming courses & certification programs to help you get started.

Data science is one of the hottest fields to be in right now. While Python is the reigning champion of data science skills, R programming language does occupy a large space in the field as well. If you need to learn or brush up on R skills, you may be able to do so without ever leaving your home.

This list of R programming certifications and courses gives you the freedom to work on your own time. You’ll gain the knowledge you need to get you on your way to a thriving career without having to quit your job or take out loans to afford it. Let’s take a look.

1. Data Science: Foundations using R Specialization (Coursera)

The first R programming course covers foundational data science skills, including basic R skills. You’ll learn about exploring data and cleaning it up for modeling use. It’s part of Coursera’s Data Science: Statistics and Machine Learning specialization, so completing this course prepares you to embark through that whole series.

This is an excellent course for putting the data science pieces altogether. You’ll understand how to use R to clean, analyze, and visualize data and put the project into Github for management. These two skills work together to give you both expertise and visibility for future employers.

You’ll learn to use R in the field, producing reproducible research and answer not just any questions but the right questions. It takes around four months to complete with a commitment of six hours per week and was created by Johns Hopkins University, one of the best research institutions in the United States.

You can take the course for free with official certification available to share directly on LinkedIn. It’s self-paced and includes learning materials and quizzes.

Course Highlights

• Teaches R in the context of data science research
• Includes instruction for project management in Github
• Created by Johns Hopkins University (a revered research institution)

2. Data Science: R Basics (edX)

R Basics from edX.org is the first in a Data Science certification series. The program focuses solely on R programming skills, using real-world problems to teach fundamental knowledge. You’ll use real-life datasets to explore and solve social issues from a research perspective.

The course doesn’t cover every single R skill but instead includes a foundational set of basics that allow you to explore fully and begin to build your skills through experience. The course covers R functions and data types, vector operation, and sorting. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to wrangle and visualize your data sets.

The course was developed by Harvard University and is a precursor to later courses that cover more in-depth skills both in R and in data science itself. Harvard’s work in the data science arena includes a wide area of research, and the university is well prepared to introduce you to data science from a research perspective.

The course should take about eight weeks, with a small commitment of one to two hours per week for the course. It’s self-paced and offered for free, but you can invest in a verified certificate.

Course Highlights

• Uses real-world datasets to teach foundational concepts
• Smaller estimated time commitment
• Created by Harvard University

3. Introduction to R for Data Science (edX)

Microsoft’s R course, R for Data Science, is heavily focused on specific data science usage. It’s divided into seven sections teaching foundational skills through continual coding challenges through DataCamp. You’ll receive real-time feedback with personalization, so you’ll be able to apply it to your next project.

You’ll learn the basics of R syntax, handling various data structures such as vectors or lists. You’ll also focus on visualization, a critical data science skill, with continual practice and deep dives into the graphical capabilities of R.

The course is delivered by Microsoft, an industry leader, and is designed for you to complete on your own time. It should take you about four weeks to complete the entire course with a time commitment of between three and four hours per week, a highly manageable schedule, even if you’re working full time now.

The course is available for free, but you can invest in a verified certificate of completion to show potential employers or for professional development credit. There are no prerequisites.

Course Highlights

• Data science-focused R skills with coding challenges
• Includes deep dives into R’s visualization capabilities
• Practical skills presented by Microsoft and DataCamp instructors

4. R Programming A-Z™: R For Data Science With Real Exercises! (Udemy)

Udemy’s R programming course includes a comprehensive overview of foundational R skills for data science. You’ll learn syntax, visualization, and data wrangling. Plus, the course includes R within specific contexts like financial data. You’ll practice using R studio and will be ready to tackle your own projects.

It’s a step by step tutorial that uses real-world data sets for practical training. These problem sets are a mixture of guided exercises and homework, giving you both hands-on instruction and the chance to apply your newfound skills.

It includes over ten hours of video instruction with four articles and lifetime access to the course. It isn’t free, but it’s a good investment and doable for most budgets. Plus, you’ll learn from course creators with experience in data science.

The creator, Kirill Eremenko, is a trained data scientist with experience in a variety of sectors. The group, Super Data Scientists, is a collection of those working in the field, so all instruction happens from a place of expertise.

Course Highlights

• R studio instruction
• A mixture of guided and individual data challenges
• Created by working data scientists

5. Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp with R (Udemy)

Udemy’s comprehensive course includes over 17 hours of video instruction for foundational programming skills in R. You’ll learn to create stunning visualizations using R’s graphical capabilities and build machine learning projects.

You’ll build R skills step by step, starting with R syntax and moving through data collection, web scraping, and interactive visualizations. With machine learning, you’ll learn linear regressions, decision trees, and data mining twitter before moving to neural networks and deep learning.

It provides the budding data scientist an overview of this programming language while offering plenty of resources beyond video. It was created by Jose Portilla, a data scientist with experience in a variety of fields and training experience. It includes eight articles and three downloadable resources.

It’s not free, but it’s an affordable option compared to an in-person boot camp or university course. You receive lifetime access, and it’s mobile compatible.

Course Highlights

• A comprehensive overview of R programming
• Includes modules on deep learning and machine learning
• Created by a trained Head Data Scientist

R programming may not be as popular as Python, but in the research field, it’s a critical skill. If you’re building a career in data science, mastery of this programming language can help set you apart from a sea of competition. Since these R programming certifications and courses don’t require substantial financial investment but are taught by revered institutions and instructors, you’ll be able to get started on your data science path with few obstacles.