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⇱ Build & Evaluate Decision Trees for ML | Coursera


Build & Evaluate Decision Trees for ML

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Build & Evaluate Decision Trees for ML

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Advanced level

Recommended experience

4 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Advanced level

Recommended experience

4 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Explain decision tree fundamentals including tree structure, splitting criteria, and how recursive partitioning builds predictive models.

  • Build decision tree classifiers using Weka GUI and Java API, implement models with Smile, and configure hyperparameters for optimal performance.

  • Evaluate decision tree models using confusion matrices, accuracy metrics, cross-validation techniques, and interpret results to assess model quality.

Details to know

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Recently updated!

January 2026

Assessments

1 assignment

Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Level Up: Java-Powered Machine Learning Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course

Are you ready to master one of machine learning’s most powerful and interpretable algorithms? This course will guide you through the complete journey of understanding, building, and evaluating decision tree models using Java, the enterprise-standard programming language. You’ll start by exploring the core concepts, how decision trees partition data, why splitting criteria such as entropy and the Gini index matter, and when decision trees outperform other algorithms. From there, you’ll move into hands-on implementation, using industry-standard tools like Weka’s intuitive GUI and Java API along with Smile’s high-performance library to develop, tune, and deploy models. Through practical exercises, you’ll learn to configure hyperparameters, balance rapid prototyping with production-ready design, and apply robust model evaluation techniques such as confusion matrices, cross-validation, and key performance metrics.

Aspiring and experienced data scientists, Java developers, and machine learning engineers seeking to build, evaluate, and interpret decision tree models for real-world applications in finance, healthcare, and business analytics. Basic Java programming experience, understanding of object-oriented concepts, and fundamental knowledge of data science principles required. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to detect and reduce overfitting, optimize model performance, and effectively communicate insights to technical and business stakeholders alike.

Explore decision tree foundations including tree structure, classification mechanics, splitting criteria like entropy and Gini index, and how recursive partitioning creates predictive models for machine learning applications.

What's included

4 videos2 readings1 peer review

4 videosβ€’Total 23 minutes
  • Welcome to Build and Evaluate Decision Trees with MLβ€’3 minutes
  • Introduction to Decision Trees and Their Structureβ€’6 minutes
  • Splitting Criteria for Entropy and Information Gainβ€’6 minutes
  • Gini Index and Comparing Splitting Methodsβ€’7 minutes
2 readingsβ€’Total 10 minutes
  • Welcome to the Course: Course Overviewβ€’5 minutes
  • Decision Tree Algorithm Fundamentals and Mathematical Foundationsβ€’5 minutes
1 peer reviewβ€’Total 20 minutes
  • Hands-On-Learning: Calculate Splitting Criteria for Medical Diagnosis Datasetβ€’20 minutes

Build decision tree classifiers using Weka's GUI and Java API, then explore Smile library for modern implementations. Configure hyperparameters, train models on real datasets, and export trained models.

What's included

3 videos1 reading1 peer review

3 videosβ€’Total 26 minutes
  • Setting Up Your Java ML Environmentβ€’7 minutes
  • Building Decision Trees with Weka GUI and Java APIβ€’10 minutes
  • Implementing Decision Trees with Smile Libraryβ€’9 minutes
1 readingβ€’Total 5 minutes
  • Java Machine Learning Libraries and Best Practicesβ€’5 minutes
1 peer reviewβ€’Total 20 minutes
  • Hands-On-Learning: Build and Compare Decision Tree Models Using Weka and Smileβ€’20 minutes

Evaluate decision tree performance using confusion matrices, accuracy metrics, precision, recall, and F1-scores. Apply cross-validation techniques to assess model generalization. Learn to interpret results and identify overfitting.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 assignment2 peer reviews

4 videosβ€’Total 40 minutes
  • Understanding Confusion Matrices and Classification Metricsβ€’7 minutes
  • Cross-Validation Techniques for Model Assessmentβ€’13 minutes
  • Identifying Overfitting and Model Optimizationβ€’15 minutes
  • Course Wrap-upβ€’4 minutes
1 readingβ€’Total 5 minutes
  • Model Evaluation Best Practices and Performance Metricsβ€’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 20 minutes
  • Build & Evaluate Decision Trees for MLβ€’20 minutes
2 peer reviewsβ€’Total 80 minutes
  • Hands-On-Learning: Comprehensive Model Evaluation and Performance Analysisβ€’20 minutes
  • Project: Real-Time Streaming Pipeline for Fraud Detectionβ€’60 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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