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Learn to Program: The Fundamentals

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Learn to Program: The Fundamentals

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

6,737 reviews

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
3 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
95%
Most learners liked this course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

6,737 reviews

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
3 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
95%
Most learners liked this course

There are 7 modules in this course

Behind every mouse click and touch-screen tap, there is a computer program that makes things happen. This course introduces the fundamental building blocks of programming and teaches you how to write fun and useful programs using the Python language.

This module gives an overview of the course, the editor we will use to write programs, and an introduction to fundamental concepts in Python including variables, mathematical expressions, and functions.

What's included

8 videos10 readings1 assignment

8 videosβ€’Total 39 minutes
  • Welcome to LTPβ€’1 minute
  • Installing Pythonβ€’3 minutes
  • Python as a Calculatorβ€’11 minutes
  • Python and Computer Memoryβ€’3 minutes
  • Variablesβ€’8 minutes
  • Visualizing Assignment Statementsβ€’3 minutes
  • Built-in Functionsβ€’5 minutes
  • Defining Functionsβ€’7 minutes
10 readingsβ€’Total 100 minutes
  • Syllabusβ€’10 minutes
  • Course Logisticsβ€’10 minutes
  • Resourcesβ€’10 minutes
  • Installing Pythonβ€’10 minutes
  • Python as a Calculatorβ€’10 minutes
  • Python and Computer Memoryβ€’10 minutes
  • Variablesβ€’10 minutes
  • Visualizing Assignment Statementsβ€’10 minutes
  • Built-in Functionsβ€’10 minutes
  • Defining Functionsβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 30 minutes
  • Python, Variables, and Functionsβ€’30 minutes

This module introduces strings (a Python data type used to represent text), and a process to follow when creating a function.

What's included

6 videos6 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment

6 videosβ€’Total 35 minutes
  • Type strβ€’5 minutes
  • Input/Output and str Formattingβ€’10 minutes
  • Docstrings and Function Helpβ€’1 minute
  • Function Design Recipeβ€’6 minutes
  • Function Reuseβ€’7 minutes
  • Visualizing Function Callsβ€’6 minutes
6 readingsβ€’Total 60 minutes
  • Type strβ€’10 minutes
  • Input/Output and str Formattingβ€’10 minutes
  • Docstrings and Function helpβ€’10 minutes
  • Function Design Recipeβ€’10 minutes
  • Function Reuseβ€’10 minutes
  • Visualizing Function Callsβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 30 minutes
  • Strings and Designing Functionsβ€’30 minutes
1 programming assignmentβ€’Total 180 minutes
  • Assignment 1: Time Zonesβ€’180 minutes

This module introduces Booleans (logical values True and False), how to convert between types, how to use Boolean expressions in if statements to selectively run code, and the concept of a Python module.

What's included

7 videos7 readings1 assignment

7 videosβ€’Total 42 minutes
  • Functions, Variables, and the Call Stackβ€’5 minutes
  • Type Boolβ€’9 minutes
  • Converting Between int, str, and floatβ€’3 minutes
  • Import: Using Non-Built-in Functionsβ€’5 minutes
  • If Statementsβ€’9 minutes
  • No if Requiredβ€’4 minutes
  • Structuring if Statementsβ€’6 minutes
7 readingsβ€’Total 70 minutes
  • Functions, Variables, and the Call Stackβ€’10 minutes
  • Type Boolβ€’10 minutes
  • Converting Between int, str, and floatβ€’10 minutes
  • Import: Using Non-Built-in Functionsβ€’10 minutes
  • If Statementsβ€’10 minutes
  • No if Requiredβ€’10 minutes
  • Structuring if statementsβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 30 minutes
  • Booleans, Import, Namespaces, and if Statementsβ€’30 minutes

This module introduces one way to repeat code (using a for loop), how to manipulate strings, and how to use a debugger to watch a program execute step by step.

What's included

5 videos5 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment

5 videosβ€’Total 26 minutes
  • More str Operatorsβ€’2 minutes
  • Str: Indexing and Slicingβ€’5 minutes
  • Str Methods: Functions Inside of Objectsβ€’4 minutes
  • For Loop Over Strβ€’12 minutes
  • IDLE's Debuggerβ€’4 minutes
5 readingsβ€’Total 50 minutes
  • More str Operatorsβ€’10 minutes
  • Str: Indexing and Slicingβ€’10 minutes
  • Str Methods: Functions Inside of Objectsβ€’10 minutes
  • For Loop Over Strβ€’10 minutes
  • IDLE's Debuggerβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 30 minutes
  • For Loops and Fancy String Manipulationβ€’30 minutes
1 programming assignmentβ€’Total 180 minutes
  • Assignment 2: DNA Processingβ€’180 minutes

This module introduces another way to repeat code (using a while loop), how to properly document your code to help other programmers understand it, Python's list data type, and the concept of mutation.

What's included

6 videos6 readings1 assignment

6 videosβ€’Total 43 minutes
  • While Loopsβ€’12 minutes
  • Commentsβ€’5 minutes
  • Type listβ€’4 minutes
  • list Methodsβ€’8 minutes
  • Mutability and Aliasingβ€’10 minutes
  • rangeβ€’4 minutes
6 readingsβ€’Total 60 minutes
  • While Loopsβ€’10 minutes
  • Commentsβ€’10 minutes
  • Type listβ€’10 minutes
  • list Methodsβ€’10 minutes
  • Mutability and Aliasingβ€’10 minutes
  • rangeβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 30 minutes
  • While Loops, Lists, and Mutabilityβ€’30 minutes

This module introduces how to use a for loop over the indexes of a list, how to nest lists, and how to read a write files.

What's included

7 videos6 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment

7 videosβ€’Total 82 minutes
  • For Loop Over Indicesβ€’14 minutes
  • Parallel Lists and Stringsβ€’6 minutes
  • Nested Listsβ€’4 minutes
  • Nested Loopsβ€’14 minutes
  • Reading Filesβ€’5 minutes
  • Writing Filesβ€’5 minutes
  • Developing a Program β€’34 minutes
6 readingsβ€’Total 60 minutes
  • For Loop Over Indicesβ€’10 minutes
  • Parallel Lists and Stringsβ€’10 minutes
  • Nested Listsβ€’10 minutes
  • Nested Loopsβ€’10 minutes
  • Reading Filesβ€’10 minutes
  • Writing Filesβ€’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 26 minutes
  • For Loops Over Indices, Parallel Lists and Strings, and Filesβ€’26 minutes
1 programming assignmentβ€’Total 180 minutes
  • Assignment 3β€’180 minutes

This module introduces tuples (an immutable version of lists), and Python's dictionary type.

What's included

4 videos3 readings2 assignments

4 videosβ€’Total 24 minutes
  • Tuplesβ€’2 minutes
  • Type dictβ€’10 minutes
  • Inverting a Dictionaryβ€’4 minutes
  • Populating a Dictionary β€’7 minutes
3 readingsβ€’Total 30 minutes
  • Tuplesβ€’10 minutes
  • Type dictβ€’10 minutes
  • Inverting a Dictionaryβ€’10 minutes
2 assignmentsβ€’Total 60 minutes
  • Tuples and Dictionariesβ€’30 minutes
  • Final Examβ€’30 minutes

Instructors

Instructor ratings
4.8 (1,604 ratings)
University of Toronto
2 Coursesβ€’564,679 learners
University of Toronto
2 Coursesβ€’564,679 learners

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Showing 3 of 6737

JW
Β·

Reviewed on Apr 11, 2020

I enjoyed this course very much. The concepts were well explained. I gave only 4 stars because I wish there were more assignments to do instead of the quizzes. All in all great intro into programming.

DN
Β·

Reviewed on Nov 24, 2024

Great introduction to Python. Some concepts glossed over just a tiny bit quickly so some background reading might be needed for the full learning experience. Otherwise, A+ as to "fundamentals".

IV
Β·

Reviewed on Aug 20, 2020

Es muy claro como base para entender mejor otros cursos. Algunas partes relacionadas con el funcionamiento de la memoria del computador son ΓΊtiles pero pueden resultar aburridas para algunas personas.

Frequently asked questions

You'll learn how to turn simple problems into Python code and understand what the computer is doing as it runs that code. It starts with expressions, variables, and functions, then builds into decisions, loops, and working with text, files, and collections. You'll apply that in quizzes and programming assignments, including string-processing work such as DNA processing.

No, the course starts from the beginning and teaches Python as it teaches programming. You'll begin with installing Python and using IDLE, then move into expressions, variables, and functions. The main thing you'll need is a willingness to practice, because you'll start writing code early in the course.

Yes, it's beginner-friendly for someone who wants a thorough introduction to programming, not just a quick tour of syntax. The course explains core ideas carefully and reinforces them with lessons, readings, quizzes, and programming assignments, so you keep practicing as the material builds. It may feel more demanding if you're looking for a very short overview, because regular practice is part of the learning experience.

Plan on about 25 hours in total. At around 10 hours a week, that's roughly 2 to 3 weeks of study, though the material is organized as a seven-module course. Expect a mix of lessons, readings, quizzes, and programming assignments rather than video-only study.

Yes, the course includes regular hands-on coding, though it leans more toward guided assignments than open-ended projects. You'll write functions, trace programs with visualizer tools and the IDLE debugger, and complete programming assignments on tasks such as time zones or DNA processing. That matters because you apply each concept soon after it's introduced.

You'll cover the main building blocks of Python programming, from variables, functions, and strings to Boolean logic, if statements, and loops. The course then moves into debugging, file handling, and working with collections such as lists, tuples, and dictionaries. By the end, you'll have a practical grasp of how to write, read, and reason through small programs.

By the end, you should be able to write small Python programs that use functions, conditionals, loops, and common data structures. That includes tasks like processing strings, reading from and writing to files, or storing and looking up information in a dictionary. You should also be able to trace how your code runs and fix many basic errors on your own.

It's more concept-first, with regular coding practice built in. The course spends time explaining how Python works, then reinforces each idea through guided practice, quizzes, and assignments. That's a good match if you want to understand your code, not just copy examples.

Choose this course if you want a careful introduction that teaches both Python syntax and how programs behave in memory. Rather than centering on large projects, it uses a function design recipe and code-tracing examples to help you build reliable habits while you learn strings, loops, files, and dictionaries. If you learn best from clear explanations and step-by-step coding practice, it's a better fit than a faster, project-first Python course.

Financial aid available,