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What is Udacity? Everything You Need to Know
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![Kayla Korzekwinski](https://scholarships360.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Headshot-2.21-1-150x150.jpg)
Kayla Korzekwinski is a Scholarships360 content writer. She earned her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied Advertising/PR, Rhetorical Communication, and Anthropology. Kayla has worked on communications for non-profits and student organizations. She loves to write and come up with new ways to express ideas.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Udacity is an online learning website that focuses on tech-related subjects to help users get employed or promoted in the industry. The site was founded by two Harvard instructors who decided to provide their “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” course online for free. The course had over 160,000 students around the world enroll, and Udacity was born from there. But what can Udacity do for you? Read on to learn more about the platform.
Note: In March 2024, Udacity was acquired by the tech tech leader Accenture.
Related: Scholarships for online students
What does Udacity offer?
Udacity has a mission to “train the world’s workforce in the careers of the future.” The company partners with tech companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Google, and Intel to create courses that teach the most in-demand tech skills. Udacity’s “Nanodegree” programs offer students months of education and a variety of materials such as videos, quizzes, and hands-on projects. The nanodegrees offer a certificate of completion that students can share on their resume.
Related: Top alternatives to four-year universities
How are Udacity classes designed?
Classes are designed in partnership with companies that are leaders in the tech industry. Udacity instructors work in tech and show expertise and leadership in their fields.
Udacity users can choose between enrolling in a Nanodegree program or taking free, a la carte courses. Nanodegree programs take about 4 months to complete if the student commits 10-15 hours per week. The free courses vary in length from a few weeks to 4 months.
Classes use a variety of materials to teach the content. Materials include educational videos, interactive quizzes, hands-on projects, and direct support from the instructor. The projects are open-ended activities that are based on real-world scenarios. Students can add the projects to their portfolios to show their expertise in the subject. An example of a Udacity project assignment is: “Produce a program that can inspect and query close approaches of objects that pass quite close to Earth – like asteroids or comets.”
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Are certificates available?
Yes. All graduates of any paid content on Udacity receive a certificate. Udacity awards certificates of achievement to show successful completion of the program.
Free Udacity courses do not offer a certificate. Free courses are available for students to learn or study on their own, but are not a complete program.
How can I use Udacity to benefit my professional life?
Udacity shares success stories on its website. Many students have thanked the website for helping them find employment in the tech industry. Participating in a paid program or nanodegree on Udacity earn students a certificate that they can use to verify their skills and knowledge. This could give them an advantage in the job search.
Additionally, free courses on the platform allow students to study and learn new skills on their own. This can benefit users’ professional life by giving them more knowledge of the industry or sharpening the skills they already have.
Also see: All about the Google Certificate Program
What kinds of classes are available?
Udacity has an extensive course catalog. Degrees are organized by “schools.” Each school contains several degree programs on the subject. The schools are:
Artificial Intelligence
AI for Healthcare, AI Programming with Python, and Natural Language Processing.
Autonomous Systems
Self-Driving Car Engineer, Robotics Software Engineer, and C++.
Business
Business Analytics, Digital Marketing, and AI for Business Leaders.
Cloud Computing
Cloud Developer Using Microsoft Azure, Site Reliability Manager, and Hybrid Cloud Engineer.
Cybersecurity
Introduction to Cyber Security, Security Engineer, and Ethical Hacker.
Data Science
Data Scientist, Data Visualization, and Data Engineer.
Product Management
Growth Product Manager, Data Product Manager, and Agile Software Development.
Programming and Development
iOS Developer, Blockchain Developer, and Java Programming.
In addition to these schools, Udacity offers free, single classes. Examples of free class subjects are Linear Algebra Refresher, Machine Learning, and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence.
Related: Top computer science scholarships
How much does Udacity cost?
A one month Udacity subscription costs $249.00, but students can save 15% by paying for a four-month subscription in advance for $846. The annual subscription costs $2,390 and includes a seven-day free trial.
Alternatives to Udacity
Treehouse
Treehouse is an online learning site that focuses on coding. Unlike Udacity, Treehouse only offers courses for free during a 7-day free trial period. After that, students pay from $25 – $199 per month, depending on their subscription. Treehouse offers a “Techdegree” program that includes courses, workshops, quizzes, and projects. At the end of this program, Treehouse offers a certificate of achievement.
Don’t miss: Top certificates to earn
Udemy
Udemy classes are made up of video lectures and assignments. Unlike Udacity, it does not partner with tech companies to make their classes. Rather, they’re made by users of the platform. Also unlike Udacity, Udemy does not issue certifications. Though, its library hosts 130,000 classes on a variety of topics including IT, Photography, Business, and Personal Development.
Coursera
Similar to Udacity, Coursera partners with companies and universities to produce their classes. The two are also similar in that they both offer certificates that can be cited on users’ resumes. Unlike Udacity, Coursera also offers degrees that are issued by colleges and universities.
Don’t miss: Coursera financial aid
Udacity summary
In summary, Udacity is a tech-focused online learning platform. They partner with tech companies and professionals to create their courses. Subjects on the platform include Artificial Intelligence, Business, and Data Science. Users can take individual courses for free or enroll in the subscription plan for $249.00 per month. Students who participate in a paid class can earn certification of achievement upon completion. Udacity can help sharpen your career skills, or help you stand out in the job search. If you think Udacity is right for your career, give it a try!
Don’t miss: Scholarships360’s free scholarship search tool
Frequently asked questions about Udacity
What other resources does Udacity offer?
Udacity’s Career Resource Center offers advice on preparing for and excelling in your job search.
Is a Udacity certificate useful?
Can I put Udacity courses on my resume?