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What is Udacity? Everything You Need to Know
By
Kayla Korzekwinski
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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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 100,000 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.
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.
Udacity offers 59 nanodegree programs and 187 free classes. As of 2020, Udacity awarded more than 150,000 nanodegrees. More than 1.5 million users had successfully completed at least one Udacity course.
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 (Nanodegrees, a single paid course, or executive program) 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. Nanodegrees are organized by “schools.” Each school contains several nanodegree programs on the subject. The schools are:
Artificial Intelligence
With nanodegree programs including AI for Healthcare, AI Programming with Python, and Natural Language Processing.
Autonomous Systems
With nanodegree programs including Self-Driving Car Engineer, Robotics Software Engineer, and C++.
Business
With nanodegree programs including Business Analytics, Digital Marketing, and AI for Business Leaders.
Cloud Computing
With nanodegree programs including Cloud Developer Using Microsoft Azure, Site Reliability Manager, and Hybrid Cloud Engineer.
Cybersecurity
With nanodegree programs including Introduction to Cyber Security, Security Engineer, and Ethical Hacker.
Data Science
With nanodegree programs including Data Scientist, Data Visualization, and Data Engineer.
Product Management
With nanodegree programs including Growth Product Manager, Data Product Manager, and Agile Software Development.
Programming and Development
With nanodegree programs including 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?
The price of Udacity programs ranges from free to $1,000+. Nanodegree programs start at $399 per month. As mentioned above, nanodegrees take around 4 months to complete.
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 a nanodegree program starting at $399 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?
In addition to their courses, Udacity offers personal interaction with instructors and career development resources. Udacity has over 1,400 mentors that are available to answer questions about classes 24/7. Mentors also can review project submissions and offer feedback.
Udacity’s Career Resource Center offers advice on preparing for and excelling in your job search.
Is a Udacity certificate useful?
Yes! Udacity certificates show that a student successfully completed a program, and that they have the skills to succeed in the tech industry. A certificate can help you stand out in the job search or help you earn a raise or promotion.
Can I put Udacity courses on my resume?
Students who complete a Udacity course can mention it on their resume. Additionally, they should add any completed Udacity projects to their portfolio.
