Intro to Data Visualization & AI

8 week self-paced, asynchronous, online-only course

$149 per person Financial aid available

Explore the core ideas behind modern data analysis and artificial intelligence through a clear, structured introduction to data visualization, correlation reasoning, and vector‑embedding–based AI systems.

Students learn to interpret real‑world datasets, distinguish correlation from causation, and build a functional AI chatbot using similarity‑search techniques.

The course emphasizes conceptual understanding, mathematical intuition, metacognitive reflection and practical coding skills that equip learners to create their own AI‑powered similarity‑search tools, uncover and visualize patterns in data, and build the foundational knowledge needed for more advanced study in AI and data science.

Cost: $149 a student. Need-based financial aid available.

Key Course Information

What will you learn?

You will build the skills to:

Understand why traditional if‑then chatbots break down and where they fail
Use linear algebra and AI vector embeddings to design similarity‑based search
Build an AI‑powered FAQ chatbot using vector similarity search
Visualize and filter data to uncover meaningful patterns
Check whether two data sources are correlated
Understand the strengths and limits of correlation mining
Tell the difference between correlation and causation, and learn how causation can be established

What do you need to enroll?

You should already be comfortable with:

Prior coding experience from Joy of Coding: Intro to Coding & Computational Thinking or AP Computer Science or their equivalent
Algebra 1 and Geometry
- Algebra 2 is helpful (especially vectors and matrices) but not required
Spending 4–6 hours per week working steadily and submitting your best work
Asking the instructional team for help when you’re stuck or want to go deeper

The course is online and asynchronous.

A personal computer and access to the internet will be required for each lesson.

What certificates of accomplishment can you earn?

By completing the coding assignments and the accompanying reflection activities, you’ll earn an online certificate from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan.

For this course, you can earn online certificates in:

Intro to AI Embeddings and Similarity Search
Intro to Data Visualization and Correlation Screening

These not‑for‑credit certificates of accomplishment let you show colleges the skills you’ve learned and your ability to learn in a self-regulated manner.

What do students who have taken the course say about it?

“Building an AI‑powered FAQ chatbot from scratch was so cool. It made me feel like I could create real AI tools, not just use them.”

“This course made me confident that I can learn advanced topics on my own. That’s a skill I’ll use forever.”

“I loved that the course didn’t just teach tools—it taught me how to think about data, correlations, and what they really mean.”

“This was the first time linear algebra actually felt useful. Embeddings and vectors suddenly made sense.”

“The data‑viz projects were my favorite part. Seeing patterns appear from messy data felt like solving a mystery.”

“I didn’t expect to enjoy the math behind AI, but the way it was taught made it feel intuitive and fun.”

“The professor and the coaches were super supportive. Whenever I got stuck and reached out, I got help that actually helped.”

Resources

Testimonials

Read what past students and instructors have to say about the course.

Professor's Note

Read a note about Joy of Coding from the professor, Raj Nadakuditi.

Joy of Coding has rolling admissions, but we encourage interested students to apply as soon as possible.