# Python for Automation (Self-Paced)

Canonical URL: <https://www.graduateschool.edu/courses/python-automation-online>

## Overview

In this class, you’ll learn to automate time-consuming tasks with Python, such as gathering data from the internet. Whether your interests are in social media, e-commerce, real estate, travel, or government affairs, being able to instantly collect up-to-date data from across the web offers a major advantage.

Write Python code to capture exactly the data you need from a website. Along the way, you’ll learn how to create loops so your web scraping code can process large numbers of pages automatically.

These fundamentals will be paired with real-world examples of programs that can scrape valuable information from major websites. The class also covers common pitfalls, scheduling your programs to run regularly, and various formats for storing your scraped data.

This course is ideal for programming beginners exploring the powerful world of coding, and is an excellent choice for students aiming to use Python for web or software development. It is also included in our Data Science & AI Certificate Online (Self-Paced).

## What you'll learn

- The syntax of Python and how to construct programs
- How to run your programs on a regular schedule
- Identify and correct common errors
- How to write scripts that automate manual tasks 
- How to update Excel files automatically using Python

## Prerequisites

Participants should have knowledge equivalent to our [Python for Data Science Bootcamp](/courses/python-data-science-bootcamp) course.

## Curriculum

### Section 1

#### Introduction to HTML/CSS (Online)

- How a website is served
- Anatomy of a web page
- HTML tags
- IDs
- CSS classes

#### Python Part 1

- Integers + Floats
- Variables
- Strings
- Methods + Functions

### Section 2

#### Webscraping Exercise Part 1

- Introduction to using packages
- Requests packages
- Performing a GET request
- String manipulation
- Debugging a Python script

#### Python Part 2

- Booleans
- Conditional Statements
- Lists
- Indexing into strings + lists
- Looping over lists

### Section 3

#### Webscraping Exercises Part 2

- Beautiful Soup package
- Honing in on data
- Common webscraping pitfalls
- Using loops in webscraping

#### Storage and Scheduling

- Text files
- CSVs
- Scheduling a Python Script

## Instructors

### Bruce Gay — Instructor

Bruce is an engaging trainers and program manager who brings 25+ years practical experience to deliver effective and experiential training to students. Able to engage adult learners with a range of backgrounds and professional experiences. Successful at building effective stakeholder relationships and coordinating multi-disciplinary teams for solution delivery.

Bruce has over 25 years of project and program management experience across multiple industries. He has a Masters degree from The George Washington University and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. 

Bruce currently runs his own freelance training and consulting business, helping project managers and team leaders improve their business skills, become better leaders, and achieve professional greatness. 

Bruce is a well-received speaker in the areas of design thinking, project management, cross-team collaboration, and AI tools for projects, and has presented at regional and international conferences.

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $425