Machine Learning Capstone (Coursera)

Offered by IBM,
Machine Learning Capstone (Coursera)

In this Machine Learning Capstone course, you will be using various Python-based machine learning libraries such as Pandas, scikit-learn, Tensorflow/Keras, to: build a course recommender system; analyze course related datasets, calculate cosine similarity, and create a similarity matrix; create recommendation systems by applying your knowledge of KNN, PCA, and non-negative matrix collaborative filtering; build similarity-based recommender systems; predict course ratings by training a neural network and constructing regression and classification models; build a Streamlit app that displays your work, and; share your work then evaluate your peers.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Course 6 of 6 in the IBM Machine Learning Professional Certificate.

What You Will Learn

  • Compare and contrast different machine learning algorithms by creating recommender systems in Python
  • Develop a final project using machine learning methods and evaluate your peers’ projects
  • Predict course ratings by training a neural network and constructing regression and classification models
  • Create recommendation systems by applying your knowledge of KNN, PCA, and non-negative matrix collaborative filtering

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Capstone Overview
In this module, you will be introduced to the idea of recommender systems in the first video. All labs in subsequent modules are based on this concept. You will also be provided with an overview of the capstone project. In the last two exercises, you will obtain an IBM Cloud feature code and use that code to create an IBM Watson Studio account.

WEEK 2
Exploratory Data Analysis and Feature Engineering
In module 2, you will perform exploratory data analysis to find preliminary insights such as data patterns. You will also use it to check assumptions with the help of summary statistics and graphical representations of online course-related data sets such as course titles, course genres, and course enrollments. Next, you will extract a word-count vector called a “bag of words” (BoW) from course titles and descriptions. The BoW feature is probably the simplest but most effective feature characterizing textual data. It is widely used in many textual machine learning tasks. Finally, you will apply the cosine similarity measurement to calculate the course similarity using the extracted BoW feature vectors.

WEEK 3
Unsupervised-Learning Based Recommender System
In module 3, you will create three course recommendation systems using different methods. In lab 1, you will create a course recommendation system based on user profile and course genre matrices by computing an interest score for each course and recommend the courses with the highest interest scores. In the second lab, you will generate a course similarity matrix to create the recommendation system. In the third lab, you will implement a clustering-based recommender system algorithm using K-means clustering and principal component analysis based on group members’ course enrollment history. In labs four and five you will use collaborative filtering to make predictions about a user’s interest based on a collection of other users’ similar preferences. In lab 4, you will perform KNN-based collaborative filtering and in lab 5, you will use non-negative matrix factorization.

WEEK 4
Supervised-Learning Based Recommender Systems
In this module, you will predict course ratings using neural networks. In the first lab, you will train neural networks to predict course ratings while simultaneously extracting users' and items' latent features. In lab 2, you will be given course interaction feature vectors as input data. Using regression analysis, you will calculate numerical rating scores that predict whether a student will audit or complete a course. Lab 3 is similar to lab 2 but instead of using regression you will use a classification model. You will extract user and item embedding feature vectors from a neural network. With those embedding feature vectors, you will create an interaction feature vector and use that to build a classification model. The model maps the interaction feature vector to a rating mode that predicts whether a learner will audit or complete a course.

WEEK 5
Share and Present Your Recommender Systems
In this module, you will be introduced to Streamlit and have the opportunity to build a Streamlit app to showcase your work in previous modules. You will review guidelines and best practices for creating successful reports. As well you may wish to review instructions on creating PowerPoint presentations and how to save a PowerPoint as a PDF.

WEEK 6
Final Submission
In this final module you will complete your submission of screenshots from the hands-on labs for your peers to review. Once you have completed your submission you will then review the submission of one of your peers and grade their submission.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Machine Learning Basics (Coursera) Coursera
Sungkyunkwan University - SKKU

Machine Learning Basics (Coursera)

In this course, you will: understand the basic concepts of machine learning; understand a typical memory-based method, the K nearest neighbor method; understand linear regression; understand model analysis. Please make sure that you’re comfortable programming in Python and have a basic knowledge of mathematics including matrix multiplications, and conditional probability.

Sep 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Computer Vision with Embedded Machine Learning (Coursera) Coursera
Edge Impulse

Computer Vision with Embedded Machine Learning (Coursera)

Computer vision (CV) is a fascinating field of study that attempts to automate the process of assigning meaning to digital images or videos. In other words, we are helping computers see and understand the world around us! A number of machine learning (ML) algorithms and techniques can be used to accomplish CV tasks, and as ML becomes faster and more efficient, we can deploy these techniques to embedded systems.

Sep 28th 2026
3 Weeks
Applied Calculus with Python (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Applied Calculus with Python (Coursera)

This course is designed for the Python programmer who wants to develop the foundations of Calculus to help solve challenging problems as well as the student of mathematics looking to learn the theory and numerical techniques of applied calculus implemented in Python. By the end of this course, you will have learned how to apply essential calculus concepts to develop robust Python applications that solve a variety of real-world challenges.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Machine Learning and Human Learning (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Machine Learning and Human Learning (Coursera)

This course examines the differences between machine and human learning and the ways in which machines can complement human learning. It examines technical definitions of supervised and unsupervised machine learning, as well as broader views of mechanical intelligence able to replicate or exceed human intelligence.

Sep 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Problem Solving, Python Programming, and Video Games (Coursera) Coursera
University of Alberta

Problem Solving, Python Programming, and Video Games (Coursera)

This course is an introduction to computer science and programming in Python. Important computer science concepts such as problem solving (computational thinking), problem decomposition, algorithms, abstraction, and software quality are emphasized throughout. The Python programming language and video games are used to demonstrate computer science concepts in a concrete and fun manner. However, a learner can take the knowledge and skills from this course and apply them to non-game problems, other programming languages, and other computer science courses.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Visualización de Datos con Python (Coursera) Coursera
IBM

Visualización de Datos con Python (Coursera)

"Una imagen vale mas que mil palabras". Todos estamos familiarizados con esta expresión. Se aplica especialmente cuando se trata de explicar la información obtenida del análisis de conjuntos de datos cada vez más grandes. La visualización de datos juega un papel esencial en la representación de datos tanto a pequeña como a gran escala. Una de las habilidades clave de un científico de datos es la capacidad de contar una historia convincente, visualizando datos y hallazgos de una manera accesible y estimulante

Sep 28th 2026
3 Weeks
Decision Making and Reinforcement Learning (Coursera) Coursera
Columbia University

Decision Making and Reinforcement Learning (Coursera)

This course is an introduction to sequential decision making and reinforcement learning. We start with a discussion of utility theory to learn how preferences can be represented and modeled for decision making. We first model simple decision problems as multi-armed bandit problems in and discuss several approaches to evaluate feedback. We will then model decision problems as finite Markov decision processes (MDPs), and discuss their solutions via dynamic programming algorithms. We touch on the notion of partial observability in real problems, modeled by POMDPs and then solved by online planning methods.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Practical Python for AI Coding 1 (Coursera) Coursera
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - KAIST

Practical Python for AI Coding 1 (Coursera)

This course is for a complete novice of Python coding, so no prior knowledge or experience in software coding is required. This course selects, introduces and explains Python syntaxes, functions and libraries that were frequently used in AI coding. In addition, this course introduces vital syntaxes, and functions often used in AI coding and explains the complementary relationship among NumPy, Pandas and TensorFlow, so this course is helpful for even seasoned python users.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Probabilistic Graphical Models 1: Representation (Coursera) Coursera
Stanford University

Probabilistic Graphical Models 1: Representation (Coursera)

Probabilistic graphical models (PGMs) are a rich framework for encoding probability distributions over complex domains: joint (multivariate) distributions over large numbers of random variables that interact with each other. These representations sit at the intersection of statistics and computer science, relying on concepts from probability theory, graph algorithms, machine learning, and more. They are the basis for the state-of-the-art methods in a wide variety of applications, such as medical diagnosis, image understanding, speech recognition, natural language processing, and many, many more. They are also a foundational tool in formulating many machine learning problems.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Programación en Python (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad de los Andes

Programación en Python (Coursera)

¡Te damos la bienvenida al curso de Programación en Python de la Universidad de los Andes! El propósito de este curso es ofrecerte un ambiente interactivo para que desarrolles tus habilidades de pensamiento computacional, aprendas a programar en el lenguaje Python y te entrenes en la resolución de problemas utilizando un computador. La estrategia pedagógica empleada es el aprendizaje activo basado en casos.

Sep 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Machine Translation (Coursera) Coursera
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT

Machine Translation (Coursera)

Welcome to the CLICS-Machine Translation MOOC. This MOOC explains the basic principles of machine translation. Machine translation is the task of translating from one natural language to another natural language. Therefore, these algorithms can help people communicate in different languages. Such algorithms are used in common applications, from Google Translate to apps on your mobile device.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Introduction to Machine Learning (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

Introduction to Machine Learning (Coursera)

This course will provide you a foundational understanding of machine learning models (logistic regression, multilayer perceptrons, convolutional neural networks, natural language processing, etc.) as well as demonstrate how these models can solve complex problems in a variety of industries, from medical diagnostics to image recognition to text prediction.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks