Diploma in Python Programming

Program Overview

The Diploma in Python Programming is designed for beginners seeking to launch their programming careers or enhance their existing skills using Python. This comprehensive program covers essential Python concepts, including scripting, data structures, functions, file handling, error handling, and object-oriented programming. Through project-based assessments, students gain hands-on experience and develop a solid foundation in Python programming, preparing them for entry-level roles in IT support or junior development.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Overview:

The Diploma in Python Programming is designed for individuals with little to no programming experience who aspire to initiate their career in programming or advance their existing career using the Python programming language. Python is a versatile programming language with extensive applications across industries, ranging from small-scale scripts to comprehensive desktop applications.

Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, learners will acquire the skills to:

• Master the fundamentals of writing Python scripts
• Comprehend core Python scripting elements, including variables and flow control structures
• Discover how to work with lists and sequence data
• Write Python functions to facilitate code reuse
• Utilize Python to read and write files
• Enhance code robustness by handling errors and exceptions effectively
• Work with the Python standard library
• Explore Python's object-oriented features
• Search text using regular expressions

Program Description:

This course provides a comprehensive overview of Python programming, covering the following topics:

• An Overview of Python: Introduction to Python, its advantages and disadvantages, installation, and documentation.
• The Python Environment: Structure of Python scripts, using the interpreter interactively, and running standalone scripts.
• Getting Started: Variables, string types, operators, expressions, writing to the screen, command line parameters, and reading from the keyboard.
• Flow Control: Flow control concepts, indentation, if and elif statements, while loops, lists, for statements, and the range() function.
• Array Types: List operations, list methods, strings as special lists, tuples, sets, and dictionaries.
• Dictionaries and Sets: Dictionary overview, creating dictionaries, dictionary functions, fetching keys or values, testing for element existence, and deleting elements.
• Functions: Function definition syntax, formal parameters, global versus local variables, passing parameters and returning values, sorting, the sorted() function, alternate keys, multiple keys, and lambda functions.
• Errors and Exception Handling: Dealing with syntax errors, exceptions, handling exceptions with try/except, and cleaning up with finally.
• Modules and Packages: Understanding modules, the import statement, function aliases, and packages.
• Regular Expressions: RE Objects, pattern matching, parsing data, subexpressions, complex substitutions, and RE tips and tricks.
• Highlights of the Standard Library: Working with the operating system, grabbing web pages, sending email, using glob for filename wildcards, math and random, accessing dates and times with datetime, and working with compressed files.
• Python Classes: Object-oriented programming concepts, defining classes, constructors, instance methods, instance data, class methods and data, and destructors.

Outline:

Course Schedule:

• Autumn and Spring intake: Delivered online over 11 weeks, 1 evening per week.
• Summer Intensive Bootcamp: Delivered online 2 evenings per week (6.30-9.30pm) over 4-5 weeks.

Individual Modules with Descriptions:

• An Overview of Python: Introduction to Python, its advantages and disadvantages, installation, and documentation.
• The Python Environment: Structure of Python scripts, using the interpreter interactively, and running standalone scripts.
• Getting Started: Variables, string types, operators, expressions, writing to the screen, command line parameters, and reading from the keyboard.
• Flow Control: Flow control concepts, indentation, if and elif statements, while loops, lists, for statements, and the range() function.
• Array Types: List operations, list methods, strings as special lists, tuples, sets, and dictionaries.
• Dictionaries and Sets: Dictionary overview, creating dictionaries, dictionary functions, fetching keys or values, testing for element existence, and deleting elements.
• Functions: Function definition syntax, formal parameters, global versus local variables, passing parameters and returning values, sorting, the sorted() function, alternate keys, multiple keys, and lambda functions.
• Errors and Exception Handling: Dealing with syntax errors, exceptions, handling exceptions with try/except, and cleaning up with finally.
• Modules and Packages: Understanding modules, the import statement, function aliases, and packages.
• Regular Expressions: RE Objects, pattern matching, parsing data, subexpressions, complex substitutions, and RE tips and tricks.
• Highlights of the Standard Library: Working with the operating system, grabbing web pages, sending email, using glob for filename wildcards, math and random, accessing dates and times with datetime, and working with compressed files.
• Python Classes: Object-oriented programming concepts, defining classes, constructors, instance methods, instance data, class methods and data, and destructors.

Assessment:

Assessment for this program utilizes project work to evaluate students' understanding of the various libraries and functions covered during the course. This approach provides hands-on experience with each topic.

Teaching:

Teaching Methods:

• Live Online Instructor Led

Unique Approaches:

• Students receive a copy of course notes and can simultaneously view the instructor's screen while working on their own.

Careers:

Potential Career Paths:

• Junior role in IT support relating to Python programming and operating systems
• Junior development role in Python programming

Opportunities and Outcomes:

• Strong foundation in Python programming concepts in both procedural and object-oriented design
• Skills to begin a QQI Level 6 program in IT