Inspire 2026: Data Science: Decoding Data into Insights with R (June 22-July 2)

This online course provides an introduction to the concepts, methods, and practices that define modern data science, with a focus on the R programming language. Students will learn how to acquire, clean, explore, visualize and model with data to uncover meaningful insights. We will cover R extensively, including R Shiny (for creating dashboards) and the tidyverse framework (covering tasks such as data wrangling, summarization, and visualization). Through hands-on projects and real-world datasets, students will gain practical experience turning raw data into interpretable insights. 

In addition to technical skills, the course cultivates data literacy and critical thinking. Students will learn to connect statistical reasoning with computational techniques and apply fundamental modeling approaches for inference and prediction. Students will communicate findings through well-designed visualizations, dashboards, and clear written narratives. By the end of the course, participants will have built a strong foundation in data science principles and gained the confidence to use R as a tool for exploration, analysis, and decision-making across several application areas. 

Students do not need any prior knowledge of R to be successful in this course.

This online course will meet daily Monday-Friday from 1:00 -4:00PM ET and requires an internet connection and access to Zoom. Please note the class will not meet on Friday, July 3 due to the holiday.

Refund Policy: Registrants are eligible for a refund until 60 days from the program start. Please note that a $150 administrative fee will be retained to cover the costs associated with application review and the admissions process. No refunds will be available after 60 days from the program start. To cancel your registration and request a refund, please contact inspire.northern@virginia.edu.