There are hundreds of computer courses. Each computer course is based on certain goals. Most of the goals of computer courses are to make students skilled and ready for jobs.
Each course can contain various topics or syllabus based on the current market trend and job demands. While short term courses are good for the professionals and for those who think they can learn other things on their own.
While degree courses such as computer science courses are best suited for those students who completed the schooling or 10+2 or 12th.
Each student has their own interest. But not all parents can afford to get the admission of their kids in a particular course. For example, it’s easy for a parent to spend $500 on a basic computer course than pay $5000 rupees for a computer science degree.
The syllabus of basic computer courses and computer science degrees can be the same. For example, there can be a computer institute or computer instructor who teaches you everything that is taught by college professors in a computer science degree course.
And it’s not a guarantee that even after a computer science degree you will be successful in your career. Technical skills are one thing, but the use of those skills with the right mentor on the right platform or cause with the right mindset is important.
You can see that there are already various computer diplomas, certifications, or degree holders not using the skills or knowledge that they got in their course. This can happen to anyone. It’s common. It can be due to that lack of interest in the subject or the teacher hasn’t taken the interest in teaching. Or the lack of practical knowledge or the lack of demand for those skills in the market.
So whatever type of computer course you do, you can focus on the following things:
- Are these skills or computer syllabus will be relevant or in demand for the next 3 years?
- The syllabus becomes outdated these days and small colleges with less infrastructure are unable to update them as per the market demands. It means you can join the trending and most important technology course that you think will be the foundation or important key to running other technologies such as computer networks, programming, artificial intelligence, automation, and many others.
- What is the history of the course instructor? or Professor? I mean if a professor or computer teacher teaches about web designing skills but if they don’t have their own websites? They don’t do it.
What is the current job status of the students of this college’s last batch of computer science students? I mean learn only from those people or teachers who are passionate about that subject.
- Don’t join the overpriced or too much premium course. And not the cheapest. Try to find the course at a medium or reasonable price.
Before I share the types of a computer let’s understand the following things:
- Each course and syllabus is designed for humans or human reasons. Each computer institution, the college promotes its courses are like the only best course on the earth.
- Each computer course is designed not only based on your goals but their own institution income goals as well from the fees.
- Anyone can create a course based on his experience, passion, and interest.
1. Basic Computer Courses:
- 1 Month Basic Computer Course:
One month basic computer course is the shortest computer course. In which you can’t learn more but can become aware and skilled in a few things.
For example, you haven’t learned anything about computers yet nor do you know how to start them.
So you joined this computer course to learn a few things.
Now it depends on your computer teacher or computer institute or online course syllabus, what they will teach you in a month from zero.
Commonly you can learn the following things in one month:
- You can practice computer typing or keyboarding skills.
- You can learn how to use paint or drawing tools.
- You can learn how to turn on and turn off the computer.
- How to plug and unplug computers or devices.
- How to transfer data from mobile to computer or computer to mobile.
- You can learn how to type of create a simple application in Microsoft Word.
- You can learn how to create an email account and send emails and replies to the received email.
- How to search on Google, how to play, and songs.
- And how to install some basic software.
And many others.
It’s tough for an instructor to teach you everything about computers in one month. Even they can do it. But then you will not be able to learn everything.
So, it’s better that learn these skills one by one as per instructor guidance.
But these days you can learn these skills online for free on YouTube within a week. But the problem is on free courses or tutorials you will not get a syllabus and step-by-step learning. And instructors on YouTube can’t judge your skill or learning level or grasping power. Else in offline you can ask the instructor hundreds of times and become skilled in a few things but effectively.
Learning a few things with quality is more important than learning more things with less quality. No matter it’s a degree or just a 1-month basic computer course.
But after a month you can extend or upgrade your course into 3 months or 6 months basic computer course.
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3 months of Basic Computer Course:
In this course, you can learn or refresh your basic computer skills. It’s a good course or duration for beginners. But not enough for the jobs. It’s just that you will learn a few applications and their normal uses.
Most computer institutes or online instructors can teach you the following things in 3 months:
- Computer keyboarding or typing – goals are 30 to 40 wpm. It’s possible to get even more than 40 wpm. You just have to practice 1 to 2 hours daily. Typing skills or computer typing knowledge also helpful in computer-related computer jobs or data entry works.
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Internet – Email/Downloading/Installation)
- Basic software installation and uninstallation
- Basic computer maintenance skills.
It’s more than good to learn these skills within 3 months. But you can do it online faster.
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6 Months Basic Computer Course:
This course includes more than 1 month or 3 months course syllabus and you will learn most of the things in detail and practically. It also depends on the computer institute course syllabus or in the online course. But in an online course, it’s tough to get all of the topics covered by one instructor in one course.
But offline or in your nearby computer institute you can learn these skills.
Most of the common skills that you can learn within 6 months or what you will get in most of the 6 months basic computer courses classes:
- Computer Typing – English/Hindi (Native Language)
- Basic Fundamentals of Computer
- Uses of Computer and Internet (theoretical part in the presentation)
- Microsoft Office Suite or Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Basic Graphic Design Fundamentals and the basic use of Adobe Photoshop or Affinity Designer.
- Internet and Internet-related basic practical works such as searching, surfing, form filling, downloading, printing, emailing, etc.
- WordPress – Website Creation
- Basic SEO – Yoast SEO plugin Setup
- YouTube Channel Setup and Monetization
- Content Creation (Theoretical and Practical)
- Basic computer maintenance and repairing skills.
- Basics of Digital Marketing and Online Selling
- Data privacy and internet security
etc.
Here you can see the above selected basic computer skills and online courses.
I believe that these topics are important to learn for every student on this earth. It’s very helpful for all types of students no matter what they are doing basic computer course, BCA, BBA, MBA, mca or computer science degree.
You can also learn these skills by finding online courses related to each topic above. I have created these types of custom syllabi for various students or institutes so far.
I also suggest or request the above syllabus for computer syllabus creators to include in their computer courses.
These types of skills are also taught by various YouTubers on YouTube. These days, if you don’t need a certificate or diploma then you can learn these skills on your own just with one laptop + internet connection without any cost.
But still, you need a mentor who can guide and encourage you in your IT or computer field career.
2. Computer Diploma Courses:
Diploma courses are also short-term courses and long-term courses. It can be 1 year to 2 years of courses. A diploma and Certificate are still important to get a government job. It’s because our government hiring system thinks that people with certificates and diplomas are more intelligent and skilled than non-certificate or degree holders. The certificate is the only proof. But the same government system is also aware or knows enough about fake degrees, diplomas, and certificates even after having a separate body for conducting exams and entrance tests.
Still, it matters?
I can’t explain more here but one thing I want to suggest to the administrators is that why not they can try to take a test of students or job seekers based on skills and talent. Not one based on age and degrees.
3. Computer Science or Degree Courses:
I don’t know much about the syllabus of a computer science degree nor I have attended any lectures. But yes, I have watched various lectures on YouTube from Standford or yale and many other universities online. And it’s great. I don’t know the ground zero. But I believe that If I can become a computer scientist after doing this degree then I will do it.
Even at least I will have a computer science degree.
But as you already know, in ancient times or even today, you don’t not a degree or certificate or diploma to become successful in life. You need goals, plans, and skills (You can learn on your own or you can learn by learning to find the teachers) and a willingness to do something big and great in life.
And the computer is the best machine to start with.
Related: Top 11 Most important Computer Skills to learn for career development
5. Specific skills-based courses – Expert Course:
I personally like these types of computer courses that are helping to achieve specific career goals in quick time.
For example, you can learn and do the following courses as per your interest:
- Programming Course
- Machine Learning Course
- Cloud Computing Course
- Cyber Security Course
- Sells and Digital Marketing Course
For example, If I want to build my own app or app startup then I have to learn App Development and App Development Business. And for this, I will join the App Development and App business development course.
I want to do learn SEO then I will do an SEO course. And I will not learn any other skills or topics other than SEO.
These types of courses are best to do after a basic computer course. These types of skill-based or specific skill-based are more goals oriented than degree courses.
And it will cost less money and consume less time to learn. And these types of courses are best suited for jobs and career development. And the advantage of learning these computer skills is that you can do them online. Even if you find cybersecurity or digital marketing course costly on one website then you can find that course on another website for less price.
These are the quickest and fastest method to become skilled and job-ready.
And after a few years of experience, you can start your own business.
If you’re a learner and you have computer or technology learning skills then you can learn any skill or business or method.
Things to remember:
- No computer institute or instructor or teacher or college can guarantee that you will get a good job after this course, that you will do for 3 years.
- If any course is too much costly then you don’t have to do that.
- Also, think about the IT field knowledge that celebrities promoted the course in advertisements. It’s not about influence, it’s about your career.
- All of these are my personal thoughts or experiences, please consider your own situation, goals, and budget before joining any course. Make decision based on your intuition (common sense).
So, I hope I answered or explained enough and effectively about the types of computer courses.