Intermediate Python

What is the course about?

Building on what you have learnt on an introductory Python course you will explore more advanced programming concepts and techniques that will make you a more accomplished and efficient programmer. This course is designed to not only give you the practical programming experience to build programs that solve real world problems but also give you the theoretical background that underpins all mainstream programming language.

Participants who will attend the full course will receive a City Lit certificate of attendance electronically for their CV or CPD records. The certificate will show your name, course title and dates of the course you have attended.

You can choose to attend this course either live online or in person.
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.

What will we cover?

Code hiding and code reuse
As the code in most software applications continue to grow in size (it is estimated that there are over 50 million lines of code in Microsoft Windows alone) it is important that the competent programmer learns techniques to make their code work harder. By learning how to build sub-routines and store them in modules you will create toolkits of code that can be reused in multiple programming projects.

Advanced data structures
What we recognise as the modern day computer only really started to evolve in the late 1970s and therefore programming as a discipline is still a relatively new and evolving field. As advances in technology mean our computers are becoming more powerful and we find more ways to use them to solve problems we also need to find more sophisticated ways of storing data to aid the problem solving process. This course will introduce you to advanced Lists and Dictionaries and give you the opportunity to explore Tuples. All vital tools needed in the modern day programmer’s toolkit.

Graphical Interfaces
As a budding programmer we already know we need to create programs that can be used not just by the technically competent but by all users. Using the inbuilt Tkinter library you will create graphical applications that only need to be coded once to work on Windows, Mac and Linux systems. You will learn to use buttons, text boxes and other graphical tools to make your programs user friendly.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Build sub-routines to improve good programming practise
- Use Modules to create your own code libraries
- Use inbuilt data structures such as Lists and Dictionaries
- Produce programs with Graphical User Interfaces for Windows, Mac and Linux.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

You will need some background in Python either self taught or have completed an Introduction to Python course or equivalent. You will need to be able to:
- Use print() to give the user instructions
- Get input from a user using input()
- Create variables and collect and store data of different data types
- Use the if and elif for selection
- Use for and while loops

You should also be able to follow spoken instructions, read written instructions and information, and discuss work with your tutor in English.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

There will be some theoretical underpinning to the course, but it is nearly all practical, through teacher demonstration and practical programming and problem solving activities. There is no official work set outside the class but it is a good idea to practise the skills you have learnt to reinforce classroom learning.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Pen and notepad for note taking.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Please click here to view our Programming and Maths courses.

Disclaimer: Use of Third-Party Software
This course might require you to either use your own personal account or create an account for the purposes of this course. City Lit cannot accept any responsibility for any failings of the third party or provide technical support. Whilst using the software you will be responsible for abiding by the providers terms and conditions and maintaining your own work.