Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?

<text />The first course and others (preferred)

Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?

This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.

Can I just enroll in a single course?

Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Can I take the course for free?

No, you cannot take this course for free. When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.

Computer Communications Specialization

Computer Communications Specialization

Launch your career in computer network & security. Provide an introduction to fundamental network architecture concepts and network design alternatives

Instructor: Xiaobo Zhou

Included with Coursera Plus

Learn more

4 course series

Get in-depth knowledge of a subject

4.7

(2,078 reviews)

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

2 months at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Earn a career credential

Share your expertise with employers

4 course series

Get in-depth knowledge of a subject

4.7

(2,078 reviews)

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

2 months at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Earn a career credential

Share your expertise with employers

What you'll learn

This specialization is developed for seniors and fresh graduate students to understand fundamental network architecture concepts and their impacts on cyber security, to develop skills and techniques required for network protocol design, and prepare for a future of constant change through exposure to network design alternatives. Students will require a prior knowledge of C programming, an understanding of math probability and a computer science background is a plus.

What’s included

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Taught in English

32 practice exercises

Advance your subject-matter expertise

Learn in-demand skills from university and industry experts
Master a subject or tool with hands-on projects
Develop a deep understanding of key concepts
Earn a career certificate from University of Colorado System

Specialization - 4 course series

The assessments covers fundamental computer networking concepts and principles which will guide the learner to apply the networking theory and design principles, verify their understandings, and build a solid foundation for creating innovations in today's Internet. It lays foundations of network architectures, protocol design principles, and TCP/IP programming skills, which are necessary to take more advanced courses in graduate study and/or technical training in the industry. It covers basic networking knowledge and in-depth understanding of the inner-workings of computer networks and their evolution. Communication systems, from simple to asynchronous point-to-point links, to those based on complex network architectures will be assessed.

Fundamentals of Network Communication

Course 115 hours4.6 (2,388 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

In this course, we trace the evolution of networks and identify the key concepts and functions that form the basis for layered architecture. We introduce examples of protocols and services that are familiar to the students, and we explain how these services are supported by networks. Further, we explain fundamental concepts in digital communication, and focus on error control techniques that include parity check, polynomial code, and Internet checksum. Students will be required to have some previous programming experience in C-programming (C++/Java), some fundamental knowledge of computer organization and IT architecture and a background in computer science is a plus.

Skills you'll gain

TCP/IP, Digital Communications, OSI Models, Network Protocols, Network Routing, General Networking, Data Integrity, Network Architecture, Communication Systems, Network Planning And Design, System Programming, and Computer Networking

Peer-to-Peer Protocols and Local Area Networks

Course 215 hours4.7 (532 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

In this course, we discuss peer-to-peer protocols and local area networks. Part one in this course is to answer the question of how does a peer-to-peer protocol deliver reliable data transfer service across unreliable transmission lines or networks. We focus on several medium access control protocols and their performance analysis. In the second part, we discuss how medium access control protocols coordinate the access to the communication channel so that information gets through from a source to a destination in the same broadcast local area network. We further discuss local area network and wireless LAN.

Skills you'll gain

Local Area Networks, Network Protocols, Wireless Networks, Data Integrity, Telecommunications, OSI Models, TCP/IP, Network Performance Management, Network Analysis, and Computer Networking

Packet Switching Networks and Algorithms

Course 317 hours4.7 (453 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

In this course, we deal with the general issues regarding packet switching networks. We discuss packet networks from two perspectives. One perspective involves external view of the network, and is concerned with services that the network provides to the transport layer that operates above it at the end systems. The second perspective is concerned with the internal operation of a network, including approaches directing information across the network, addressing and routing procedures, as well as congestion control inside the network.

Skills you'll gain

Network Routing, Local Area Networks, Network Performance Management, OSI Models, Network Protocols, Network Architecture, Routing Protocols, Computer Networking, TCP/IP, and Algorithms

TCP/IP and Advanced Topics

Course 417 hours4.7 (748 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

In this course, we give an in-depth study of the TCP/IP protocols. We examine the details of how IP enables communications across a collection of networks. We pay particular attention to the hierarchical structure of IP addresses and explain their role in ensuring scalability of the Internet. The role of address prefixes and the uses of masks are explained in details. We review in details about TCP three-way handshake, flow control, and congestion control. Furthermore, we provide an introduction to some advanced topics, including Multicast, SDN and security

Skills you'll gain

TCP/IP, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Network Security, Network Routing, Software-Defined Networking, Virtualization, Network Protocols, Network Infrastructure, Local Area Networks, and OSI Models