The demand for professionals with knowledge of quantum computing is growing. While the research into this emerging field has been going on for decades, it’s only been in the last few years that we’ve seen companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft make real breakthroughs in developing usable quantum computers.
As these technologies become more widely available, there will be an increasing need for people who understand how they work — not just scientists and engineers but also business leaders who need to know how these machines fit into their organizations’ strategies and processes.
If you’re looking to get ahead of the curve and prepare yourself for the quantum technology revolution, several online courses can help. Platforms like EdX and Coursera offer online courses, some of which are free and self-paced. Here are ten online courses to help you prepare for the quantum revolution.
Quantum Computing For Everyone
Quantum Computing For Everyone is for techies and non-techies interested in learning about quantum computing and its impact on computing. It introduces quantum physics phenomena and progresses from simple operations to full algorithms. All you need is basic knowledge of Algebra, and you’ll do just fine.
The course is offered by the University of Chicago and taught by seasoned instructors like Kate Smith, a Chicago quantum exchange IBM postdoctoral scholar, and Diana Franklin -an associate professor at the University of Chicago. The self-paced course runs for 3 to 5 hours weekly for five weeks.
The course covers:
- The industries and fields that will benefit from quantum computing.
- Quantum physics principles and how they affect quantum computing.
- Mathematical representation of the quantum state
- Individual quantum operations.
- Mathematical operations to calculate quantum operations.
- Representation of multi-operation sequences
- Deutsch’s algorithm.
You can enroll for free, but your course materials will be limited. To get unlimited access, register for a paid version at $199. Students residing in Iran, Cuba, and the Crimea region of Ukraine cannot access the program.
Quantum 101: Quantum Computing & Quantum Internet
Quantum 101 is a paid EdX course for those with prior knowledge of quantum technology; it’s more technical than previously mentioned. The program lasts for three months, 6 to 8 hours per week, but it’s self-paced, making it very flexible. With Delft University of Technology professors – Stephanie Wehner, Lieven Vandersypen, and Menno Veldhorst as instructors, you’ll get value for your money and time.
In this course, you’ll learn:
- The building blocks of a quantum computer: Silicon spin qubits, diamond NV center qubits, superconducting qubits, and topological qubits. With this, you’ll understand how to build a quantum computer and its operation.
- Knowledge of fundamental ideas such as quantum algorithms, error correction, compilers, micro-architectures, and quantum programming languages.
- Quantum gates and how professionals use qubits to implement them.
- The feasibility of quantum technology and its advantages.
- The role of quantum technology in communications and the internet.
Each lesson is brief and includes a summary part, which is very helpful for students to review the material before the exam. You can enroll now for $268.
Understanding Quantum Computers
This course teaches the building of quantum computers and important quantum computing algorithms. It’s suitable for high school students, college students, and IT professionals interested in quantum computing at the “popular science” level.
Although simple mathematics will be used to illustrate key ideas, prior knowledge of sine waves, vectors, exponents, and the fundamentals of probability will make this course easy to understand. At the end of this course, you’ll understand the following:
- The role of quantum computing in the future and the role of Moore’s Law in the future of computing.
- Examine the value offered by current and upcoming quantum information technology products.
- Determine the significance of quantum superposition, entanglement, and interference in quantum algorithms.
- You’ll also learn the importance of quantum superposition, entanglement, and interference in quantum algorithms.
Understanding Quantum Computers is offered by Keio University, Japan’s first modern institution of higher learning, and its former students, namely Rodney Van Meter and Takahiko Satoh, are the instructors.
The monthly subscription costs $27.99, and the one-time payment costs $69. There’s a free version, but of course, it’s limited. Once you enroll, you can start taking your classes. It runs 5 hours weekly for four weeks.
Quantum Computing Fundamentals XPro By MIT
MIT’s Quantum Computing Fundamentals XPro is a more technical and more expensive course on quantum technology. It’s targeted at government and business leaders and professionals in the technology sector looking to understand quantum computing. Proper knowledge of linear algebra, vectors, and matrix multiplication is necessary for understanding this course.
Quantum Computing Fundamentals XPro provides an in-depth look at how quantum computers work and differ from classical computers. You’ll also learn about the technical and business aspects of the technology. The course includes practical learning through simulations, assessments, case studies, tools, and the IBM Q experience. You’ll have access to all online videos on the go.
At the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
- Identify one crucial technological prerequisite for the proper functioning of quantum computers.
- Learn the fundamental quantum operations and the mathematical formulation of quantum states.
- Determine if quantum algorithms outperform traditional ones in cybersecurity, chemistry, and optimization.
- Learn the engineering specifications needed to implement quantum vs. conventional algorithms.
- Learn about the constraints science places on quantum algorithms for chemistry and optimization.
Your instructors will include Isaac Chuang, William Oliver, and Peter Shor, all professors at MIT. Enrollment costs $2,249, while the program will run 4 to 6 hours per week and four weeks per course.
Introduction To Computing – Geeks For Geeks
GeeksforGeeks is an Indian science and education portal that offers well-written, thought-out, and explained answers to tech-related problems. The instructors provide a good introduction to quantum computing courses, plus several forum discussions and activities that let you hone your aptitude for quantum computing.
It’s free, but it’s not for folks seeking in-depth knowledge of quantum computing.
The Quantum Quest
Quantum Quest is a web class organized by QuSoft and the University of Amsterdam, perfect for high school students. The course’s primary goal is to introduce students to university-level mathematics, not to teach them how to program for the next generation of computers.
You will know what quantum bits and algorithms are and what they are useful for.
The course is divided into three parts:
- Start Quirky: students will access the Quirky Quantum Simulator, created by Craig Gidney, directly from their web browser.
- Watch all videos: with the expert visual presentations from QuSoft’s Dr. Stacey Jeffery, Professors Ronald De Wolf, Harry Buhrman, and Kareljan Schoutens, five Web lessons are posted on Vimeo for students’ learning.
- Read Lecture Notes: students study the most recent of the 97-page long lecture notes, communicate with other students about the assignments, and turn in assignments using an online discussion board called Canvas.
The course covers:
- Maestro of probability” -what is a probabilistic bit?
- Conqueror of the qubit -what is a quantum bit?
- Wizard of entanglement -how about two quantum bits?
- Quantum composer -what is a quantum circuit?
- Algorithm virtuoso -what is a quantum algorithm?
The next edition of the course will take place in November 2023.
Microsoft’s Quantum Computing For Computer Scientists
Microsoft has a 79-page PDF course that exposes you to quantum technology theoretically. At the end of the course, you’ll learn:
- How to represent computation with basic linear algebra (vectors and matrices).
- Qubits, superposition, and quantum logic gates.
- An illustration of a quantum computer beating a classical computer.
You’ll also get a bonus topic on teleportation and quantum entanglement. The course is free.
Quantum Computer Systems Design: Intro To Quantum Computation And Programming
Quantum Computer Systems Design is an introduction to the design principles of quantum computers by the University of Chicago. It’s. In this course, you’ll learn how to use the IBM Qiskit software tools to develop basic quantum programs in Python and run them on cloud-accessible quantum hardware.
To understand this course, you’ll need Quantum Computing for Everyone. It runs 8 to 12 hours per week for four weeks, and you’ll get a professional certificate at the end.
Topic covered in this course are:
- Introduction to systems research in quantum computing.
- Fundamental rules in quantum computing, Bloch Sphere, Feynman Path Sum.
- Sequential and parallel execution of quantum gates, EPR pair, no-cloning theorem, quantum teleportation.
- Medium-size algorithms for NISQ (Near-term Intermediate Scale Quantum) computers.
- Quantum processor microarchitecture: classical and quantum control.
- Quantum program compilation and qubit memory management.
Two of its instructors, Fred Chong and Yongshan Ding, are professors and assistant professors at the University of Chicago and Yale University, respectively. The paid class (Verified Track) costs $200 to enroll with unlimited access to course materials, while the free Audit track is limited.
Quantum Technology: Computing
This Micromasters program by Purdue University is the most advanced and comprehensive on the list. You will next examine a wave function in quantum systems, use mathematics to depict quantum processes, and decipher quantum traces in the data.
At the end of this course, you’ll learn:
- To formulate fundamental quantum phenomena mathematically applicable to quantum technology.
- The challenges of quantum computing in engineering.
- How to create and use fundamental quantum algorithms.
- Technology for quantum communication and sensing.
- Analyze various quantum computing architectures.
Each course offers a thorough curriculum and a variety of learning tools, including practical tasks that let you experience how quantum devices work. The practical tasks will be beneficial in ensuring that you fully comprehend the fundamental ideas.
The program runs 7 to 9 hours weekly for ten months, but it’s not flexible as the others being that it is instructor-led. Instructors include Zubin Jacob and Mahdi Osseini -associate professors at Purdue University. You’ll pay a $4,725 fee for the full program.
Quantum Machine Learning
Quantum machine learning is an emerging field in quantum information science that studies applying quantum theory to machine learning.
In Peter Wittek’s Quantum Machine Learning course, you will learn several quantum machine learning algorithms and how to implement them in Python. It explains what benefits existing, and future quantum technologies may give to machine learning, with a focus on techniques that are difficult with classical digital computers.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Distinguish between quantum computing paradigms relevant to machine learning.
- Assess expectations for quantum devices on various time scales.
- Identify opportunities in machine learning for using quantum resources.
- Implement learning algorithms on quantum computers in Python.
Quantum Machine Learning runs 6 to 8 hours a week for nine weeks, and you can progress at your own pace. The verified track costs $49 and offers unlimited access to course materials, but the audit track is free and limited.
