10 Best Programming Fundamentals Courses on edX
We compared 10 Programming Fundamentals courses currently listed on edX, priced from $40.00 to $672.30. 9 of them teach the subject directly and 1 are built around a certification exam. 6 come from a named university or institution, including University of British Columbia, The Georgia Institute of Technology and Columbia University. They are ordered by our CourseAsk score, which is built from how thoroughly each course describes what it teaches, whether it comes from a named institution, and how it compares on price — not from star ratings, which our course data does not include.
- Courses compared
- 10
- Price range
- $40.00 – $672.30
- Providers
- edX
- Last updated
- 30 Aug 2026
How these 10 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from edX, matched to "programming fundamentals" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $40.00 to $672.30, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Software Development Foundations
Offered by University of British Columbia
This course lays the groundwork for understanding the essential principles of software development. You’ll explore the different methodologies and frameworks that guide software engineering practices and gain insight int...
$562.50listed price -
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2
Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming with Java
Offered by The Georgia Institute of Technology
This course provides an introduction to Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) using Java, a fundamental programming language widely utilized in various software applications. You'll learn essential OOP concepts, enabling you...
$672.30listed price -
3
Essential Math for AI Programming & Data Structures
Offered by Columbia University
This course focuses on the essential mathematical concepts needed for AI programming, along with foundational knowledge in data structures. It’s designed to help you understand how math and data structures underpin machi...
$135.00listed price -
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4
C Programming with Linux
Offered by Dartmouth College
This course focuses on programming in C, a fundamental language often used in operating systems and embedded systems. You'll gain practical experience using Linux, providing a solid foundation for understanding system-le...
$623.70listed price -
5
Programming for Data Science
Offered by Adelaide University
Learn how to apply fundamental programming for data science concepts, computational thinking and data analysis techniques to solve real-world data science problems.
$199.00listed price -
6
C Programming: Getting Started
Offered by Dartmouth College
Start learning one of the most powerful and widely used programming languages: C.
$99.00listed price -
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7
edX MOOC / Non-creditIntroduction to Operating Systems 1: Virtualization
Offered by Codio
Learn OS fundamentals with no installs. Build C skills while exploring processes, CPU scheduling, and memory basics through short readings, images, and runnable code. Video-free, self-paced assignments provide instant fe...
$149.00listed price -
8
Building Applications: Get started
Offered by Microsoft
Learn the fundamentals of creating web applications with ASP.NET Core and building .NET applications using C#, including essential concepts and skills for web development.
$40.00listed price -
9
edX MOOC / Non-creditIT Fundamentals for Business Professionals: Programming
Offered by Universitat Politècnica de València
Working with Information Technology (IT) without the necessary background? Learn the fundamentals of software programming
$69.00listed price -
10
CS50's Introduction to Programming with R
Offered by Harvard University
An introduction to programming using a language called R, a popular language for statistical computing and graphics in data science and other domains.
$299.00listed price
Best Programming Fundamentals Courses on edX compared
| # | Course | Provider | Offered by | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Development Foundations | edX | University of British Columbia | $562.50 | View → |
| 2 | Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming with Java | edX | The Georgia Institute of Technology | $672.30 | View → |
| 3 | Essential Math for AI Programming & Data Structures | edX | Columbia University | $135.00 | View → |
| 4 | C Programming with Linux | edX | Dartmouth College | $623.70 | View → |
| 5 | Programming for Data Science | edX | Adelaide University | $199.00 | View → |
| 6 | C Programming: Getting Started | edX | Dartmouth College | $99.00 | View → |
| 7 | Introduction to Operating Systems 1: Virtualization | edX | Codio | $149.00 | View → |
| 8 | Building Applications: Get started | edX | Microsoft | $40.00 | View → |
| 9 | IT Fundamentals for Business Professionals: Programming | edX | Universitat Politècnica de València | $69.00 | View → |
| 10 | CS50's Introduction to Programming with R | edX | Harvard University | $299.00 | View → |
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 10 priced courses on this page run from $40.00 to $672.30, with the middle of the range around $199.00 — a spread of $632.30. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from edX. Everything on this page is sold on the one platform, so the buying experience is the same whichever you pick. 6 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of British Columbia, The Georgia Institute of Technology and Columbia University — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Courses versus exam preparation
1 of the entries here are built around a certification exam rather than teaching Programming Fundamentals from scratch. They are the right choice only if you already know the material and want to pass a specific exam; if you are starting out, pick one of the taught courses first and come back to exam preparation afterwards.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 30 August 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.