Automation is rapidly becoming a core capability in modern business. Manual processes are not only time-consuming, but also prone to human error. Business automation offers a smarter way to work, helping organisations streamline workflows, reduce mistakes, and focus on high-value activities. The Professional Academy Diploma in Business Automation with Python will equip you with the skills to harness Python — one of the world’s most widely used programming languages — to design and implement automated solutions. You will learn how to extract and prepare data, generate reports, automate communication, interact with APIs, and build simple chatbots. By applying automation intelligently, you can make a real impact on efficiency, accuracy, and decision-making in your organisation.
COURSE LENGTH:
COURSE STRUCTURE:
- Introduction to Python Automation
- Data Preparation
- Basic Data Analysis
- Web Scraping
- File Handling
- Automated Report Generation
- Email Automation
- API Interactions
- Task Scheduling
- Business Communication Automation 1
- Business Communication Automation 2
- Putting it all together
STUDY OPTIONS:
Part Time
1 x 3 hour live online evening class per week over 12 weeks
SUMMARY:
This course focuses on practical, real-world business automation. Each unit combines interactive tutorials with hands-on coding challenges and case studies that reflect everyday business scenarios.
You’ll learn to:
- Set up your environment for automation: install and use libraries, understand documentation, refresh essential Python fundamentals.
- Extract, clean, merge, and transform datasets from files, web scraping, and APIs. Handle different data types, dates and times, exporting for further use.
- Analyse data: segmentation, trend and time series analysis, conditional logic. Learn to derive the “so what” from raw data.
- Automate file operations: reading, writing, copying/moving/deleting, structuring for reuse, backing up.
- Create reports: format and style Excel or PDF outputs; include charts or visuals; automate report creation.
- Send automated email communications: with attachments; handle email responses; understand spam filters and security considerations.
- Interact with APIs: REST API calls, working with JSON, scheduling API tasks.
- Use scheduling tools (e.g. APScheduler) or OS level methods to run scripts automatically at defined intervals or triggers.
- Design communication automation workflows: FAQ-bots or rule‐based responders; integrating GenAI and webhooks; error handling and ethical/privacy challenges.
- Bring it all together: in a capstone assignment, design and implement an end-to-end workflow that combines several automation methods, following best practices and real business needs for reliability, security and maintainability.
Your learning builds towards a capstone project, where you’ll design and document an automated workflow that could be implemented in a professional context.
This course also strengthens your ability to explore Python libraries and documentation independently, giving you a future-proof skillset for adapting automation techniques to different tasks and business challenges.
Learners taking part in this course will now have access to the EBSCO Online Library, free of charge, for the full duration of the course. Here you can browse thousands of relevant journal articles and other reliable academic and commercial texts like the Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg Businessweek and Forbes Magazine, to supplement your learning and assignments.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
Business process automation is increasingly central across industries, supporting faster, more accurate, and more consistent operations. Skills in Python automation are highly transferable and valued in sectors such as finance, logistics, healthcare, customer service, and beyond.
By completing this course, you will be able to:
- Apply automation confidently to reporting, scheduling, file management, and communication tasks.
- Showcase practical automation projects you’ve built as part of your learning.
- Speak knowledgeably about which tools, libraries or methods to use in automation, and design workflows that are efficient, secure, repeatable, and maintainable.
- Position yourself as someone who can influence, lead, or deliver automation initiatives.
Adding a UCD Professional Academy Diploma to your CV also signals to employers that you are committed to professional growth and equipped with future-facing skills.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Learners must have a computer with broadband connection and administrative permissions to install software such as a Python development environment, and audio capability for Zoom sessions.
In addition, students require:
- A Gmail account (free)
- A Gemini API (free tier sufficient at the time of writing; guidance provided during the course)
- An Anaconda account (free; installed live in Unit 1, no advance setup needed)
Learners should have foundational Python skills — including writing simple scripts, using loops and conditionals, and installing libraries. You should be comfortable troubleshooting errors and eager to apply coding in practical business contexts.
Prospective students for whom English is not a first language must have proficiency at IELTS Level 6.5 or higher in order to successfully participate and complete assignments.
ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION
The course is assessed through:
- Content quizzes (20%) at key learning milestones to test your understanding.
- Final assessment – Automated workflow design and insight report (80%): You will design, build, and document an automation workflow showing how it delivers business benefit.
The final project is due two weeks after the course ends, giving you time to refine and polish.
Your UCD Professional Academy Diploma will be issued electronically on a secure platform, with a link that you can share with employers and others wishing to verify your credentials. You’ll also be able to add the certification to your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate your achievement to your network as well as recruiters and potential employers searching for individuals with your skills and experience.
This course is not on the National Framework of Qualifications.
LEARNER PROFILE:
This course is suitable for professionals who are technically minded and whose work involves tasks that are repetitive, prone to human error, require periodic checking, or could otherwise benefit from automation. It is particularly relevant for:
- Project managers and business analysts
- Consultants and business administrators
- Office administrators and managers
- IT administrators and professionals responsible for streamlining processes
You may already be in one of these roles and looking to improve efficiency, reduce manual workload, and increase accuracy in your organisation, or you may be seeking to expand your skills to take on automation projects in future roles.
Learners should have foundational Python skills, including writing basic scripts, using loops and conditionals, and installing libraries. You should also be comfortable troubleshooting errors and eager to apply Python in practical business contexts.
