How Long Do Excel Courses Take?

One important consideration when enrolling in a Microsoft Excel course is the time commitment to completing a program. Signing up for a class requires more than attending lessons; it also means setting time aside to practice the spreadsheet skills you’re learning and completing any assignments that are required to graduate. Time is a valuable commodity, which means it’s important to consider if the training you’ll receive will be worth the monetary and time investment you’ll make. The good news is that learning Excel is an in-demand skill in virtually all industries, so the knowledge you acquire is likely to improve your long-term earning potential, as well as your marketability. In this article, a brief description will be provided of how long different types of Excel courses last, which class is best for your professional needs, and ultimately, how to decide what program is right for you.

Length of Classes 

Similar to other skills, the time involved with learning Microsoft Excel depends on your ultimate learning goals as well as the amount of time you’re able to invest in training and practice. Coursework ranges in length from short, one-day classes to longer programs that span weeks or months. Course length typically corresponds to the depth of instruction that will be provided, which means that shorter courses tend to be more focused in scope, and longer classes are able to cover more ground in Excel training and even offer professional development incentives.

Short Courses

Excel classes are often divided into introductory, intermediate, or advanced-level training. Some educational providers offer courses at each of these levels, which can be completed in just one afternoon. One of the main benefits of enrolling in a short class is that it ensures you’ll receive the level of Excel instruction commensurate with your ability level. Novice Excel users can select beginner-friendly short classes that cover the basics, such as how to navigate a spreadsheet and make basic calculations, and not be overwhelmed by trying to master harder spreadsheet skills. And, rather than wasting time learning about the Excel user interface, those who already have a background in Excel can opt for intermediate or advanced-level coursework that will teach them topics like how to create PivotTables, split and join text, and create basic macros. 

Another benefit of short coursework is cost. Most programs that span one day of study cost less than $400. This means that students can reap the benefits of a live training session while acquiring essential training that they can put to use immediately following the class. Whereas certificate programs can take weeks or months to complete and cost thousands of dollars, short Excel classes provide accelerated, hands-on training for learners at all levels of Excel proficiency. 

Excel Bootcamps 

For those interested in progressing from beginner to intermediate and advanced-level Excel training over the course of several days or weeks, bootcamp study is an excellent option. Bootcamps are available in person and live online. One of the main benefits of bootcamp study is that they cover spreadsheet basics before progressing into more advanced concepts and skills. This learning approach ensures that participants will have a solid foundation in place with the basics before attempting advanced-level tasks, such as creating macros. 

Depending on the provider, Excel bootcamps vary in length from one day to several full days of instruction. They’re typically offered for $1,000 or less. Often, educators who offer short classes combine their introductory, intermediate, and advanced-level classes into a bootcamp program. This is usually offered at a discount, which makes this learning option less expensive than attending all three short courses independently.

Certificate Programs

If you’re interested in learning Excel alongside other skills, a certificate program may be a good match for you. These intensive programs are available in fields like data analytics or business intelligence and provide students with the opportunity to learn several essential skills alongside Excel. Those who enroll in a data analytics certificate program, for example, would learn to work with programming languages like Python and SQL, as well as software like Tableau for data visualization. The Excel component of this training would be specific to data analysis. By completing the certificate program, the student would be well-rounded in the skills needed to pursue an entry-level data analytics career path.

One of the main benefits of certificate programs is the depth of training they provide. Unlike college study, which usually requires four or more years to complete, certificates provide a condensed form of training without sacrificing any depth of instruction. Certificates in data analytics vary significantly in terms of length and cost. Some take just a few weeks to complete and are available for less than $5,000, whereas others may require months of time and cost more than $10,000. Students have the chance to focus entirely on learning data analytics while they’re enrolled rather than having to complete any irrelevant coursework. Upon graduation, they can put their skills to immediate use.

In addition to providing learners with rigorous, live instruction in the virtual or in-person classroom environment, certificates also offer additional training incentives as well. Some programs include 1-on-1 mentoring sessions or private tutoring as part of tuition. This gives students the opportunity to receive personalized help with complicated data analytics topics or have assistance with the job application process. Some certificates also offer professional development sessions, resume critiques, professional portfolio reviews, or access to networking events with other graduates. Additionally, a free course retake for up to a year is often included with the cost of study.

On-demand Classes

Another form of Excel training is on-demand coursework. This type of training comes in several formats. Typically, the educational provider records video lessons and posts additional resources like online tutorials or blogs, which students can complete at their own pace. This flexible learning option is a good choice for those who have busy schedules and may not be able to commit to live bootcamps or certificates that require attending regularly scheduled classes. Students not only have the benefit of determining when and where they wish to study in the asynchronous training format, but they also can dictate their own learning pace. This is especially helpful for those who wish to pause and rewind lessons or rewatch entire videos to commit a tricky Excel skill to memory.

While this level of freedom appeals to some, it can also be a drawback for others who may find it difficult to remain motivated to complete lessons. In the on-demand Excel training format, it can be easy to fall behind on lessons and remain independently motivated to learn Excel. Additionally, since no live instructor is present in these courses, students often need to spend additional time finding answers to their questions.

Part-time or Full-time?

Another factor that dictates the length of time it will take to complete an Excel course is whether it’s completed on a part-time or full-time basis. While some learners may have flexibility in making this decision, others may have to study on a part-time basis to accommodate full work schedules or other commitments. This is why some programs offer part-time training options on weeknights or over weekends. There are advantages and disadvantages to each training format to consider if you have the flexibility of deciding which option is best for you.

Full-time classes provide learners with the opportunity to fully focus on their studies and complete coursework in the shortest amount of time possible. While these classes can be completed sooner, this format comes with the expectation that participants will be able to devote additional time and effort to their work, in particular, time spent outside of class. Since most Excel training courses that span multiple days, weeks, or months will require students to complete homework assignments, full-time study means that these assignments will have to be completed in a shorter timeframe. 

On the other hand, part-time training provides learners a longer duration to complete all the required lessons and work. In part-time study, students may have weeks or even several months to complete work that would otherwise have to be finished in a fraction of this time. This affords learners the opportunity to practice Excel over a longer timeframe and grow more comfortable and confident in the skills they’re acquiring. However, part-time study also comes with the risk that students will not budget sufficient study time. Some learners who must balance full-time work with part-time Excel training may find it especially difficult to find the time and energy to stay on top of coursework.

Learn Excel with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers in-person and live online Excel courses for those looking to learn the ins and outs of spreadsheets. These classes are available to those who are just getting started using spreadsheets, as well as seasoned professionals hoping to acquire advanced-level Excel training. All Noble courses provide hands-on training in a small class environment and allow students to retake the class for free for up to one year after graduation.

For learners hoping to learn spreadsheet basics, Excel Level I: Fundamentals is an excellent study option. This one-day class teaches all the essential spreadsheet skills you’ll need to get started working with this application. Participants become familiar with basic functions, graphs, calculations, formatting, and printing. This program is intended for those with limited experience with Excel and who want to become more proficient.

Excel Level 2: Intermediate is available for learners who want to build on their prior Excel training and take their skills further. This short class covers topics like how to work with SUMIFs and VLOOKUP. Participants use PivotTables to summarize data, split and join text, and sort and filter databases. As a prerequisite to enrollment, prospective learners should have already completed Excel Level 1 or possess a similar skill set, including knowledge of formulas, functions, formatting, and printing.

Noble also offers Excel Level 3: Advanced for students interested in mastering this application’s complicated features. This program covers how to use complex functions like INDEX-Double MATCH and VLOOKUP-MATCH, how to use advanced analytics tools and write macros to save time and improve efficiency. Prospective learners should have proficiency with spreadsheets that’s equivalent to Noble’s Intermediate Excel course, including knowledge of IF statements, VLOOKUP, and PivotTables.

In addition to short Excel training classes, Noble also has a bootcamp that offers more comprehensive spreadsheet training. In Excel Bootcamp, participants grow from Excel beginners to pros over the course of several days. This hands-on program combines beginner, intermediate, and advanced course training and leaves students with the skills needed to work with functions and formulas, create macros, and use PivotTables.