Microsoft SQL Server Professional Certificate

Learn SQL with Microsoft SQL Server. Learn essential database skills to design, query, optimize, and secure SQL Server environments using GenAI techniques for today's data-driven roles.

Instructor: Microsoft

Included with Coursera Plus

Learn more

5 course series

Earn a career credential that demonstrates your expertise

Beginner level

No prior experience required

3 months

at 7 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

5 course series

Earn a career credential that demonstrates your expertise

Beginner level

No prior experience required

3 months

at 7 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Write efficient SQL queries using T-SQL syntax to retrieve, filter, and analyze data from Microsoft SQL Server databases
Design and implement well-structured relational databases using normalization principles and proper schema design
Optimize database performance through indexing strategies, query tuning, and Implement database security measures, transaction management
Integrate SQL Server with business intelligence tools

Skills you'll gain

Data Management

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Advance your career with in-demand skills

Receive professional-level training from Microsoft
Demonstrate your technical proficiency
Earn an employer-recognized certificate from Microsoft

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV

Share it on social media and in your performance review

Professional Certificate - 5 course series

Build skills for in-demand data roles with the Microsoft SQL Server Professional Certificate. This comprehensive program equips you with essential skills for database administration, data analysis, and business intelligence positions, which are among the most sought-after technical jobs.

Starting with SQL query fundamentals and advancing to sophisticated database management, you’ll gain hands-on experience with Microsoft SQL Server, a leading database platform. Across five courses, you'll learn to write efficient SQL queries, design databases, implement security measures, optimize performance, and integrate business intelligence tools.

This program is unique with its practical approach and cutting-edge AI integration. You’ll leverage generative AI for query optimization and development, working on real-world projects that simulate workplace scenarios. Each course concludes with a comprehensive project to build your SQL Server skills portfolio.

Database skills are foundational in many industries, with SQL consistently ranking as a valuable technical competency for data professionals. No prior experience with databases or SQL is required. If you are detail-oriented, enjoy solving data-related problems, and wish to develop enduring technical skills, this program will provide you with the foundation needed for a successful data career.

Applied Learning Project

Throughout this program, you'll complete projects to demonstrate your growing SQL Server proficiency:

Course 1: Design and query a customer database, learning to retrieve, filter, and transform data to answer business questions about customer behavior.

Course 2: Implement a transaction processing system, ensuring data integrity through proper transaction management while handling concurrent operations.

Course 3: Design and implement a normalized database from scratch, applying database design principles and creating advanced queries for actionable business insights.

Course 4: Optimize a performance-challenged system with indexing strategies, analyzing execution plans, and creating stored procedures to improve query efficiency.

Course 5: Develop a secure database environment integrated with Power BI, implementing security measures and creating interactive dashboards to transform data into actionable intelligence.

SQL Foundations

Course 122 hours

What you'll learn

Learn the fundamentals of SQL with Microsoft SQL Server in this introductory course. You'll learn to write basic and intermediate queries to extract and analyze data while understanding relational database concepts. Through hands-on exercises with SQL Server Management Studio, you'll practice filtering data with WHERE clauses, sorting results with ORDER BY, and transforming data with built-in functions. This course also introduces you to database schemas, tables, and views, providing a foundation for understanding data structure. Additionally, you'll explore how generative AI tools can assist with SQL query development, reflecting modern workplace practices. By completing this course, you'll build confidence writing T-SQL queries and be prepared for more advanced data manipulation techniques.

Data Manipulation and Transactions in SQL Server

Course 215 hours

What you'll learn

Build on your foundational SQL knowledge by learning data manipulation techniques in SQL Server. This course focuses on using INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements to modify database contents while maintaining data integrity through proper transaction management. You'll learn to implement transaction control mechanisms, understand isolation levels, and prevent common concurrency issues. Through practical examples, you'll implement error handling strategies and explore the principles of ACID compliance essential for reliable database operations. The course also demonstrates how generative AI can help optimize complex SQL operations and troubleshoot transaction issues. By the end, you'll confidently perform data modifications while ensuring database consistency—crucial skills for any database professional.

Relational Database Design and Advanced Querying

Course 30 minutes

What you'll learn

Develop expertise in relational database design principles and implementation using SQL Server. This course teaches normalization techniques, entity-relationship modeling, and schema optimization to create efficient database structures. You'll use DDL (Data Definition Language) statements to build and modify database objects while enforcing data integrity through constraints. The advanced querying section covers complex joins, subqueries, CTEs, and aggregate functions that enable sophisticated data analysis. You'll also explore data warehousing concepts and learn to leverage GenAI to assist with complex query development from natural language descriptions. By the end of this course, you'll be able to design normalized databases from scratch and write advanced queries that extract meaningful insights from complex data structures.

Indexing, Performance Optimization & Functions in SQL Server

Course 40 minutes

What you'll learn

Learn the techniques that make SQL Server databases perform at their best. This course focuses on database performance tuning through proper indexing strategies, query optimization techniques, and execution plan analysis. You'll learn to identify bottlenecks using SQL Server's performance tools, implement appropriate index types, and rewrite inefficient queries. The course also covers stored procedures, user-defined functions, and views for encapsulating complex logic and improving maintainability. Through hands-on exercises, you'll analyze real-world performance scenarios and implement solutions that dramatically improve query response times. The integration of AI-assisted optimization techniques shows how modern tools can complement traditional performance tuning methods. By course completion, you'll be able to transform slow-running queries into high-performance database operations.

Security, Maintenance & Integration with BI Tools

Course 50 minutes

What you'll learn

Develop essential database administration skills focusing on security, maintenance, and business integration. This final course teaches you to implement SQL Server security through authentication, authorization, and data encryption while ensuring data integrity through validation constraints and auditing. You'll learn critical maintenance tasks including backups, recovery, and index maintenance to ensure database reliability and performance. The course also covers integrating SQL Server with Power BI for creating interactive dashboards and reports that transform raw data into actionable insights. Additionally, you'll explore modern application integration patterns and API connectivity. By completing this course, you'll possess the comprehensive skill set needed to securely manage database environments and bridge the gap between data storage and business intelligence.

Instructor

Microsoft

217 Courses1,469,173 learners

Offered by

Microsoft

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

New to Data Analysis? Start here.

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Learn more

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Explore degrees

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

SQL Server skills are relevant for multiple in-demand roles including Database Administrator, Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Developer, and Data Engineer. These positions exist across virtually every industry, from finance and healthcare to technology and retail. SQL skills consistently rank among the most requested technical competencies in job listings, with Microsoft SQL Server expertise being particularly valuable as it remains one of the most widely deployed enterprise database platforms.

SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language used to communicate with relational database management systems. Microsoft SQL Server is a specific database platform that uses its own implementation of SQL called T-SQL (Transact-SQL). T-SQL extends standard SQL with additional functionality including stored procedures, triggers, and transaction control. This certificate teaches you both standard SQL concepts and Microsoft's specific T-SQL implementation, giving you portable database skills along with specialized knowledge of one of the industry's leading platforms.

This program incorporates Generative AI in multiple ways that reflect modern database development practices. You'll learn to use AI tools to generate and optimize SQL queries from natural language descriptions, analyze inefficient queries for performance improvements, and automate repetitive SQL tasks. Rather than replacing SQL skills, AI becomes a powerful assistant that helps you work more efficiently. This approach mirrors how leading organizations are integrating AI into database workflows, giving you experience with cutting-edge techniques while still mastering the fundamental SQL skills that remain essential.

Yes, Microsoft SQL Server is a commercial database management system with its own T-SQL syntax and features, while MySQL and PostgreSQL are open-source alternatives. While all three use SQL, they have different syntax variations, management tools, and feature sets. SQL Server offers tighter integration with Microsoft's ecosystem (Azure, Power BI), advanced security features, and robust enterprise tooling. The core SQL concepts you'll learn are transferable across platforms, but this program focuses specifically on Microsoft's implementation, which is widely used in enterprise environments.

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, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Certificate, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Certificate. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.