IBM's structured, beginner-friendly introduction to writing effective prompts on Coursera. It covers what prompt engineering is and why it matters, then works through practical techniques and common approaches. Clear and well-organised — a solid alternative to Vanderbilt's course if you prefer IBM's more structured, tool-oriented style.
Good for: A structured, beginner introduction to prompt engineering.
Less suitable if: You want advanced prompting or to build with an API.
Requirements: None; access to a generative-AI tool to practise.
Realistic time: Around 6–8 hours.
About this course
Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics from IBM is a structured, beginner-friendly introduction to writing effective prompts. It covers the fundamentals — what prompt engineering is and why it matters — then works through techniques like zero-shot and few-shot prompting, and introduces common prompt-engineering tools and approaches.
What you'll learn
Explain what prompt engineering is and why it matters
Write effective zero-shot and few-shot prompts
Apply common prompt patterns to real tasks
Use prompt-engineering tools and techniques
Iterate on prompts to improve output quality
Avoid common prompting mistakes
This course includes
Yes
Certificate
Yes
Mobile access
English
Language
What it costs
Free to audit on Coursera. A certificate needs a Coursera subscription or Coursera Plus, and the course is short enough that many finish within a free trial.
Comparison · LBS
Compare alternatives for Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics
Same topic, different options. We surface the trade-offs others hide so you can pick the course that actually fits your time, budget, and goals.
An IBM certificate on Coursera is a credible learning record. Prompt engineering has no official certification, so the value is the skills.
Last updated
AI tools change quickly; check the course has been kept reasonably current.
Instructor
RA
Rav Ahuja
Coursera instructor
Delivered by IBM's Skills Network with Rav Ahuja, who leads many of IBM's popular entry-level AI and data courses. The approach is structured and practical, built for newcomers rather than engineers.