Online courses are a great way to learn things out of what you may have majored in during your undergraduate days. As most of us own a smartphone, online courses are accessible anytime, anywhere. This gives us no excuse to forgo an opportunity to learn something new on our way to work on the train or during lunch hour. Besides, the lectures can be played at a faster playback rate, so you can watch the video in almost half the time necessary.
One of the most popular online courses websites is Coursera. Coursera collaborates with universities to make some of their modules available online. Lecture videos are free, just select the “Audit” option to gain access. However, you may have to pay for quiz assessments and a verification certificate for verification of credibility during employment.
Some of the courses begin in August, so you can pace yourself to learn when you have some time on your hands.
We have shortlisted 5 of them for those eager to grasp more comprehensive knowledge about finance.
#1 Understanding The Financial Markets, University of Geneva
This course imparts knowledge about the characteristics of financial markets. The lecture videos give you a summary on areas such as risk management and hedge funds. Some of the lessons are conducted with financial professionals from UBS so you can be assured that the course is truly led by experts.
Some of the topics include:
- The role of financial markets
- Basic concepts in finance
- Investment management in a nutshell
If you are worried that the lectures are like the classic hour-long ones you have experienced in university, fret not. The lecture videos are usually short, ranging from between 2 – 10 minutes.
Link: Understanding The Financial Markets
#2 Personal & Family Financial Planning, University of Florida
This course would probably be the most practical one for daily living. The key learning outcome of this course is to help people develop good financial habits. Some of the early concepts introduced are the time value of money, a basic concept learnt by every finance student. It is also important for everyone to know some finance concepts to be financially literate so that we don’t end up hoarding cash in savings accounts instead of investing them to grow wealth.
Some of the topics include:
- Credit Basics And Debt Management
- Insurance Decision-Making
- Saving And Investing
- Rules of Investing
- Mutual Funds
The course starts on 1 August, and enrollment ends on 6 August.
Link: Personal & Family Financial Planning
Read Also: 4 Fun Things To Do On The Train To Save Money
#3 Behavioral Investing, Indian School of Business
The lecture videos cover the issue of bias thoroughly. It provides insight into how people make financial decisions, and you will also be more aware of your actions if you’re exhibiting signs of bias.
Some of their topics include:
- Overconfidence Bias
- Loss Aversion Bias
- Hindsight Bias
- Sample Size Neglect
This course begins on 1 August.
Link: Behavioral Investing
#4 Valuing Projects & Companies, University of Michigan
For those keen on learning how to value a company to determine if it will make a good investment, this course is for you. But this course is more technical than the others on this list. For those who have a phobia of financial intricacies, perhaps you can watch the introductory videos instead to get a rough idea, and to whet your appetite for more in-depth concepts in the future.
Some of the topics include:
- Timing A Project – When To Invest
- Methods of Valuation
- Domestic Versus Global Valuation
Link: Valuing Projects & Companies
#5 Finance For Everyone: Value, McMaster University
This course aims to help you learn about the universal frameworks that influence the way money and ideas interact to allocate financial resources. You will learn how to understand pricing, diversification, and uncertainty. Although value can be a rather arbitrary concept because of how subjective it is to amalgamate ideas and numbers, this course will guide you through this area.
Some of the topics include:
- Cash Flow Assumptions
- Investment Techniques
- Perfection & Correction
This course starts in August.
Link: Finance For Everyone: Value
Read Also: 3 Youtube Channels You Can Watch To Learn About Finance Effortlessly
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