What will I be able to do upon completing the course?

By the end of this course, you should be able to: 1. Familiarize yourself with the broader context of finance. 2. Explain how financial decisions may have positive and negative social impact. 3. Describe time value of money. 4. Perform financial calculations with accuracy. 5. Build confidence in your ability to make informed financial decisions. 6. Relate important financial concepts and issues to experiences in your daily life and the real world. 7. (Optional) Execute common financial calculations with a financial calculator.

How long does it take to complete this course?

This course is structured to be 4 weeks in length.

How often is this course offered?

This course will be offered every month.

What background knowledge is necessary?

No previous knowledge is required. It is recommended that learners have basic mathematics knowledge.

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Finance for Everyone: Decisions

Finance for Everyone: Decisions

This course is part of Finance for Everyone Specialization

Instructor: Arshad Ahmad

64,301 already enrolled

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

913 reviews

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

95%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

913 reviews

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

95%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

10 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

91% of learners achieved a positive career outcome

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Finance for Everyone Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Finance for Everyone: Decisions will introduce you to the workings of the free markets and the foundations of finance. You will learn how free markets and their “creative destruction” provide the architecture for the global economy and how those same markets move money in ways that create and destroy wealth. Your financial toolkit will include timeless concepts like compounding, discounting, annuities, effective interest rates, and more. You will also learn how to simplify important financial calculations and apply that knowledge to real-life decisions that can influence everything from how you pay for your car to where you live. Through peer review you will publish your view on an issue important to you. You will also discover how your applied decisions connect to bigger questions relating to changing market conditions as you prepare for the second course in F4E: Markets.

Module details

Welcome! This first week will give you a bit of background on the specialization and help set you up to make the most of your experience doing Finance for Everyone: Decisions. You will also engage with introductory concepts about finance, communicate with your fellow learners, and familiarize yourself with the course culminating project.

What's included

4 videos5 readings2 assignments3 discussion prompts

4 videosTotal 29 minutes

Introduction to the Specialization6 minutes
Introduction to Finance for Everyone: Decisions9 minutes
What is Finance?5 minutes
3 Important Aspects of Financial Decisions10 minutes

5 readingsTotal 50 minutes

Specialization Outline10 minutes
Where are Our Learners From?10 minutes
Keeping a Learning Portfolio10 minutes
Course Outline10 minutes
Thinking Ahead to the Op-Ed Assignment10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Making a Difference 130 minutes
Learner Interest Survey30 minutes

3 discussion promptsTotal 30 minutes

Introduce Yourself!10 minutes
Aligning Stakeholder Interests with Your Own10 minutes
Ideas that Matter to You10 minutes

In Week 2, you will continue to explore money flows and consider the time value of money. You can also optionally use a financial calculator, view a tutorial, and practice these new skills. Don't forget to continue brainstorming ideas for your course culminating project!

What's included

7 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

7 videosTotal 67 minutes

Decisions in Market Systems10 minutes
Market Types10 minutes
Time Value of Money I24 minutes
The Dutch Auction4 minutes
Dutch Auction - give it a try!2 minutes
The 3-Step Procedure to Improve Problem-Solving9 minutes
Financial Calculator Tutorial8 minutes

3 readingsTotal 30 minutes

LearnSmart: What it is and how to use it10 minutes
LearnSmart: Introduction to Corporate Finance (Optional)10 minutes
Financial Calculator Options10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Time Value of Money I30 minutes
Making a Difference 230 minutes
Using Your Financial Calculator30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Our Most Valuable Things10 minutes

In Week 3, you will delve deeper into money flows and time value of money. As these concepts wrap up for the course, you will continue to prepare your course culminating assignment.

What's included

8 videos1 reading3 assignments2 discussion prompts

8 videosTotal 68 minutes

Repercussions of the Free Market2 minutes
Income Inequality6 minutes
Social and Environmental Consequences5 minutes
Overextended Debt7 minutes
Introduction to Annuities & Perpetuities5 minutes
Future Value of an Annuity12 minutes
Present Value of an Annuity16 minutes
Perpetuities14 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

LearnSmart: Introduction to Valuation: Time Value of Money (Optional)10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Money Flows30 minutes
Making a Difference 330 minutes
Time Value of Money II30 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

Images of Inequity10 minutes
Unconventional Lenders and Rates10 minutes

In Week 4, you will synthesize your learnings for Finance for Everyone: Decisions. You will participate in a peer review of Op-Eds written by your classmates, complete a final quiz, and look ahead to Finance for Everyone: Markets!

What's included

4 videos1 reading2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 78 minutes

Time Value of Money I Quiz Solutions28 minutes
Time Value of Money II Quiz Solutions20 minutes
Solutions to Final Quiz22 minutes
Course 1 Epilogue8 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Solutions to Final Quiz using a Financial Calculator10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Final Quiz - Graded30 minutes
End of Course Feedback30 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

"Op-Ed" Assignment120 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Beyond Decisions10 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

(252 ratings)

Arshad Ahmad

McMaster University

5 Courses91,921 learners

Offered by

McMaster University

Learner reviews

5 stars
76.91%
4 stars
17.17%
3 stars
4.15%
2 stars
0.87%
1 star
0.87%

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Reviewed on Jun 14, 2021

An Awesome Course....!I think Everyone should take it.A person who is not from a Finance background will understand it easily.

Reviewed on Jun 16, 2020

The course is designed in such a way with relevant topics and simple examples. Additional topics with more focus on Equity and Bond markets may be included

Reviewed on Jun 5, 2020

I liked this course very much. I have learnt many things which will surely help in future. Those who are interested to know about Finance can definitely try this course.

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