ESG Investing: Financial Decisions in Flux Specialization

• What is the refund policy?

  If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.

• Can I just enroll in a single course?

  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 Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.

• 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.

• Can I take the course for free?

  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. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.

• Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?

  This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.

• How long does it take to complete the Specialization?

  Time to completion will vary based on your schedule, but we anticipate most learners being able to finish the material in 28 weeks.

• What background knowledge is necessary?

  Previous investment experience is helpful but not required. Familiarity with stocks, fixed-income products, commodities, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is recommended.

• Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?

  Although you can take the courses in this Specialization in any order, we recommend that you follow the suggested sequence of courses in the syllabus.

• Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?

  Coursera courses and certificates don't carry university credit, though some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.

• What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?

  By the end of this specialization, students with basic knowledge of traditional financial products should be able to:

  • Describe how environmental, social and governance (ESG) principals originated, and how related governing frameworks, analytical strategies, and investment products are evolving in the financial markets.
  • Integrate ESG factors when conducting fundamental analyses on companies and offer insights about approaches to sustainable portfolio management construction.
  • List ways in which different industry sectors’ operations have shifted in the wake of increasing ESG-related concerns.
  • Analyze ESG-focused financial products such as green bonds, social bonds, and ESG-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
  • Differentiate between different forms of deceptive business practices, including green washing, social washing, and pink washing.
  • Rationalize the benefits and drawbacks of Big Data as a complement to fundamental analysis, and how developments in data science, including machine learning, natural language processing (NLP) and sentiment analysis algorithms, may be used for actionable accountability.
  • Provide insights about how millennials and younger investors may be driving increased attention on ESG investing.
  • Explain why ESG remains a work in progress and list some anticipated developments.

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