Investment courses for first-time investors
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Creating an investment portfolio is often seen as a great way to compound wealth. But you can't build a portfolio without knowing how the stock market works or which investment strategies are worthwhile.
By taking an investment course with edX, you can learn what makes a successful investor and gain insights into stock market fluctuations and trends. This guide explores courses for first-time investors on edX.
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Why should you take investment courses?
Investment courses can help you navigate the stock market and determine the best investments for your portfolio.
The stock market is comprised of investors who buy and sell portions of a publicly traded company's ownership. These fragments of ownership in a company are called shares or stocks. As a company gains or loses value, so does its share price.
Although there's no cap for stock market earnings, the timeline for the return on your investment (ROI) can vary depending on the type of stock. For example, common stocks offer better long-term ROI due to interest, while preferred stocks may provide higher dividends, which are direct payments from the company's profits.
Many people invest in the stock market to build wealth for retirement, and others use investments as their sole source of income. However, investing may not provide liquid wealth, meaning it's inaccessible for purchases. Investors often have to sell shares without reinvesting the profit to gain access to liquid funds.
What do investment courses cover?
Investment courses on edX can prepare you to build your own portfolio or work in the financial industry as an investment banker, planner, or advisor. These courses often provide insights into assessing stock valuation and equity indexes like the Nasdaq, Dow Jones, and SP 500, which are the services that monitor and report stock performances.
In an investment course, you can learn about different avenues for investing, such as public sector and developing economy investments. edX also offers investment courses about international investment opportunities.
The time it takes to complete an investment course on edX depends on the type of course you select. For example, a professional certificate program may take around six months, while an Executive Education program can take 6–8 weeks to complete.
What are some investment courses on edX?
- Essential Career Skills for Investment Banking and Finance
- Want to become an investment banker? This course teaches essential skills for working in finance. Explore this New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) course to learn how to get hired in investment banking.
- Equity Indexes, Valuations, and Investment Vehicles
- In this NYIF course you can learn how to assess the value of a stock by analyzing equity indexes. You'll explore the different types of investments you can make, such as mutual funds, bonds, or exchange-traded funds.
- Reporting Investments, Pensions, and Financial Statement Analysis
- In this NYIF course, discover the fundamentals of investment accounting and reporting. You can also learn to assess financial performance through statement analysis.
- Unlocking Investment and Finance in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs)
- International investors can finance the growth of emerging markets by investing in them. Take this World Bank Group course to explore investment trends and opportunities in developing economies.
- Public Debt, Investment, and Growth: The DIG and DIGNAR Models
- In this course from the International Monetary Fund, you can learn to use two models that assess how public debt and investment impact a nation's economy.
- Introduction to Investments
- Are you just beginning your financial career or investment portfolio? This NYIF course is an excellent starting point. Learn about domestic and international investing, primary and secondary markets, risk and return, and more.
- International Investment Law
- Learn the essentials of investing across borders in this UCLouvain course. Different countries have varying protections for international investments. This course can help you understand those laws so you can invest in a foreign economy while abiding by their regulations.