Finance Fundamentals

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more For further information about registration, the final assessment course, your eligibility and the BA in Business Management, visit the Open University website . If you are aiming to use your study of courses in the Business and Finance Fundamentals program to obtain academic credit, please be aware that the final planned presentation of the Open University Assessment Course BXM191 Business and Finance Fundamentals in Practice starts October 2020. Please ensure that you allow yourself enough time to obtain all eight Certificates of Achievement from courses in the program before registering for the Assessment Course. The start dates of the relevant FutureLearn courses in 2019 and 2020 are available here .

Topics Covered

Investment planning and decision-making
Savings and investment products
Investment risks
Investment theories – diversification, portfolio theory, capital-asset pricing model
Investment theories – efficient market hypothesis, random walk theory, chartism
Investment in practice – methods employed by fund managers
Historical analysis of investment returns
Historical investment episodes and what we learn from them
Individual human behavioural biases and investment decision-making
Group human behavioural biases and investment decision-making

Reviews summary

Solid introduction to investment fundamentals

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation in finance fundamentals and investment theory. Many found the explanations of key concepts like portfolio theory and the efficient market hypothesis to be clear and easy to follow. Students appreciated the inclusion of practical examples and discussions of behavioural biases. While the course is seen as a great starting point for beginners, some more experienced learners found parts to be basic. There's a general sense that the course leans more heavily on investment theory rather than practical trading mechanics, which some students noted. Overall, it is widely regarded as a highly positive introduction to the world of investing.

Content pace is suitable for understanding material.

"The pace of the course was just right for absorbing the material effectively."

"I appreciated the step-by-step approach, not too fast or too slow for a beginner."

"Felt the learning curve was manageable, even for some potentially difficult topics."

Complex theories explained simply and clearly.

"The lectures broke down complex theories like CAPM really well."

"Found the explanations of different investment theories incredibly clear."

"The way the instructor explained diversification made it easy to grasp."

"The content delivery was very clear and easy to understand."

Builds essential knowledge for beginners.

"This course gave me a really solid grounding in the basics of investment theory."

"Perfect for someone starting out, it covers all the fundamental concepts well."

"I had almost no prior knowledge, and this course built my understanding step by step."

Primarily covers fundamentals, not advanced topics.

"If you're already familiar with basics, this might feel too introductory for you."

"Doesn't go deep into advanced strategies or derivatives pricing."

"It's definitely 'fundamentals', don't expect expert-level detail or complex modeling."

Emphasizes theory over practical trading application.

"While the theory is great, I was hoping for more practical how-to on trading."

"It's heavy on the 'theory' part, less on the 'practice' mentioned in the title."

"Covers the theoretical models extensively but lacks hands-on application exercises."

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Learners who complete Finance Fundamentals: Investment Theory and Practice will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Topics Covered

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Reviews summary

Solid introduction to investment fundamentals

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