Best Financial Analysis Courses

best-financial-analysis-coursesUsing the best financial analysis course will help you understand business and corporate finance, so you will become a better investor. None of us can escape from performing financial analysis at some or the other level, whether it is for our homes or our companies. It has almost become a life skill that all of us should learn and understand.

Luckily for us, there are several financial analysis courses available online that can teach beginners and professionals alike. They are tailored to address the needs of different types of learners. Here, we have meticulously curated eight of the most relevant online courses on financial analysis for you so you can choose one that best suits your requirements.


Here are the Best Financial Analysis Courses in 2020

Contents

Below is a list of the best financial analysis courses and certifications that will teach you the basics of business and investing.


Language & Tools of Financial Analysis by The University of Melbourne (Coursera)

The University of Melbourne offers this comprehensive financial analysis course through Coursera. This is one of the four courses taught in the Essentials of Corporate Finance Specialization. The specialization itself is an intermediate level, thus necessitating some prior experience in the field.

It is designed to teach the basics of accounting and financial analysis, with additional focus on financial decision-making and value measurement using discounted cash flow analysis. The course is expected to take over fifteen hours to complete but allows for flexibility in deadlines so attendees can schedule the course completion milestones such as quizzes as per their availability. Enrollment is free of charge.


Value Investing (Online) (Columbia Business School)

This online course is directly offered by Columbia Business School. It dives deep into teaching how to make the right decisions when it comes to investing. The course is directed at investors and corporate decision-makers. This program is spread over two months, requiring the enrollees to dedicate 6-8 hours per week.

The program has a set start date, so it is not as flexible as some of the other online courses. It is structured as a typical classroom program, offering pre-recorded video lectures, case studies, a hands-on project, grading, and feedback. It is also one of the most expensive financial analysis courses available online, costing $3750.


Python & Statistics for Financial Analysis by Hong Kong University (Coursera)

Taught by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology professor Xuhu Wan, this Coursera offering has almost 28,000 enrolled candidates. As the name suggests, you will get to learn Python programming, statistics and data visualization in the context of financial analysis.

The course guidelines recommend having some basic knowledge of probability before getting into the coursework. You can finish this course in four modules spread out over thirteen hours. It comes with three different quizzes to assess your performance. Plus, you have the luxury of modifying the deadlines based on your other commitments. You can enroll yourself in this course for free.


The Complete Financial Analyst Course 2019 (Udemy)

This is a popular course with more than 187,000 enrollees on Udemy. You do not need any prior experience in the area. It covers the basics of Microsoft Excel and its use in financial applications. This course is quite useful for those who have just started their own companies and maybe looking at filing 10-K reports and understanding the basics of accounting and bookkeeping such as constructing balance and profit & loss sheets.

The course is taught through 17.5 hours of video lectures and you receive a certificate of completion at the end. The best part is that it costs less than $7 in a discounted scheme, instead of the usual $165.


Valuation & Financial Analysis For Startups by Yonsei University (Coursera)

This course, offered by Yonsei University on Coursera, is a valuable resource for budding entrepreneurs who have just incorporated a startup company. This specialization program is comprised of five different courses. You learn how to calculate the value of a startup, perform financial analysis for a startup, and use a thorough understanding of investment parameters to wisely invest money.

Enrollees are also engaged in a hands-on project where they apply the techniques that they learned in the coursework to find the values of different startups. A certificate is provided upon successful completion of the program. Moreover, you can enroll yourself in this specialization program free of cost.


The Complete Financial Analyst Training & Investing Course (Udemy)

This is another one of Udemy’s many courses in financial analysis. Once again, no previous knowledge of finance or Microsoft Excel is necessary. The course is very relevant for those seeking to pursue a career as a financial analyst as it discusses career opportunities in investment banking, private wealth management, and other areas.

It also teaches how to build financial models and perform portfolio management using Excel. It takes around 22.5 hours to complete this course, after which you earn a certificate of completion. This course is also available at a discounted price of around $7, instead of the normal $169.


Excel Crash Course: Master Excel for Financial Analysis (Udemy)

This course offered by Udemy is focused on teaching Microsoft Excel for applications related to financial analysis. It caters to both beginners and advanced learners. Since it is a crash course, it only takes 3.5 hours to complete it. The program is useful for those preparing for jobs in financial analysis, investment banking, corporate development, equity research, and similar fields, as Excel is an indispensable tool in these areas.

Even highly trained professionals can gather some new tricks of the trade through this course. The course only costs $38, and Udemy is even offering a special price of $6 for a limited time.


Financial Analyst Courses (edX)

edX offers over thirteen different courses on financial analysis, covering wide-ranging topics such as accounting, financial decision-making, financial market analysis, risk management, and cash flow analysis. The courses are all taught by well-reputed universities and institutions such as the University of Michigan, Imperial College London, Columbia University and the New York Institute of Finance.

Most of these courses are self-paced so people can choose to pursue them as and when they please. Moreover, three of the courses are professional certificate programs. These edX courses take anywhere between 12 and 50 hours to complete, some of them free of charge and others as costly as $760.


Our recommendation

As you can see, the many financial analysis courses offered online are designed for people at different stages of diverse careers such as entrepreneurs, financial analysts, investment bankers, etc. To know what course is the most useful for you, ask yourself who you are and what you want to gain from the course.

If you are a beginner looking for an inexpensive training program in financial analysis, try one of the courses offered by Udemy. If you are an investor or a fresh entrepreneur, go for the corresponding specialized courses that we have discussed. These online resources can immensely enhance your financial analysis skills and prepare you for a successful career.