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Introduction to Finance: The Role of Financial Markets

Introduction to Finance: The Role of Financial Markets

Instructor: Xi Yang

14,594 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

95 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

Build toward a degree

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

95 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

Build toward a degree

Learn more

What you'll learn

Understand and apply the time value of money in order to value financial and real asset investments, and to make investment decisions.
Master capital allocation across time, with an ability to analyze capital budgeting problems in a firm.
Understand the basics of measuring risk and return and the trade-offs.
Understand the structure of bond market and stock market.

Skills you'll gain

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Assessments

25 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

In Introduction to Finance: The Role of Financial Markets, you will be introduced to the basic concepts and skills needed for financial managers to make informed decisions. With an overview of the structure and dynamics of financial markets and commonly used financial instruments, you will get crucial skills to make capital investment decisions. With these skills, you will be ready to understand how to measure returns and risks and establish the relationship between these two. The focus of this course is on basic concepts and skill sets that will have a direct impact on real-world problems in finance. The course will enable you to understand the role of financial markets and the nature of major securities traded in financial markets. Moreover, you will gain insights into how to make use of financial markets to create value under uncertainty.

In this course, you will be introduced to the basic concepts and skills needed for financial managers to make informed decisions. With an overview of the structure and dynamics of financial markets and commonly used financial instruments, you will get crucial skills to make capital investment decisions. With these skills, you will be ready to understand how to measure returns and risks, and establish the relationship between these two. The focus of this course is on basic concepts and skill sets that will have a direct impact on real-world problems in finance. The course will enable you to understand the role of financial markets and the nature of major securities traded in financial markets. Moreover, you will gain insights into how to make use of financial markets to create value under uncertainty. Nest, you will be introduced to basic terms of bonds: coupons, face value, coupon rate, maturity, and yield to maturity. You will be presented with the ways to value level-coupon bonds and zero-coupon bonds. You will learn why companies would like to have their bonds rated, and what the factors are that determine the bond ratings. You will also identify the structure of bond market and the major players of the bond market.

What's included

9 videos9 readings7 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt1 plugin

9 videos Total 59 minutes

Learn on Your Terms 1 minute
1-1.1. Module 1 Overview 4 minutes
1-2.1. Bond: Basic Concepts 5 minutes
1-3.1. Bond Valuation: Introduction 11 minutes
1-3.2. Bond Valuation: Interest Rate 10 minutes
1-3.3. Bond Valuation: Zero-coupon Bonds 8 minutes
1-4.1. Types of Bonds 9 minutes
1-4.2. Bond Ratings 8 minutes
1-5.1. Module 1 Wrap Up 4 minutes

9 readings Total 90 minutes

Syllabus 10 minutes
Formula Sheet 10 minutes
Glossary 10 minutes
Brand Description 10 minutes
About the Discussion Forums 10 minutes
Online Education at Gies College of Business 10 minutes
Updating Your Profile 10 minutes
Module 1 Overview 10 minutes
Module 1 Readings 10 minutes

7 assignments Total 140 minutes

Orientation Quiz 30 minutes
Lesson 1-1 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 1-2 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 1-3 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 1-4 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 1-5 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Bond Valuation Graded Quiz 60 minutes

1 peer review Total 120 minutes

Module 1 Peer Review Assignment 120 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Getting to Know Your Classmates 10 minutes

1 plugin Total 15 minutes

Demographics Survey 15 minutes

In this module, you will learn the basics of stock valuation. You will be presented with the fundamentals of stock market structure, and how companies issue stocks in the market. In addition to that, you will explore the different types of stocks, including common stocks and preferred stocks. You will also identify/find how to get real-time information of individual stocks, and how to read stock quotes.

What's included

8 videos2 readings6 assignments

8 videos Total 71 minutes

2-1.1. Module 2 Overview 4 minutes
2-2.1. Stock: Basic Concepts 14 minutes
2-3.1. Stock Valuation: Introduction 11 minutes
2-3.2. Stock Valuation: Parameter Estimation 8 minutes
2-3.3. Stock Valuation: Growth Opportunities 8 minutes
2-3.4. Stock Valuation: P/E ratio 6 minutes
2-4.1. Stock Markets 16 minutes
2-5.1. Module 2 Wrap Up 4 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Module 2 Overview 10 minutes
Module 2 Readings 10 minutes

6 assignments Total 110 minutes

Lesson 2-1 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 2-2 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 2-3 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 2-4 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 2-5 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Stock Valuation Graded Quiz 60 minutes

This module is the application of the capital budgeting process. First, you will learn/encounter/see/be exposed to some common scenarios when we evaluate which cash flow should be accounted for in the capital budgeting analysis. Then, you will be introduced to the treatment of after-tax salvage value and accelerated depreciation schedule. This information will be combined to determine whether a project is worthwhile to explore or not. You will also discuss the impact of inflation on capital budgeting decisions. As a result, this module will help you establish a big picture of the company’s investment decisions.

What's included

7 videos2 readings6 assignments

7 videos Total 40 minutes

3-1.1. Module 3 Overview 3 minutes
3-2.1. Incremental Cash Flows 6 minutes
3-3.1. Opportunity Costs 3 minutes
3-3.2. Sunk Costs 4 minutes
3-3.3. Side Effects 4 minutes
3-4.1. Capital Budgeting: An Example 19 minutes
3-5.1. Module 3 Wrap Up 3 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Module 3 Overview 10 minutes
Module 3 Readings 10 minutes

6 assignments Total 110 minutes

Lesson 3-1 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 3-2 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 3-3 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 3-4 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 3-5 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Capital Budgeting Graded Quiz 60 minutes

In this module, you will review the historical record of return and risk for major categories of financial instrument, and reveal that there exists a trade-off between risk and return. You will also learn how to calculate return and risk based on the real data collected from financial markets. The trade-off between risk and return reveals that investors should set reasonable expectations of return based on their risk preferences.

What's included

9 videos4 readings6 assignments1 peer review1 plugin

9 videos Total 78 minutes

4-1.1. Module 4 Overview 5 minutes
4-2.1. Returns (Part 1) 12 minutes
4-2.2. Returns (Part 2) 6 minutes
4-3.1. Risks 12 minutes
4-3.2. Systematic risk and unsystematic risk 11 minutes
4-3.3. Beta Coefficient (Part 1) 6 minutes
4-3.4. Beta Coefficient (Part 2) 11 minutes
4-4.1. The Capital Asset Pricing Model 12 minutes
4-5.1. Module 4 Wrap Up 4 minutes

4 readings Total 40 minutes

Module 4 Overview 10 minutes
Module 4 Readings 10 minutes
Congratulations on Completing the Course! 10 minutes
Get Your Course Certificate 10 minutes

6 assignments Total 110 minutes

Lesson 4-1 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 4-2 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 4-3 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 4-4 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Lesson 4-5 Practice Quiz 10 minutes
Risk and Return Graded Quiz 60 minutes

1 peer review Total 120 minutes

Module 4 Peer Review Assignment 120 minutes

1 plugin Total 15 minutes

Course-End Survey 15 minutes

Build toward a degree

This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(32 ratings)

Xi Yang

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2 Courses 88,990 learners

Offered by

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Reviewed on Mar 1, 2023

it gives us the best insights and basic understanding of financial world.

Reviewed on Dec 13, 2020

Great content on the financial markets and a solid format to learn the fundamentals on this subject matter.

Reviewed on Dec 7, 2020

it was an amazing experience. Professor Xi has covered most of the important aspects of financial markets in this MOOC.

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