A career in finance can be demanding and short-term courses are gaining in popularity as they help finance graduates to get an edge over competitors. Short courses can help them to gain more practical knowledge or more advanced knowledge in specific areas.
The finance sector changes all the time and short-term courses can also help them to learn quickly and build skills to meet changing demands.
Certified financial coach
Many people have difficulty managing their personal finances and finance graduates can choose to become financial coaches. For this, they need special expertise and the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) offers a financial coach certification program. It helps finance graduates acquire the expertise, credibility, and self-assurance they need to be competent financial coaches.
The training is academically rigorous but also offers practical guidance and implantation activities. The topics covered range from personal finance content to coaching principles and the psychological and behavioral aspects of coaching. The financial coaching industry is not subject to specific regulations but the NFEC has proactively developed a set of standards to protect coaches and their clients.
Certified financial planner
CFP certification is focused on financial planning and is one of the top finance certifications for graduates who want to manage high net worth clients. It is a globally recognized certification provided by the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB). Becoming a CFP can be a great differentiator for those wanting private banking, wealth management, and retail banking careers.
CFPs have to meet basic and ongoing educational and professional requirements. They have to pass an exam to assess competency, pledge to follow a code of ethics and provide financial planning in a client’s best interests.
Certified Investment Management Analyst
Earning the CIMA designation is a great way to take a career in finance to the next level. It typically takes 9 to 12 months to complete and candidates have to meet an ongoing range of examination, ethics, education, and experience guidelines.
To earn the designation, candidates have to complete an executive education program at one of the four registered programs offered by the Investment and Wealth Institute. One of these, the Yale School of Management, offers an online option. Courses are generally two to four days and conclude with an exam. The final certification exam is five hours long and includes 140 multiple-choice questions.
Certified Fund Specialist
A certified fund specialist is a finance service professional with advanced expertise in helping clients choose and manage mutual funds. They offer advice in areas like portfolio construction, asset allocation, and risk management.
This certification is typically obtained by those already working in the finance industry as accountants, investment bankers, certified financial planners or brokers. The credential is issued by the Institute of Business and Finance.
Candidates have a year to complete a self-guided course which generally takes about 15 weeks. The curriculum consists of six modules that include practice exam questions and supplemental reading. Students have to pass three proctored online exams and do a case study. Once certified, they must take 30 hours of continuing education every two years.
Certified Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst
This certification teaches professionals how to practically apply financial theory. They learn about financial modeling and valuation, step by step, in a practical way. On course completion, they can perform industry-leading financial analysis.
One of the main advantages of this program is that it is possible to do it online. It is offered by a variety of different providers, most of whom offer a flexible training schedule. Students can even complete it at their own pace while they’re still studying.