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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Finance for Non-Finance Professionals by Rice University

4.8
stars
2,678 ratings

About the Course

This short course surveys all the major topics covered in a full semester MBA level finance course, but with a more intuitive approach on a very high conceptual level. The goal here is give you a roadmap and framework for how financial professional make decisions. We will cover the basics of financial valuation, the time value of money, compounding returns, and discounting the future. You will understand discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation and how it compares to other methods. We also step inside the mind of a corporate financial manager and develop the basic tools of capital budgeting. We will survey the how, when, and where to spend money, make tradeoffs about investment, growth, dividends, and how to ensure sound fiscal discipline. Our journey then turns to a Wall Street or capital markets perspective of investments as we discuss the fundamental tradeoff between risk and return. We then synthesize our discussion of risk with our valuation framework and incorporate it into series of direct applications to practice. This course requires no prior familiarity with finance. Rather, it is intended to be a first step for anyone who is curious about understanding stock markets, valuation, or corporate finance. We will walk through all of the tools and quantitative analysis together and develop a guide for understanding the seemingly complex decisions that finance professionals make. By the end of the course, you will develop an understanding of the major conceptual levers that push and pull on financial decision making and how they relate to other areas of business. The course should also serve as a roadmap for where to further your finance education and it would be an excellent introduction of any students contemplating an MBA or Finance concentration, but who has little background in the area....

Top reviews

RM

Aug 16, 2020

This is a very well designed course. Taking you through basics and in the end puts you in a real business scenario where you are expected to take a decision based on the tools and concepts you learnt.

KH

Mar 27, 2020

Great Course, Very solid start for those who are trying to enter Finance world.

It makes you love this field if you are not familiar with it and have no previous experience.

Great Job Professor.

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101 - 125 of 596 Reviews for Finance for Non-Finance Professionals

By Beverley A

Nov 23, 2020

This course is an excellent course for persons desiring to explore and understand the world of finance. Detailed lectures, discussion forums and homework assignments all work to help you succeed. Thank you for offering this course.

By Diana C

Nov 3, 2019

Highly recommended. The videos guide you in an easy manner step by step to the more complex topics. Without you knowing, you on Week 5 with lots of new skills and vocabulary in your pocket. Expect at least 4 hours per week.

By Carlo L A

Apr 25, 2020

very well done introduction to finance and many other aspects of what drives decisions in a company. a challenging final project really wraps up all you've covered in the past weeks, giving you a complete final big picture

By Devanshu S

Mar 18, 2020

Really a fabulous course, the teacher explains each and every concept in detail with many practical examples. The practitioners' insights after every week act as cherry to the top of the cake. A course must for everyone.

By 321913601038 M N

Mar 12, 2021

its to good that i am learning from this course, its really helpful and i wanna thank you for such a great system i really got a lots of information from this course and now i can solve all my problems. thank you again

By Silas

Jan 9, 2018

Even for a real non-professional this course is excellent! I always was interested in this field, but taking this course has helped me so much, since it explains important measurements and calculations very simple.

By Karina N

Jan 14, 2021

I really like this course, professor is so nice and give me easy understand lecture.It just a little bit hard for me at a capstone quiz, I had to spend more time to resolve that. Finally, I could do it. Thank you!

By Astha S

Aug 6, 2020

Very informative and excellent course. The instructor explains all the concepts clearly and gives examples time to time that makes it easy to understand deeply. I will highly recommend this course for beginners.

By Akhil S

Feb 14, 2022

I highly recommend this course for anyone who is new to Finance or for someone who want to brush up the fundamentals in Finance. I am thankful to the Rice University for creating a elaborative course like this!

By Sandip J

Jun 19, 2017

Excellent course. Anyone who does not know anything in finance can go for it and gain crisp understand of the finance. Very much needed to anyone, finance being inseparable part of life, regardless of industry.

By Raunak P

Nov 10, 2017

This is a very well developed course and also my first online course. It's really easy to follow and keeps you engrossed. The topics are very well threaded and makes the entire learning experience fascinating.

By abdul r

Nov 10, 2021

RICE UNIVERSITY IS A GOOD PLACE WHERE WE GOT CHANCE TO STUDY FURTHER MR JAMSE WESTON IS A VERY GOOD PROFESSOR FOR FINANCE, LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM AND IT HAS BROUGHT FINANCE TO HIM SUCH A GOOD WAY. THANK YOU

By Balaji B

Aug 21, 2019

The course is very interesting to learn. I being a full time working non finance professional, I am sure I will be benefited a lot through this course. The teaching methodology is excellent. Thanks a lot.

By Jaydeep D

Mar 1, 2020

Excellent course for non-finance professionals.

It will help to understand the financial report and will help to calculate ROI and other stuff that the corporate world demands for any project proposal.

By Mary N Q M

Nov 22, 2021

Definitivamente es uno de los mejores cursos, me hizo sudar un poco por que es la combinación de los cursos que no puedo ósea ingles y finanzas, pero fuera de eso muy buen curso. Lo recomiendo.

By PETWE G G

Apr 28, 2020

Best Course on Finance I have seen so far !! Professor Mr.Weston explains very clearly and also has designed the course efficiently !!! Knowledge could be applied directly at workplace :)

By Miguel S

Sep 13, 2017

This course exceeded my expectations and I strongly recommend for all non-finance professionals. I particularly enjoyed the teacher's ability to explain even the more intricate concepts.

By Kevin I

Jul 22, 2018

The teacher did a great job explaining difficult concepts in a way they can be understood by non-finance professionals. I learned a lot of tools I can use in both my job and daily life.

By Gisele S L

Sep 26, 2022

Very good course and materials. Learned a lot. The pace was very fast for me and had to watch some classes more than once, but they provide all the information needed for this subject,

By prem k

Nov 1, 2019

Very insightful and refreshed the concepts I learned in a much better way! Professor was extremely good at conveying the course in the best way possible to comprehend complex topics!

By Otilia C

Sep 4, 2020

Prof. Weston gives wonderful presentations. Also during the lecture videos you are given some prompt questions that help maintain your focus. Good introduction to the finance world.

By Tarun K B J

Oct 28, 2020

The course - Finance for non-finance professionals met my expectations. Enjoyed attending online classes with an intuitive approach by an instructor to solve problems on the go...

By Amish B

Jun 20, 2020

If you are an absolute noob in finance as I am, this course is just for you..Just that sometimes you would have to google a bit for a few terms .... Brilliant work by Rice Uni....

By Chanikarn I

May 23, 2023

I come from untraditional background but I find this course is very helpful! The course is very well-structured, allowing me to simply and easily understand finance foundation.

By Lidiya B

Mar 9, 2020

Totally enjoyable! Big thank you to Prof. James Weston, his team and Coursera for making this course available to al of us,the curious learnes wherever we may be on the Globe!