20 free courses to teach you how to understand finance

Courses in Russian

1. The Science of Wealth

Volume: 11 video lectures.

Area: "Lectorium".

Organizer: Friedrich von Hayek Institute.

The course is intended for those seeking a fundamental knowledge of economic theory. Pavel Usanov will talk about the main economic models - from Aristotelian catallactics to socialism - and explain how they are reflected in the real life of people.

2. History of economic thought

Volume: 11 modules.

Area: Coursera.

Organizer: High School of Economics.

For a deep understanding of modern economic processes, the historical aspect is important. HSE professors will not only tell you what Marx meant by surplus value and why Smith advocated a free market, but they will also develop critical economic thinking in you.

3. Economics for non-economists

Volume: 10 modules.

Area: Coursera.

Organizer: High School of Economics.

For those who do not want to delve into economics, this course is suitable. Associate Professor of the Department of Economic Theory Igor Kim will explain the basic concepts of micro- and macroeconomics in simple language. Find out what supply and demand are, what is the mechanism of competition and monopoly, what is GDP and where does inflation and unemployment come from - take financial literacy to a new level.

4. Financial markets and institutions

Volume: 9 modules.

Area: Coursera.

Organizer: High School of Economics.

This course presents lectures by Professor Nikolai Iosifovich Berzon: the structure of the financial market (from stock to foreign exchange), stocks, bonds, the banking sector and much more. What you need for novice investors. If you learn to invest, then from the best!

5. Theories of money. From shell to bitcoin

Volume: 8 modules.

Area: "Lectorium".

Organizer: European University at St. Petersburg.

If life is a game, then money helps to keep track of. This was the case at a time when people exchanged bars of precious metals. This is the case even now, when the world is crazy about cryptocurrencies. Professor of Economics Yulia Vymyatnina will tell you what can be considered money and what is not, and what is the value of money. In 2015, her course won second place in the EdCrunch Award in the Humanities category.

6. The ABC of Finance

Volume: 6 modules.

Area: "Lectorium".

Organizer: Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics.

If you think that the budget, financial plan and investments are the lot of economists, then you are wrong. Any modern person should skillfully invest money and analyze the economic situation. Valeria Tsibulnikova, Ph. D. in Economics, will teach you this. The focus is on personal finance.

7. Financial literacy

Volume: 6 modules.

Area: 4brain.

Authors: Grigory Ksheminsky and Evgeny Buyanov.

Many people cannot provide themselves with a decent life even with a good salary. Paradox? Hardly! This is a natural consequence of financial ignorance. The authors of this text-based course are convinced that wealth begins with a conscious relationship with money and financial thinking.

8. Fundamentals of financial literacy

Volume: 13 modules.

Area: Zillion.

Organizer: Moscow Academy of Entrepreneurship under the Government of Moscow, commissioned by TemoCenter.

What taxes do citizens pay? Why are loans denied to us? And how to ensure yourself a comfortable old age? More than six and a half thousand students have already received answers to these and other questions about the formation of a personal budget and planning expenses. You also have a chance to improve financial literacy.

nine. Fundamentals of Youth Finance

Volume: 5 modules.

Organizer: Center for Continuing Education of Novosibirsk State University.

The peculiarity of this course is interactivity. It consists of 100 mini-tasks, which, in turn, are divided into thematic modules (personal, household, global, corporate finance and financial institutions). By completing tasks, you earn points and move from level to level.

10. Business for "dummies"

Volume: 14 video lectures.

Area: "Lecture hall".

Author: Yuri Milyukov, founder of the Moscow Commodity Exchange.

How did these or those organizational and legal forms for business appear? How do banks, exchanges, insurers and logistics work? What are auditors, consultants, appraisers, experts and analysts for? The answers to these and many other questions are in the speeches of the famous businessman Yuri Milyukov.

Courses in English

1. Financial literacy

Volume: 4 modules.

Area: open2study.

Authors: Peter Mordount, Paul Clitheroe.

What's the difference between life goals and financial goals? How to make income prevail over expenses? What is the 10% rule? How is investment different from saving? How not to break the wood and not run into scammers? The answers to these and many other questions will be given by the teachers of Macquarie University.

2. Finance for All: Smart Decision Making Tools

Volume: 6 modules.

Area: edX.

Organizer: University of Michigan.

Which is more profitable: rent or take out a mortgage? Buy a used car or a new one? Open a deposit or invest in securities? Making such important decisions is easier if you are familiar with basic financial principles. Master them in this course. Its peculiarity is in the abundance of examples from life.

3. Financial mathematics

Volume: 2 modules.

Area: Alison.

Money loves the bill. This short course will teach you how to balance debit with credit. You will understand the difference between profit and margin, be able to calculate lost profits and take on board various mobile applications for financial accounting.

4. Finance for non-financiers

Volume: 5 modules.

Area: Coursera.

Organizer: Rice University.

Professor James Weston is a respected expert in corporate finance. In this course, he explains how financiers make decisions. Very useful lectures for entrepreneurs who want to take their business to a qualitatively new level.

5. Behavioral finance

Volume: 3 modules.

Area: Coursera.

Organizer: Duke University.

Behavioral economics studies how social and psychological factors influence market variables. For example, the prices of goods. This course will explain why people invest in pyramids rather than investment funds, make unnecessary purchases and other financial mistakes.

6. Financial planning for youth

Volume: 8 modules.

Area: Coursera.

Organizer: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

A course that will not only teach you to set the right goals, plan a budget and invest, but also allow you to try on the role of a financial advisor. Why not make solving financial problems your profession?

7. Introduction to personal finance management

Volume: 2 modules.

Area: Alison.

Author: Christine Williams.

In this course, Lawyer Christine Williams teaches how to get out of debt. First, she suggests drawing up a table of debt obligations and prioritizing them based on timing and interest rates. This will help you choose the right strategy and keep your monthly payments to a minimum.

8. Personal and family financial planning

Volume: 9 modules.

Area: Coursera.

Organizer: University of Florida.

Professor Michael S. Gutter teaches students to pave their way to financial independence. The tax and credit modules may not be of interest to you since they are focused on America. But the general principles of financial literacy are universal.

9. Managing your money

Volume: 8 modules.

Area: OpenLearn.

This course will help you put your finances in order. First, they will explain to you how to create a personal budget. You will isolate unnecessary or overly costly items and can optimize them. And then you will learn the basics of lending and investing.

10.5 Keys to Investing

Volume: 1 module.

Area: Udemy.

Author: Steve Bollinger.

A very motivating course. Its author believes that learning to invest and investing is never too late. You just need to decide where to invest and how much.