Financial Analysis (Gr. Cert.) (15 credits)
Offered by: Administration & Governance
Program credit weight: 15
Program Description
The 15-credit Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis offers a comprehensive introduction to finance. Focusing on core professional competencies in financial analysis, it also provides flexibility in alternative career directions within the Finance sector, such as Investment Management, Financial Technology, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Investing. Successful completion of this program allows students to write the Level I CFA exam.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Corequisite Course (0-3 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CMS2 500 | Mathematics for Management. 1 | 3 |
Mathematics for Management. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Basic mathematics needed for business applications, including graphs of functions, series summation, mathematics of finance, annuity, discounted cash flow, internal rate of return, permutations, combinations, maxima and minima of functions with business applications in optimization, introductory statistics and probability | ||
- 1
or the Exemption by Examination Test
Required Courses (12 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CCFA 600 | Ethics in Finance. | 1.5 |
Ethics in Finance. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute. Topics include professionalism and the integrity of capital markets, duties to clients and employers, investment analysis and recommendations, conflicts of interest, and responsibilities of CFA members and candidates. | ||
| CCFA 601 | Financial Analysis Tools. | 3 |
Financial Analysis Tools. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of statistical and economics tools used in the analysis of investments and other financial aspects of businesses. Topics include statistical concepts and methodologies, such as statistical inference and linear regression, as well as micro- and macroeconomics concepts, such as the analysis of demand and supply, understanding business cycles and international trade, and the effects of fiscal and monetary policy | ||
| CCFA 615 | Financial Statement Analysis . | 3 |
Financial Statement Analysis . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Examination of accounting standards and financial reporting principles in investment decision making from both the internal and external perspectives of a corporation. Study of the interplay between the balance sheet, the income statement, and the cash flow statement, and examination of financial statement elements, such as inventories, long-lived assets, income taxes, and long-term liabilities, contrasting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP). | ||
| CCFA 620 | Contemporary Finance 1 . | 3 |
Contemporary Finance 1 . Terms offered: Summer 2025 Comprehensive overview of corporations and other businesses from the point of view of internal and external financial decisions, including how the risk and return measures associated with businesses are used in corporate decision making and in assembling investment portfolios. Introduction to behavioural factors in investments, the management of risk for the enterprise, and the emerging field of financial technology. | ||
| CCFA 627 | Financial Risk Management . | 1.5 |
Financial Risk Management . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Examination of financial risk management techniques that can be used by investors and businesses alike. Topics include derivatives, alternative investments, and the value of these assets. | ||
Complementary Courses (3 credits)
3 credits selected from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CCFA 629 | Fixed-Income and Equity Investments. | 3 |
Fixed-Income and Equity Investments. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Examination of the characteristics of fixed-income and equity investments, their markets and indexes. Topics include yield and valuation measures, risk factors and drivers of fixed-income securities, industry and company analysis, and equity valuation models. | ||
| CCFA 639 | ESG Investing. | 3 |
ESG Investing. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Examination of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing. Study of the benefits of using ESG factors in investment decision making, from both a portfolio performance and a sustainability standpoint, and the integration of ESG factors in portfolio construction and management. | ||
| CCFA 660 | Fintech and the Financial System. | 3 |
Fintech and the Financial System. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of financial technology (Fintech) and the impact of the digitization of financial products and services on the structure of financial markets and the traditional role of financial institutions. A comprehensive introduction to Fintech detailing the business models of Fintech disruptors in various industries in the financial sector. | ||
Or another 600-level course offered by the School of Continuing Studies and approved by the academic unit.