Students registering in grouped study, are advised that there may be some differences in the evaluation and course materials information indicated below. To obtain the most up-to-date information, contact the Faculty of Business Student Support Centre at 1-800-468-6531.
Overview
Finance 322: Personal Finance is a three-credit course that examines the knowledge and competencies required to prepare a financial plan and manage the full range of personal finance matters. Concepts covered within the course include the five-step financial planning process, goal-based financial planning math, tax minimization strategies, investment fundamentals, risk management (insurance), family law, retirement planning, registered plans, estate planning, consumer credit management, and ethics.
You will learn to analyze and evaluate financial products, planning processes, and strategies. This course emphasizes active decision making. As you learn the basic concepts, you will implement them in hypothetical environments within the course. This approach will broaden your general knowledge, and improve your professional competencies and credibility if you work in the financial services industry.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to
explain the concepts relevant to comprehensive personal financial planning
describe common products (such as investments, insurance products, credit facilities, and legal documents) available within the financial services industry
analyze individual and family financial circumstances and recommend appropriate strategies to achieve goals within a personal finance context
apply the knowledge gained in this course to enhance current and future client relationships within the financial planning and investment advisory industries
differentiate between ethical and unethical practices in the financial services industry.
Notice: Athabasca University is approved by the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) as an Education Provider for FPSC Level 1® Certification in Financial Planning. Students who wish to take FNCE 322 for this certification must enroll in Revision 5 (older versions of FNCE 322 cannot be applied to the certification.) For more information on FPSC Level 1® Certification in Financial Planning, visit www.fpcanada.ca.
Outline
Lesson 1: Personal Financial Planning
Lesson 2: Time Value of Money
Lesson 3: Taxation
Lesson 4: Investment Fundamentals
Lesson 5: Stocks
Lesson 6: Bonds
Lesson 7: Mutual Funds
Lesson 8: Insurance and Family Law
Lesson 9: Retirement Planning and Registered Plans
Lesson 10: Estate Planning
Lesson 11: Consumer Credit
Evaluation
To receive credit for Finance 322: Personal Finance, you must achieve a grade of 50% on the Final Examination and a minimum overall grade of 50% for the entire course. Any unsubmitted work will receive a grade of 0%.
Note: If you are applying this course towards the FPSC Level 1® Certificate offered through the Financial Planning Standards Council, you must achieve a minimum grade of 50% on the Final Examination and an overall grade of at least 65% for the entire course.
The following chart summarizes the evaluation activities in this course.
Activity
Weight
Complete by
Assignment 1
10%
After Lesson 3
Midterm Examination
20%
After Assignment 1 and Lesson 5
Assignment 2 (Case)
20%
After Lesson 11
Assignment 3 (Ethics)
10%
After Assignment 2
Final Examination (cumulative)
40%
After Assignment 3
Total
100%
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
In response to COVID-19 containment directives, temporary online exam(s) are available for this course.
Materials
This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee of $146, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
Roesler, W. (2017). Personal finance: Plan, invest, enjoy. (1st Can. ed.). Under licensed agreement with Kompass Financial Advisory Inc. (eText)
All other learning resources will be available online
Challenge for Credit
Overview
The Challenge for Credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the FNCE 322 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on the examination.
Paper Exam (4 hours)
Important Note: Students should contact the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) to determine whether credits earned via the challenge for credit option are accepted as partial fulfillment of the qualifications requirement for FPSC’s Level 1 exam.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 5, April 11, 2017
Updated July 15, 2021, by Student & Academic Services