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 I is a three-credit course that examines the knowledge and competencies required to prepare a financial plan. Concepts covered in 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, and practice active decision making. As you learn the basic concepts, you will implement them in hypothetical environments. This approach will broaden your general knowledge and improve your professional competence and credibility 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.
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. FNCE 322v6 can be applied to this certification. For more information on FPSC Level 1® Certification in Financial Planning, visit www.fpcanada.ca.
Outline
Lesson 1: Overview of a Financial Plan
Lesson 2: Applying Time Value Concepts
Lesson 3: Planning with Personal Financial Statements
Lesson 4: Using Tax Concepts for Planning
Lesson 5: Banking Services and Managing Your Money
Lesson 6: Assessing, Managing, and Securing Your Credit
Lesson 7: Purchasing and Financing a Home
Lesson 8: Auto and Homeowner’s Insurance
Lesson 9: Health and Life Insurance
Lesson 10: Investment Fundamentals
Lesson 11: Investing in Stocks
Lesson 12: Investing in Bonds
Lesson 13: Investing in Mutual Funds
Lesson 14: Retirement Savings Planning
Lesson 15: Retirement Income Planning
Lesson 16: Estate Planning
Lesson 17: Ethics
Evaluation
To receive credit for Finance 322: Personal Finance I, 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
Midterm Examination
20%
After Lesson 6
Assignment 1: Personal Financial Goal Planning
10%
After Lesson 7
Assignment 2: Case Analysis
20%
After Lesson 16
Assignment 3: Ethics
10%
After Lesson 17
Final Examination
40%
After Lesson 17
Total
100%
The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Madura, J. D., & Gill, H. (2022). Personal finance (5th Canadian Ed.). Pearson Canada, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-13-666269-3 (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.
Online 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.