Finance is a sector that many want to pursue a career in, and even after getting a degree, it can be pretty tough to enter into this competitive sector! This is why many take short-term certification courses in finance to boost a specific skill to enter the market and get a high-paying job! If you also want to enter the finance sector and are looking for a way to boost your resume, here are the ten best short-term courses in finance! 

What Are Short-Term Courses?

In simple terms, short-term courses are courses offered by various universities aiming to teach students about a particular skill! Compared to normal courses that universities offer that cover the entire field or industry, short-term courses only cover a specific topic! You would think, then, why not do an MOOC course? MOOC courses are not accredited like short-term courses offered by universities, which means MOOCs don't have transferable CAT points or credits! Explore more through this beginner’s guide to MOOC courses.

Why Pursue A Short-Term Certification Course In Finance?

There are many benefits of pursuing a short course in finance! We have listed some of the basic reasons to pursue a short-term certification course in finance.

1. They are quick: Short-term courses in finance only last around 3-4 months and are made so that you get all the knowledge you require in a particular field as quickly as possible. 

2. Boosts employability chances: Short courses help your chances of gaining the job you always wanted! As short-term courses boost your knowledge in a specific skill, you will see an increase in job chances! 

3. Expand your knowledge in the sector: With finance being an ever-growing sector, there will always be something new to learn and study. This is where short-term courses come into play, as you can gain new knowledge quickly! 

‍

10 Best Short-Term Certification Courses in Finance

Now, let's explore the home of funds, tax, accountancy, debt and more ! Here are the ten best short courses in finance that will help you boost your resume and your career in a short amount of time! 

Online

Below are the finance certification courses one can avail from specific ed-tech platforms or universities that offer short-term courses in finance online;

1. Financial Modelling Courses

Duration: A few hours

Fees: $ 80< (Some are free)

Eligibility: NA

Financial modelling is a short-term course in finance for beginners who want to enter the field of finance! In this course, you will learn how to create a summary of all the expenses in a spreadsheet and then understand and analyse them to predict the impact of future decisions based on all the data collected. With this course, you will be able to join new businesses that are involved in financial services, health coverage and startups! You can also venture into investment banking, financial analysis, and more!

2. International Financial Reporting Standards

Duration: 6 months

Fees: $ 200 to $ 1000

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in finance and professional experience of 3 years in the field of accounting.

The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) course is among the best short-term courses in finance and is well respected worldwide! More than 100 countries pursue this course as this course teaches students about accounting standards created for various companies' financial transactions! It also focuses on how important it is for companies to become transparent. The certification of this course is issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.

3. Certified Financial Planner

Duration: 3.5 hrs- 14 hrs

Fees: $59.99-$70.99

Eligibility: High school degree

Certified Financial Planner is a globally recognised short-term finance course that people worldwide pursue! Even people who have been working for years apply for this short course! In this course, you will learn how to create and maintain a financial plan for a company while keeping the company's financial goals in mind! You will mainly work in retirement planning, investment planning, and more! 

4. Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst

Duration: 12 months

Fees: Depends on the level

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in finance and four years of professional experience

Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst is a short-term course in finance that teaches you about topics such as ethics, tangible assets, risk management, asset allocation, and more! This course takes around a year to complete. Still, it will teach and prepare you to supervise and advise alternative investments, like hedge funds, private equity, real estate investments, and more in a company! 

5. Chartered Wealth Management

Duration: 6 months- 1 year

Fees: $60-$600

Eligibility: Master's degree in finance, three years of experience in wealth management

Chartered Wealth Management is a course you must study if you want to learn about investment strategy, relationship management, global taxation, behavioural finance, and more! This short course in finance teaches everything that is mentioned above and even more! This course focuses on developing your management of relationships and core financial skills. Chartered Wealth Management is a globally recognised profession by various organisations and investors. This short-term course in finance is the flagship of competency in finance! 

Offline

Below are the finance certification courses one can pursue from universities or popular coaching centres to upskill their financial skills and shine in the quantitative market; 

6. Certified Investment Management Analyst

Duration: 6-12 months

Fees: $1000-$1500

Eligibility: Three years of experience in investment consulting

Certified Investment Management Analyst is a short-term course in finance that the Investments and Wealth Institute set up to teach people about asset allocation, ethics, risk measurement, performance measurement, and more. Once you get this certificate, you can expect to work in investment consultation and major companies; you will be able to connect with clients with high net worth and large businesses!

7. Financial Risk Manager

Duration: 12 months

Fees: $1000-$1200

Eligibility: minimum of 2 years of professional experience

A Financial Risk Manager is a person who takes the risk factor into account by analysing the current financial markets, predicts changes that can happen in the future, and makes strategies to negate the effect of possible risks! The Financial Risk Manager is a short-term course you need to study if you are interested in the positions of risk officers and risk analysts. This one-year short course in finance will teach you everything to be a Financial Risk Manager, and the best part is that this course is accepted in more than 90 countries! 

8. Certified Treasury Professional

Duration: 6-12 months

Fees: $1000-$1200

Eligibility Criteria: degree in accountancy, finance, or banking, two years of professional experience in finance

If you are interested in working as a treasury official in a company, then studying the Certified Treasury Professional short-term course in finance will be your best bet! This course will teach you about corporate liquidity, capital functions, and risk management. It will also teach you about supervising and operating corporate treasuries while overseeing the credits and liabilities that happen in the company.  

9. Certified Fund Specialist

Duration: 15 weeks

Fees: $1000-$1500

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in finance, some professional experience in the field

This short course in finance is among the most popular short-term courses in finance since the Institute of Business and Finance issues the certification, so it is a pretty big deal! This course teaches you about closed-end funds, risk management, asset allocation, exchange-traded funds, and more! Once you finish this course, you can work in various fields, such as accountants, bankers, financial advisors, etc., making this one of the best short-term courses in finance! 

10. Chartered Financial Analyst

Duration: 1.5-2 years

Fees: Depends on the level

Eligibility: background in finance, accounting, or economics, at least four years of professional experience

Last but not least is probably one of the most famous short-term certification courses in finance! The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is a short course in finance that is very challenging as it mainly contains theory focusing on portfolio management! It is one of the most demanding short-term finance courses, as not many clear the exam! But suppose luck and hard work are in your favour. In that case, jobs like risk management, investment management, asset management, portfolio management, investment analysis, financial reporting and analysis, equity, alternative investments, and a lot more will suit your newly curated skill sets! 

These were the best short-term certification courses in finance that you can pursue! If you are looking for a job, the UK is a good place to start in finance since finance is one of the most employable degrees in the UK! If you already have a job, these short-term finance courses are some of the best courses to upskill yourself.