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CFA Refresher and Consolidation Course I

Module description

This module is intended to refresh and consolidate the theoretical and practical concepts learnt in Stage 1 and 2 for the Financial Services Professional Degree Apprenticeship students. CFA Institute updates the curriculum regularly to ensure that topics are relevant for investment management practitioners and that changes reflect actual practice.  The aim is to identify the core competencies and the changes in the updated CFA Program and the latest curriculum.  The module summarises key CFA Program curriculum updates that reflect the practical knowledge and skills you need in today’s investment industry. Topics will include updates in the latest CFA curriculum for the following areas: Ethical and Professional Standards, Quantitative Methods, Economics, Financial statement analysis and Corporate Issuers. 

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to help you stay informed about the evolution of investment management and foster professionalism through continuing education. This module covers the latest readings in the evolution of financial services into a profession, the expectations for asset management professionals, and the challenges facing the profession.

In ethical and professional standards, you will be challenged to evaluate firms’ and individuals’ policies and practices in the light of the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct (Code and Standards), identify violations and deficiencies, and recommend improvements in policy. In quantitative methods, you will deepen your understanding of essential quantitative tools, enabling you to effectively analyse complex financial models and make informed, data-driven investment decisions. In financial statement analysis, you will refine your ability to evaluate a company’s financial performance using key techniques and ratios. I economics, you will enhance your analytical skills to assess economic decisions and evaluate the impact of policies within the context of global financial markets. For corporate issuers, you will apply corporate finance principles to assess investment opportunities, focusing on capital structure, financing decisions and overall corporate value creation.

The module explains in detail any new knowledge that is not covered in the prior curriculum and provides you with a clear understanding of what is expected of you as CFA charter holders. The overall consolidation of the module provides insights for improved decision making in investment management.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Evaluate updated policies and practices for a firm and an individual in relation to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct
• 2. Analyze the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on economic growth, inflation, and employment within both domestic and global contexts
• 3. Use statistical and quantitative techniques to calculate investment returns, estimate risk, and make informed financial decisions based on data analysis
• 4. Apply various financial ratios and accounting adjustments to evaluate a firm’s operational efficiency
• 5. Interpret and analyze financial statements to assess a company’s profitability, liquidity, solvency, and overall financial performance
• 6. Assess corporate financing decisions, including capital structure and cost of capital, to evaluate their impact on shareholder value and company performance
• 7. Apply corporate governance principles and financial management techniques to analyze the strategic decisions of corporate issuers, including dividend policies and working capital management

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Analyze financial statement and assess corporate decisions on financing and investment
• 9. Apply economic and quantitative tools to make informed investment decisions
• 10. Apply a framework for ethical decision making

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 11. Effectively use more-sophisticated statistical methods in financial analysis
• 12. Understand the impact the external environment has on Financial Services as appropriate to your role, together with relevant best practice.
• 13. Contribute to the development of strategic and operation plans for your area

Syllabus plan

• Ethical and Professional Standards
• Quantitative Methods
• Economics
• Corporate Issuers
• Financial statement analysis

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Defer – as first time
Refer – capped at 40%

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

CFA Program Curriculum Level 1

Key words search

CFA Program Changes