Overview

This specialization equips learners with practical financial skills to manage money confidently and intentionally. You’ll start by building a strong foundation in budgeting, saving, and credit management. Next, you’ll explore investing strategies, risk-return trade-offs, and diversification principles. Finally, you’ll examine the science of happiness and financial well-being, creating a personalized plan that connects financial decisions to what matters most.

Syllabus

Course 1: Financial Planning for Young Adults
Course 2: Investing and Building Wealth
Course 3: Money and Happiness

Courses

7 reviews
19 hours 46 minutes
View details

Financial Planning for Young Adults (FPYA), developed in partnership with the CFP Board, is designed to provide an introduction to basic financial planning concepts for young adults. The FPYA course is organized across eight separate modules within a 4-week window. Topics covered include financial goal setting, saving and investing, budgeting, financial risk, borrowing and credit. Because financial planning is such a personal topic, you will be encouraged to define your own financial goals and objectives while we discuss concepts and provide tools which can be applied in helping you reach those goals. Within each module, you will view a combination of traditional lecture style videos along with video vignettes that introduce financial topics for discussion among participants. The video vignettes provide a unique and exciting component to this course. Each vignette introduces a real-world scenario where financial decisions must be made and financial planning concepts can be applied. You will be challenged to think critically about each scenario and decide how you might come to a resolution if ever faced with a similar situation. Finally, the course also includes material throughout which is focused on career opportunities in financial planning, including video interviews with actual CFP® professionals and other professionals working in this exciting and growing career area. The final module in the class is devoted to the topic of financial planning as a career.
0 reviews
12 hours 57 minutes
View details

Unlock the secrets to financial success with our comprehensive course on investing and wealth building. Starting with an in-depth analysis of securities, markets, and diversification principles, you'll gain a solid foundation in investment strategies. As you progress, you'll explore risk and return measures and learn powerful time value of money techniques. The course culminates in exploring the benefits of a diversified portfolio and age-appropriate wealth-building strategies. Enhance your skills through a hands-on case study, preparing you to navigate the financial world with confidence. Join us and take the first step towards a prosperous future! This course is part of the College of ACES suite of online programs. To learn more about online programs from the College of ACES and explore ways to apply your Coursera work toward a degree program at the University of Illinois, visit: https://acesonline.illinois.edu/
0 reviews
6 hours 7 minutes
View details

What does it mean to live a good life—and how does money fit into that picture? In this course, you'll explore the science behind happiness and financial well-being. Drawing from psychology, behavioral economics, and personal finance, you'll learn how money can both help and hinder our pursuit of a meaningful life. Along the way, you'll reflect on your own values, assess your financial wellness, and discover practical strategies to align your spending with what matters most. Whether you're a student, professional, or lifelong learner, this course will help you understand the complex relationship between money and happiness—and empower you to make choices that support your well-being. By the end of the course, you’ll walk away with a personalized plan to enhance your happiness through intentional financial decisions. This course is part of the College of ACES suite of online programs. To learn more about online programs from the College of ACES and explore ways to apply your Coursera work toward a degree program at the University of Illinois, visit: https://aces.illinois.edu/online.