Investing I

This course is a prerequisite to Investing II at GOA. In this course, students simulate the work of investors by working with the tools, theories, and decision-making practices that define smart investment. Students explore concepts in finance and apply them to investment decisions in three primary contexts: portfolio management, venture capital, and social investing.

After an introduction to theories about valuation and risk management, students simulate scenarios in which they must make decisions to grow an investment portfolio. They manage investments in stocks, bonds, and options to learn a range of strategies for increasing the value of their portfolios. In the second unit, students take the perspective of venture capital investors, analyzing startup companies and predicting their value before they become public. In the third unit, students examine case studies of investment funds that apply the tools of finance to power social change.

Throughout the course, students learn from experts who have experience in identifying value and managing risk in global markets. They develop their own ideas about methods for weighing financial risks and benefits and leave this course not just with a simulated portfolio of investments, but the skills necessary to manage portfolios in the future.

Optional: Students in this course can simultaneously enroll in the ungraded Academic English Accelerator in order to get additional support with their English in the context of their work in this course.

Students in GOA courses will need reliable access to a computer with webcam/microphone connections, an email address (preferably school-based), a Web-conferencing app (GOA courses use Zoom), and a Word processing app (GOA courses use Google’s G Suite). When necessary, alternative arrangements may be made. Some courses require additional materials which can be found here.

UC-approved course

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