Full course description
This course introduces students to the principles of financial management, providing the knowledge and skills needed to navigate financial decision-making in personal, professional, and organizational settings. Designed for adult learners, this 10-week online asynchronous course supports workforce preparation and future credential and credit opportunities through PSC’s Credit for Prior Learning and Prior Learning Assessment pathway.
Students will explore how finance affects individuals, families, organizations, and communities, with a particular emphasis on connecting personal finance concepts to organizational and workplace contexts. Throughout the course, students will develop financial literacy skills by learning to read, interpret, and apply financial information including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, budgets, and forecasts to assess financial health and support strategic decision-making.
The course also introduces foundational finance concepts such as time value of money, capital budgeting, depreciation, diversification, compounding, debt, and financial ratios. Students will analyze financial trends, evaluate the impact of financial decisions, and examine ethical and emerging issues influencing financial management in today’s economy. Emphasis is placed on practical application, financial communication, and building financial intelligence for both personal and professional environments.
This self-paced course requires approximately 10 hours of work per week and includes formative checks for understanding throughout the term, culminating in a final applied project focused on developing a personal and professional financial intelligence plan.
A certificate of completion will be awarded to students who successfully complete the course.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Apply core finance concepts such as time value of money, capital budgeting, depreciation, diversification, compounding, and debt.
- Interpret financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and budgets.
- Analyze financial information, trends, and forecasts to support decision-making.
- Compare personal and organizational finance to recognize similarities and differences.
- Evaluate the impact of financial decisions on employers, communities, and households.