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There are 5 modules in this course
This course discusses costs and business practices to establish the cost of a product. The concept of time value of money (TVM) is developed to determine the present and future values of a series of cash flows. TVM principles are then applied to personal finances and retirement planning. This is a practical course that uses spreadsheets to better prepare learners in engineering and science for a career in industry.
This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.
Overview of the course and introduction to key financial principles.
Important update to Finance for Technical Managers specialization•10 minutes
Non-Credit Students: Welcome and Where to Find Help•10 minutes
YouTube Video: The Story of Muhammad Yunus•8 minutes
3 assignments•Total 75 minutes
Overview of Finance and Accounting•15 minutes
The Capital Allocation Process•30 minutes
Financial Challenge #1•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Introduce Yourself!•10 minutes
Costs and Cost Estimation Methods
Module 2•4 hours to complete
Module details
Introduces types of costs and the break-even analysis; describes approaches to cost modeling and important cost estimation techniques.
What's included
9 videos1 reading4 assignments
Show info about module content
9 videos•Total 118 minutes
Week 2 Introduction•2 minutes
Types of Costs•15 minutes
Break-Even Analysis•15 minutes
Discrete Cost Models•18 minutes
A Real Engineering Problem•7 minutes
Continuous Cost Models•15 minutes
Cost Estimation Overview•14 minutes
Cost Estimation Techniques•17 minutes
Learning Curve Analysis•15 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Residential Solar PV: Background & Instructions •10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 120 minutes
Types of Costs and the Break-Even Point•30 minutes
Cost Estimation Techniques•30 minutes
Residential Solar PV Viability Study•30 minutes
Financial Challenge #2•30 minutes
Product Cost Analysis
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
Introduces types of inventory and how product cost is determined using the Job Cost and Activity-Based Cost methods.
What's included
6 videos3 assignments
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 55 minutes
Week 3 Introduction•2 minutes
All About Inventory•9 minutes
Introduction to Job Cost Analysis•7 minutes
Into the Weeds of Job Cost Analysis•13 minutes
Manufacturing Overhead Allocation•11 minutes
Activity-Based Cost Analysis•13 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
All About Inventory•30 minutes
Job Cost Analysis•30 minutes
Financial Challenge #3•30 minutes
Time Value of Money (TVM)
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
Introduces the concept of time value of money (TVM) as it applies to investment decisions; develops and demonstrates the expressions for the future value of an investment based on initial investments, compounding interest rates, and periods of time; uses analytical and spreadsheet models to solve for a variety of investment situations.
What's included
7 videos5 assignments
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 87 minutes
Week 4 Introduction •2 minutes
Introduction to TVM•11 minutes
Simple and Compound Interest•20 minutes
Single Payment Cash Flows•13 minutes
Multiple Payment Cash Flows•10 minutes
Excel to the Rescue•20 minutes
More Excel to the Rescue•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 100 minutes
Time Value of Money and Interest•10 minutes
Single Payment Cash Flows•15 minutes
Multiple Payment Cash Flows•15 minutes
Cash Flows and the Power of Excel•30 minutes
Financial Challenge #4•30 minutes
Application to Personal Finances
Module 5•8 hours to complete
Module details
Applies the principles of finance and time value of money (TVM) to one’s personal finances. Investments such as stocks, bonds, and funds are introduced, along with the concept of price volatility and its relationship to risk. Asset allocation theory is described in the context of creating an investment portfolio. These principles are then put into practice through constructing a personal retirement plan spreadsheet and retirement plan portfolio.
YouTube Video: The Man Behind Starbucks•10 minutes
Creating a Retirement Plan Portfolio: Background & Instructions•10 minutes
Creating a Retirement Portfolio: Solutions •10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 55 minutes
Planning for Retirement•15 minutes
Stocks, Bonds, and Funds•20 minutes
Asset Allocation Theory•20 minutes
1 programming assignment•Total 180 minutes
Part 1: Creating a Retirement Portfolio•180 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Part 2: Your Portfolio Analysis•60 minutes
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Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
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Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
¹Successful application and enrollment are required. Eligibility requirements apply. Each institution determines the number of credits recognized by completing this content that may count towards degree requirements, considering any existing credits you may have. Click on a specific course for more information.
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What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.