Risk Management in the Global Economy (FutureLearn)

This free online course will look at risk management in its broadest terms, giving you the opportunity to evaluate the crucial role played by risk in the global economy, both in terms of its opportunities and its potential dangers.

Understand financial investments and the associated risks
With experts from the Centre for Financial and Management Studies at SOAS University of London, you’ll look at practical examples of financial investments, to examine:

• the main functions of finance and of risk management
• the main forms of financial investment, such as stocks and bonds, derivatives, futures and options, hedging and speculation strategies
• how firms hedge risk by using financial derivatives
• how risk management is applied in the financial and in the non-financial sector.

Learn how the financial crisis and emerging markets are changing risk management
The course will explore how finance has changed in recent years, and ask if these changes have resulted in greater systemic risk for the financial sector and for the economy as a whole. By examining concepts such as behavioural finance, we’ll ask if inappropriate risk management has exacerbated the recent financial crisis.
Finally, we’ll turn our attention to new and emerging markets. For example, how is risk managed in Islamic finance? How might common tools alter risk in investment positions in mature markets as well as in the banking sector? And how can firms utilise risk management tools most effectively?
By the end of the four-week course, you’ll be able to:

• understand financial markets and the principles of risk management
• understand the main types of risk and evaluate the methods and tools used by firms to manage risks
• examine ideas and methods used in the analysis of portfolios of financial securities, including stocks and bonds
• explain the use of financial derivatives for hedging (reducing risk) and speculation (increasing risk) in financial markets
• evaluate the application of risk methods and risk management tools in the global economy

What topics will you cover?

• Understanding risk management
• Understanding financial investment, including stocks and bonds, derivatives, futures and options, hedging and speculation strategies
• Measuring and monitoring risk, including managing portfolios and calculating risk and returns
• Applications of risk management

Learning on this course
You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

• Understand and explain financial markets and the principles of risk management
• Understand the main types of risk and evaluate the methods and tools used by firms to manage risks
• Examine and explain ideas and methods used in the analysis of portfolios of financial securities, including stocks and bonds
• Explain the use of financial derivatives for hedging (reducing risk) and speculation (increasing risk) in financial markets
• Evaluate the application of risk methods and risk management tools in the global economy

Who is the course for?
The course offers a broad overview of risk, and will be of interest to those looking to better understand financial instruments and their impact on the global economy.
This is a general level course, however some knowledge of economics or finance may be useful.