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The stock market can be a great way to build wealth once you master the art of executing profitable trades. Wondering how to get started?
Consider an online stock market training course to learn the basics. If you already have trading experience, you can also enroll in a class to sharpen your skills. There are lots of options available for all skill levels!
Let Benzinga take the guesswork out of helping you find a stock market training course that best suits your needs and budget.
Quick Look: Best Stock Market Training Courses
Here are the best online stock market training courses:
- The Complete Foundation Stock Trading Course by Udemy
- Investing 101: Understanding the Stock Market by Business Casual
- Introduction to Day Trading by Tradenet
- Portfolio Selection and Risk Management by Rice University
- Algorithmic Trading and Stocks Essential Training by LinkedIn Learning
- Essential Options Strategies for Mastering the Stock Market by Udemy
- Investment Strategies and Portfolio Analysis by Rice University
- Advanced Stock Trading Course + Strategies by Udemy
- Advanced Stock Options for Serious Equity Investors! by Udemy
What Makes a Stock Market Training Course Great?
The best stock market training courses meet the following criteria.
Interactive
You can listen to long, drawn-out lectures from stock market gurus to learn the essentials. But the only way to boost your trading chops is by putting your skills to the test or implement what you’ve learned in a course. You want a class that’s interactive and includes simulated activities that allow you to gain hands-on experience in a practice setting.
Includes Supplementary Resources
Supplementary resources, like readings, quizzes and video demonstrations, are ideal if you want to get the most from a stock market training course. Look for options that include other ways to level up your knowledge beyond basic video lectures.
Self-Paced
There’s a lot to learn about the stock market if you’re just starting out. Only consider self-paced courses without strict deadlines. You can work at your own pace and spend as much time as you need on more challenging concepts. Otherwise, you risk rushing through the material only to become confused and overwhelmed.
Our Top Picks
We’ve scoured the web to bring you the best stock market training courses. Our top picks are from leading online learning platforms Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, Skillshare, Tradenet and Udemy.
We’ve listed each course by skill level — beginners, intermediate students and advanced students. We’ve also included a description and enrollment fee for each class to help you make an informed decision.
Stock Market Training Courses for Beginners
Are you new to trading and seek foundational stock market knowledge? These courses are a good fit.
1. The Complete Foundation Stock Trading Course by Udemy
The Complete Foundation Stock Trading Course includes 9.5 hours of on-demand video, 1 article and 32 downloadable resources to take you from a novice to well-versed stock trader. You’ll learn how to initiate successful trades and analyze information in real-time to plan future trades.
This introductory course is ideal for new traders who are just started out or those who have been trading for some time but aren’t yet earning consistent profits. It includes 41 lectures that are divided into these segments:
- The Basics and the Market
- Orders and Prices
- Recommended Resources
- Technical Analysis
- Risk Management and Money Management
- Trading Psychology
- Trading Tools
Instructor Mohsen Hassan is the president and founder of the Montreal Trading Group. He has over 9 years of experience trading stock and cryptocurrency.
2. Investing 101: Understanding the Stock Market by Business Casual
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: Free
Interested in learning how to use the stock market to build wealth? This course from Business Casual is perfect for you.
In just 20 minutes, Investing 101: Understanding the Stock Market covers the essentials of the stock market and how exchanges work, why companies go public, the role of brokers, indexes, ETFs and more.
The lessons are as follows:
- Why You’ll Love This Course!
- What is the Stock Market?
- What is a Broker?
- What is a Stock?
- Why Do Companies Go Public?
- What is an Index?
- Index Types
- What is an ETF?
You’ll also complete a hands-on class project to help you sharpen your investing skills.
Enrollment is free with a Skillshare trial.
3. Introduction to Day Trading by TradeNet
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: $290
Introduction to Day Trading teaches you everything you need to know to become a profitable trader.
It includes lessons on the critical principles of day trading, how to use indices, sectors and prominent shares, mental preparation, reading and analyzing charts in real-time and so much more. You’ll learn about long and short positions, moving averages, intra-day and multi-day formations and patterns and how to handle gaps, retests, small-cap stocks and other special circumstances.
Grab a seat in this course to access training videos, presentations, interactive tests, downloadable resources and practice sessions.
It’s $290 to enroll.
Intermediate Stock Market Training Courses
Learn how to create optimal portfolios, leverage algorithmic trading and exercise stock options with these intermediate courses.
4. Portfolio Selection and Risk Management by Rice University
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: Free
Offered by Rice University, Portfolio Selection and Risk Management explores the essentials of portfolio construction, diversification and risk management. It’s the second course in the Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization.
Led by Finance Faculty Arzu Ozoguz, this intermediate course includes 5 modules:
- Introduction and Risk and Return
- Portfolio Construction and Diversification
- Mean-Variance Preferences
- Optimal Capital Allocation and Portfolio Choice
- Equilibrium Asset Pricing Models
Each module includes video lectures and readings to ensure you fully grasp the material. Plus, you will be tasked with completing a series of quizzes to test your knowledge.
There’s no cost to enroll.
5. Algorithmic Trading and Stocks Essential Training by LinkedIn Learning
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: Included with the monthly membership
All you need is 1.5 hours to discover how to develop a trading algorithm to initiate effective trades. Consider this course if you're a financial services investor or current trader interested in learning how to make more profitable trades.
Algorithmic Trading and Stocks Essential Training is divided into 4 segments:
- The Basics of Securities Markets
- Investing and Securities
- Building Algorithms
- Using Trading Algorithms
It’s facilitated by programming guru Michael McDonald, professor of finance and researcher at Fairfield University.
Register for free with a LinkedIn monthly membership. If you aren’t yet a member, sign up for a 1-month trial to grab a free seat in the course.
6. Essential Options: Strategies for Mastering the Stock Market by Udemy
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: On sale for $10.99
Pro market advisors and Wall Street consultants Rick Swope and Shawn Howell bring you a comprehensive course on options trading at a price you can afford. It’s designed for stock investors and options traders who want to learn strategies that allow them to turn a profit in varying market conditions.
Essential Options Strategies for Mastering the Stock Market is divided into 4 segments:
- “Why Trade Options?” introductory video
- Technical Analysis
- Basic Option Concepts and Strategies
- Intermediate Option Strategies
Enroll today for full lifetime access to 5 hours of on-demand video and 4 downloadable resources. You will also receive a certificate of completion when you reach the finish line.
Have a basic understanding of how to buy and sell stock online before you register. You should also have an online brokerage account with charts, options and option chain approvals.
Advanced Stock Market Training Courses
Are you a seasoned investor looking for ways to tap into advanced strategies and maximize profits? These courses are for you.
7. Investment Strategies and Portfolio Analysis by Rice University
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: Free
Investment Strategies and Portfolio Analysis is the fourth installment in the Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization. This course dives into emerging investment strategies and performance evaluation tactics.
Also led by Arzu Ozoguz, it includes 3 modules:
- Performance Measurement and Benchmarking
- Active vs. Passive Investing: Risk-Adjusted Return Measures
- Performance Evaluation: Style Analysis and Performance Attribution
Like the other offerings in the specialization, this course features in-depth video lectures, readings and quizzes.
You’ll walk away with the expertise to describe performance measurement methods and varying investment strategies. You’ll also be able to evaluate portfolio performance and suggest investment strategy approaches.
Enrollment is free.
8. Advanced Stock Trading Course + Strategies by Udemy
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: On sale for $10.99
This course moves beyond stock trading basics to introduce you to concepts that will allow you to trade with confidence. You’ll put theory into action and learn the secrets employed by full-time traders to earn consistent profits.
Advanced Stock Trading Course + Strategies includes 9.5 hours on-demand video, 1 article and 35 downloadable resources. The 43 lectures are categorized as follows:
- Introduction
- The Micro-Structure, ECNs and Dark Pools
- Valuation and Technical Analysis
- Fundamentals
- Macro-Events
- Trading Plan and Strategies
9. Advanced Stock Options for Serious Equity Investors! by Udemy
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: On sale for $10.99
Advanced Stock Options for Serious Equity Investors! teaches you how to master controlled leverage investing so you can invest like George Soros and Warren Buffett. This highly rated class targets advanced equity investors in search of higher-level stock options training.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the course syllabus:
- Option Mechanics Toolbox Every Savvy Stock Investor Must Master
- Basic Option Pricing with Binomial Outcome Trees for Valuation
- Black Scholes Option Pricing Theory and the Real World Impacts
- Real Options Offer Insights Into Your Real Estate Investments
- The Joint Cross Section of Stocks and Options by a Top Columbia Business School
- Stock Options at Lotteries by Utah Professors Brian H. Boyer and Keith Vorkink
Along with the detailed instruction provided in each lecture, you’ll also get a quiz to assess your comprehension of the material. This will help you identify areas where you are strong or need to focus more to master the material.
Register with confidence knowing the course comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn’t quite suit your needs.
Get Started with a Stock Market Training Course
Benzinga wants you to start off on the right foot with investing. Consider our list of recommended stock market training courses to acquire the foundational knowledge you need or level up your skills to earn even more money.
Enroll today to take the first step toward meeting your investment goals. You will learn how to make your money work harder and grow over time and build wealth.
Southern New Hampshire University Online
SNHU Online Offers:
- Flexible schedules
- Affordable tuition
- Online tutoring
- Access to electronic research materials
- Specialized academic advising
- Supportive online community