CFA® Level III Crash Course

• Ethical and Professional Standards
• Quantitative Methods for Portfolio Management
• Economics for Portfolio Management
• Asset Valuation
• Portfolio Management
• Risk Management

The objective of this course is to give the participants a very intensive preparation for the AIMR CFA® Level 3 examination.

 

In this course, most weight will be given to Asset Valuation (30-40% weighting at the exam) and Portfolio Management (40%-60%). However, Ethical and Professional Standards, Quantitative Methods for Portfolio Management, and Economics for Portfolio Management will also be covered. Portfolio Management includes asset allocation, derivatives and risk management topics such as “Value-at-Risk”. The final program will closely reflect the 2current curriculum. The Level 3 examination will consist of 50 percent essay/short answer questions or problems (morning session) and 50 percent item set/multiple choice (afternoon session). Therefore, a major objective of this crash course is to train the participants in both of these question formats. The course is designed as a number of fast-paced classroom presentations of approx. 1-2 hours followed by multiple choice quizzes and short essay questions. Participants will be provided with very useful practical guideline solutions at the end of the course. Historical evidence confirms that this CFA Level 3 Crash Course significantly improves the chances of passing the official examination successfully. However, participation in this course will not by itself be sufficient preparation for the exam. Participants will be expected to have studied carefully the CFA® curriculum materials prior to this course!

 

Day One

08.30 - 08.45  Welcome and Introduction

08.45 - 12.00  Ethical and Professional Standards

• Study Session 1 + 2
  • Code of Ethics
  • Standards of Professional Conduct

• Small test

Investment Tools

• Study Session 3
  • Quantitative Methods for Portfolio Management

• Small test

12.00 - 13.00  Lunch

13.00 - 17.00  Investment Tools

• Study Session 4
  • Economics for Portfolio Management

Asset Valuation (I)

• Study Session 5
  • Market Indexes and Global Equity Investments
• Study Session 6
  • Debt Investments

• Small test

Day Two

08.30 - 08.45  Recap

08.45 - 12.00  Asset Valuation (II)

• Study Session 7
  • Debt Investments
• Study Session 8
  • Alternative Investments

• Small test

Portfolio Management (I)

• Study Session 9
  • Investment Policy for Individual Investors

12.00 - 13.00  Lunch

13.00 - 17.00  Portfolio Management (II)

• Study Session 10
  • Investment Policy for Institutional Investors
• Study Session 11
  • Asset Allocation
• Study Session 12
  • Using Equity Derivatives

• Small test

Day Three

08.30 - 08.45  Recap

08.45 - 12.00  Portfolio Management (III)

• Study Session 13
  • Using Debt Derivatives
• Study Session 14
  • Portfolio Strategies and Issues
• Study Session 15
  • Risk Considerations

• Small test

12.00 - 13.00  Lunch

13.00 - 16.00  Portfolio Management (IV)

• Study Session 16
  • Performance Evaluation and Attribution
• Study Session 17
  • Performance Presentation Standards
• Study Session 18
  • The Global Investment Process

Mock Examination

Evaluation and Termination of the Course