Trading Basics
Trading Basics is a beginner-level online course from Coursera in Trading. It is structured in 4 modules, over 8h 17m. Learners rate it 4.0/5 from 1.8K ratings on Coursera.
Part of our Trading courses collection, where we compare it against 24 other courses. See all Trading courses on Coursera.
Course highlights
| Provider | Coursera |
| Duration | 8h 17m |
| Level | Beginner |
| Mode | Self-paced |
| Language | English |
| Certificate | Yes — shareable certificate |
| Rating | 4.0★ (1.8K reviews) |
| Price | Check price |
About this course
Trading Basics is a beginner-level course offered on Coursera by the Indian School of Business. It runs for 8 hours and 17 minutes and is delivered in English. The course is self-paced and provides a certificate upon completion.
The syllabus covers four core areas. Basics of Financial Statements teaches how to read and interpret the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Financial Statement Analysis builds on that to evaluate a company's financial health. Asset pricing theories explain how the value of stocks, bonds, and other assets is determined. Basics of Market Microstructure looks at how markets operate, including order types, market liquidity, and the mechanics of trading equities.
By the end of the course, a learner can read a company's financial statements, calculate basic profitability ratios, understand how asset prices are set, and describe how orders move through a market. These are practical skills for anyone starting to look at equity or commodity markets.
The course does not teach technical chart patterns, options strategies, or algorithmic trading. Learners who are already comfortable reading balance sheets may find the content introductory. Those seeking hands-on trading platforms or advanced portfolio construction should look at the alternatives listed on the page.
Free options include the Udemy course Trading Master 101 - Introduction To Technical Analysis and Trading for Beginners - Entry Level, both of which are free, self-paced, and offer a certificate. The Coursera course itself can be audited for free, though a certificate requires purchase.
Level and time commitment
Skills you’ll gain
What this course covers
4 modulesThe 4-part outline Coursera publishes for this course, across 8h 17m.
Module 1 · Basics of Financial Statements
Module 2 · Financial Statement Analysis
Module 3 · Asset pricing theories
Module 4 · Basics of Market Microstructure
What learners rate it
Rated 4.0/5 by 1.8K learners on Coursera (checked 7 Nov 2026).
This rating is collected by Coursera from its own enrolled learners. We reproduce it as reported and do not accept paid or incentivised reviews. See it on Coursera →
Compiled by the CoursesGlobal editorial desk. Fees, ratings, duration and certificate details for the 1 course shown are read directly from Coursera course pages — we never estimate a price or a rating. Last verified 7 November 2026.
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Compare with alternatives
Same topic, different trade-offs — here's who runs each one and what it's best at.
| Course | Provider | Rating | Price | Duration | Why pick this one | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Basics This |
 Coursera
|
4★ | Check price | 8h 17m | Beginner-friendly · 8h 17m | |
| Algorithmic Trading using Angel One's Smartapi |
 Udemy
|
4.7★ | ₹509 | 11.5 hours | Most popular — 3.5K learners | View ↗ |
| ChatGPT for Stock Trading: Boost Your Investments with AI |
Udemy
|
4.7★ | ₹449 | 6 hours | Highest rated (4.7★ from 550 reviews) | View ↗ |
| How to be a Profitable Trader - Best Forex Trading Strategy |
Udemy
|
4.6★ | ₹609 | 3 hours | Quickest to finish (3 hours) | View ↗ |
Common questions
How much does Trading Basics cost?
Coursera does not publish a price we can read on the course page, so we do not show one. Check the fee on the provider site — we would rather say nothing than quote a number we did not collect.
Does Trading Basics come with a certificate?
Yes — Coursera lists a certificate on completion. It is a course certificate, not a formal qualification or university credit.
How long does Trading Basics take?
Coursera lists it at 8h 17m. It is self-paced, so that is the volume of material rather than a deadline — how long it actually takes depends on the hours you put in each week.
Is Trading Basics suitable for beginners?
Yes. Coursera lists it at Beginner level, so no prior experience in the subject is assumed.
What does Trading Basics cover?
It is organised into 4 modules, starting with Basics of Financial Statements and going on to Financial Statement Analysis, Asset pricing theories, Basics of Market Microstructure. The full outline is on this page.