Skagit Valley College

Catalog Course Search Details

 Course Title:   Personal Finance

 Title Abbreviation:   Personal Finance

 Department:    BUS

 Course #:    112

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5

 CIP:    520101

 EPC:    n/a

 REV:    2018


 Course Description  

Analysis of savings, investments and consumer spending patterns. Personal budgeting, net worth, goal setting, consumer credit, financial institutions, insurance, real estate, stocks, mutual funds, precious metals, taxes, social security, retirement plans and estate planning.

 Prerequisite  

None

Additional Course Details

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 55

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0


Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Academic Elective  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Other Institution Equivalencies Table
Institution Course # Remarks
WSU FIN 223 UCORE: QUANT Consumer credit, financial institutions, investments, mutual funds, insurance, social security, home ownership, taxes, estate planning. 3 Semester Credits
WWU FIN 215 GUR Attribute: SSC (Not intended for students who plan to be finance majors.) Sources of personal income, saving and consumer spending patterns. Development of techniques for planning and budgeting consumption expenditures and saving, with special emphasis on the use of saving allocations to achieve personal goals; real property, insurance, financial investment, retirement, estate and tax planning. Credits: 4

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Analyse consumer spending and savings patterns.
  2. Increase income
  3. Protect Assets
  4. Invest properly
  5. Reduce taxes
  6. Plan for retirement and estate transfer

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

1. Information Literacy

Definition: Recognizing when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
1.1 Determine the extent of information needed.
1.2 Access the needed information effectively, efficiently, ethically, and legally.
1.3 Evaluate information and its sources critically.
1.4 Evaluate issues (for example economic, legal, historic, social) surrounding the use of information.

2. Critical Thinking

Definition: The ability to think critically about the nature of knowledge within a discipline and about the ways in which that knowledge is constructed and validated and to be sensitive to the ways these processes often vary among disciplines.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
2.1 Identify and express concepts, terms, and facts related to a specific discipline.
2.3 Identify, interpret, and evaluate pertinent data and previous experience to reach conclusions.

8. Mathematical Reasoning

Definition: Understanding and applying concepts of mathematics and logical reasoning in a variety of contexts, both academic and non-academic.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
8.3 Interpret information and reasoning expressed mathematically (for example in spreadsheets, diagrams, charts, formulas, etc.).

Course Contents

  1. Budgeting, Net Worth
  2. Compound Interest, Savings Accounts
  3. Insurance
  4. Consumer Credit
  5. Real Estate
  6. Stocks
  7. Mutual Funds
  8. Gold and Silver
  9. Federal Income Taxes
  10. Retirement Plans
  11. Estate and Retirement Planning
  12. Consumer patterns of saving and spending