Personal Finance, Part 1
Price: $125 | Credits: One Semester | Dept: Elective | Course ID# 277-1
Personal Finance, Part 1 is a practical course that equips students with essential skills to make informed financial decisions. It begins with goal-setting and budgeting, then explores income, paychecks, and job benefits. Students learn about saving, investing, compound interest, and the time value of money. The course also covers credit—how to build it, use it responsibly, and maintain a strong credit score. Students gain experience with banking tools, digital wallets, and managing accounts. The course concludes with an overview of financing higher education, including financial aid and alternative options. Personal Finance, Part 1 prepares students to take control of their financial future and is approved by the University of California A-G as an elective (category G).
Upon completion of this course, the student is awarded 5 credits. Each credit corresponds to 15 hours of study. Of course, some students work more quickly than others, and some can devote more hours to study, so some students are able to complete the course at an accelerated rate.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
In this module, students gain a comprehension of the following
• Why financial literacy matters and how setting goals and creating a budget can help manage money wisely
• How to understand paychecks, different types of income, and the role of taxes and job benefits.
• How to save and invest for the future, including how compound interest works and why time affects the value of money.
• The basics of investing, like the differences between stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and retirement accounts.
• How to use banks and financial tools like online banking, mobile apps, and debit cards, while avoiding common scams.
• What credit is, how to build good credit, understand credit scores, and use credit cards responsibly.
• How to plan and pay for college, including financial aid options and alternatives to traditional college.
TOPICS COVERED
This course covers the following topics:
- Introduction to Personal Finance
- Income, Careers, and Paychecks
- Saving and Investing
- Banking and Financial Institutions
- Understanding Credit
- Financing Higher Education
