What Courses to Take to Become a Stockbroker

Economics

Economics is the foundation that all financial investments rest upon. Stockbrokers must have a solid knowledge of both macroeconomics and microeconomics to fully understand the workings of stock markets. Economics is the study of the management and distribution of land, labor, assets and capital within and between economic entities. Macroeconomics analyzes economics on a large scale, at the national, international or global level. Microeconomics analyzes individual units in the economy, such as individuals, households and businesses.

Stockbrokers analyze stocks in two distinct ways: fundamentally and technically. Fundamental analysis involves digging into companies' financial statements to measure the performance and gauge the true value of the underlying business. Accounting courses can familiarize you with the concepts, techniques and processes required to analyze a company's finances, as well as teaching you exactly how companies create and maintain the financial statements used by stockbrokers and investors. Financial accounting is a course geared toward basic accounting and creating reports for external stakeholders, such as stockbrokers. Managerial accounting is an advanced course geared toward internal financial management.

Finance courses are vital to any investment professional. Finance is essentially the science and art of using money to make money. Finance courses can teach you the basics of investment strategy and investment options in the marketplace. Finance courses can also familiarize you with complex mathematical models used to determine the relative values of investment options and techniques to maximize your investment income.

Stockbrokers are not exclusively finance professionals. Independent stockbrokers must also be excellent salespeople and marketers. Stockbrokers must understand how to prospect for new clients, build relationships with clients and network. They must also have a solid understanding of advertising and business communication. Courses on direct sales, advertising and communication are available at virtually any business school.

Stock investing is a highly specialized science, and there are very few, if any, college programs specifically geared toward stock trading or brokerage. Stockbrokers can take advantage of informative resources on the web, financial news, trade journals, stock market simulators and online communities to hone their craft and gain real world experience prior to entering the profession.