Quick Links

Important Update: Canada Post Strike & Shipping Guidelines. Learn More.

For all questions related to CIRO’s Proposed Proficiency Model, please visit CIRO’s webpage or email proficiency@ciro.ca.

What will you learn about?

  • Identifying client lifestyle expectations and income needs
  • Determining risk profile
  • Conducting investment product due diligence for both traditional and alternative investments
  • Implementing allocation techniques to help optimize assets
  • Managing a portfolio of managed products
  • Developing wealth accumulation strategies
  • Assessing the benefits and risks of international investments
  • Selecting, building and implementing strategies that protect client portfolios
  • Understanding the taxation of personal investment income from an international perspective

What is the course syllabus?

Expand All| Collapse All

Chapter 1 - The Canadian Wealth Accumulation Market

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • What Is Wealth Management?
  • What are Wealth Accumulation Classification Schemes?
  • What are Age Cohorts?
  • What are Wealth Accumulation Stages?
  • What are Life Stages and Life Transitions?
  • What Is the Impact of Wealth Transfer on Wealth Accumulation?

Chapter 2 - Wealth Accumulation, Discovery, and Marketing

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • The Objectives-Based Planning Approach to Discovery
  • How To Discover Needs at Each Accumulation Stage
  • How a Wealth Advisor Can Discuss Risk With Clients
  • How a Wealth Advisor Can Market their Business to Today’s Wealth Accumulators

Chapter 3 - Understanding a Client's Risk Profile

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • What Is Behavioural Finance?
  • The Relevance of Behavioural Finance to the Wealth Advisor
  • Risk Profile Questionnaires and Their Limitation
  • What Are Investor Biases?
  • What Are Investor Personality Types?
  • How a Wealth Advisor Can Apply Bias Diagnoses When Structuring an Asset Allocation Program
  • Robo-Advisors and Behavioural Biases 

Chapter 4 - The Portfolio Management Process

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • How Investment Portfolios are Managed
  • How a Wealth Advisor Can Develop a Client’s Asset Allocation by Accumulation Stage

Chapter 5 - Fundamental Analysis

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • What is Fundamental Analysis?
  • What is Economic Analysis?
  • What is Industry Analysis?
  • Difference Between IFRS and GAAP
  • What is Company Analysis?
  • What Is Financial Statement Analysis?
  • How are Resource Companies Analyzed?

Chapter 6 - Technical Analysis

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • The Basics of Technical Analysis
  • Chart Analysis
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Sentiment Indicators
  • Overall Equity Market Analysis 
  • Intermarket Analysis
  • How Technical Analysis Can Be Used
  • How Technical Analysis and Fundamental Analysis Can Be Used Together

Chapter 7 - Analyzing and Selecting Debt Securities

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • How are Debt Securities Analyzed and Selected?

Chapter 8 - Analyzing and Selecting Mutual Funds

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • How are Mutual Funds Analyzed and Selected?

Chapter 9 - Analyzing Non-Conventional Asset Classes and Their Structures

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • What Constitutes an Asset Class?
  • What Are Alternative Investments and Why Invest in Them?
  • Overview of Hedge Fund Strategies
  • Overview of Commodities
  • Overview of Real Estate
  • Overview of Infrastructure 
  • Overview of Private Markets
  • Overview of Collectibles
  • Overview of Digital Assets
  • Ways to Invest in Alternative Investments
  • How Commodity Producers Manage Financial Risk
  • Ways to Invest in Real Estate
  • Ways to Invest in Private Markets
  • Ways to Invest in Digital Assets

Chapter 10 - International Investing

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • The Theoretical Basis for International Investing
  • The Size of the Global Equity Market
  • The Major International Equity Benchmarks
  • The Primary Advantages of International Investing
  • The Primary Disadvantages and Risks of International Investing
  • Foreign Investment Vehicles
  • The Skills Necessary for Effective International Investing
  • Do Asset Allocation Models Correctly Assess International Investment Opportunities?

Chapter 11 - International Taxation

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • International Tax Conflicts and Double Taxation
  • Sources of International Tax Law and How They Interrelate
  • Jurisdiction to Tax
  • Source Country Taxation
  • Residence Country Taxation

Chapter 12 - Portfolio Solutions Fundamentals

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • The Main Categories of Portfolio Solutions Programs
  • The Role of Portfolio Solutions in Client Investments
  • How Can an Advisor Take an Active Role in Asset Allocation?
  • The Fee Structures for Portfolio Solutions
  • The Selection Criteria for Portfolio Solutions
  • Monitoring and Evaluating the Performance of Portfolio Solutions
  • Tax Considerations for Portfolio Solutions
  • The Dos and Don’ts of Portfolio Solutions
  • What Is Overlay Management?

Chapter 13 - Managing Your Client's Investment Risk

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • What Are Investment Risks?
  • Measuring Investment Risk
  • How Diversification Can Reduce Investment Risk
  • How to use Options to Reduce Investment Risk
  • How to use Futures Contracts to Reduce Investment Risk
  • How to use Contracts for Difference to Reduce Investment Risk

Chapter 14 - Impediments to Wealth Accumulation

Topics covered in this chapter are:

  • The Burdens of Wealth Accumulation
  • Tax-Minimization Portfolio Management Strategies
  • Tax-Efficient Investments
  • Inflation-Sensitive Assets
  • Cost-Efficient Investments

How will you learn?

CSI’s online learning system helps you meet your study goals. You’ll benefit from:

  • Textbook readings available in PDF, ebook and printed format
  • Learning objectives that keep you focused
  • Interactive tools to help you evaluate and apply course material
  • Online post-chapter review questions to assess your progress
  • Course updates to ensure you’re learning the most current and up-to-date practical material in your studies
  • Online discussion forums and assistance from CSI’s academic support specialists

Course Completion and Wall Certificate

Upon successfully completing this course, you will be able to download a Notice of Course Completion available through your student profile. This will remain on your profile as formal confirmation of course completion.

You can also accept a digital badge through your student profile after successful course completion. Digital badges are portable image files that allow you to share your credentials across the web. You can post them to your email signature, personal website, social media channels—even to electronic copies of your resume.

CSI will mail you a wall certificate within 4 – 6 weeks of course completion. Frames to display your certificate are available. Please ensure that your First and Last Name on your profile matches your First and Last Name on your Government Issued Photo identification – this will ensure you receive an accurate certificate.

CSI will be pleased to issue an Honours Certificate to all students who obtain a final course mark of 85% or higher.