#HackYourFuture – Are you ready to shape your future in finance?

Our Fintech Investing and Trading minor (FIT) is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to navigate the rapidly changing world of financial technology. We explore how the internet has enabled fintech, and the implications of these technologies on your life. You will learn how to create a robust investment thesis and a future-proof investment portfolio. You will gain knowledge in investing in technologies, protocols, and companies of the future and apply that knowledge through hands-on experience by participating in a trading competition. But we do more: we also equip you with both the personal development knowledge and skills needed to tap into your true potential. Enrol now and take the first step towards your future in fintech.

General objectives
The 21st century asks for 21st-century education. Here at THUAS, we encourage our students to not only leave university with a degree but also with 21st-century skills. The use of financial technology, or 'FinTech', has increased significantly in recent years. What in the past was a complex way to manage finances is now used by millions of people worldwide thanks to the rise of online banking and mobile platforms. With the emergence of financial technology, students must be cognizant of the latest digital innovation to fully prepare for what may be referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. The existing financial landscape will fundamentally be altered by incorporating technology to finance, leading to more new entrants providing more effective and efficient financial solutions to its users. We want students to become world citizens, in our case familiar with the workings of global financial systems and their financial products (assets). Becoming a world citizen isn't easy. It means that, other than understanding the theory, you would also need to adjust your mindset and behavior, and for that, you also need insights and training. Part of this 'mindset and behavior' is developing critical thinking, fundamental and technical research skills and "global" orientation. Therefore this 30 ECT, as opposed to the 15 ECT variant (Trading Digital & Financial Assets (BFM-HMVT20-TRADE), also adds these additional elements in the mix. In this extended version, you will encounter real-life field challenges, research challenges, team & communication skills, personal development aspects, and even more in-depth technical analysis (TA) and fundamental analysis (FA) knowledge.

The art of doing
We therefore combine theory, practice and the "art of doing / experiencing" in this minor. We believe that real-life trading and managing of digital financial assets, backed by theory and backed by field experts, will act as a bridge towards understanding these types of assets. We expect this minor to act as a gateway for students to further investigate and reflect upon current and new financial systems, like, for example our monetary systems. We aim to broaden the student's horizon, learning by doing and experiencing first-hand. The 30 ECT variant allows us to add more elements to the teaching philosophy: "Understanding the bike, by riding it". Resulting in finance professionals equipped with not only an understanding of but also experience in, managing financials assets and the global financial systems of the 21st century that we are all part of. Finally, as FinTech is becoming a more dominant phenomenon with practical solutions, the purpose is to merge theoretical knowledge with practical case studies for students to better comprehend both the threats and opportunities of this nascent industry.
Multidisciplinary approach
Other than the integration of field experts, other disciplines like sustainability, IT and Cyber security and (inter)national partners. The aim of this multidisciplinary approach is to create a multidisciplinary view of the world for our future finance professionals. There might be an overlaps with some of the topics from your regular curricula or other minors due to the multi-disciplinary approach, but thanks to that same approach a lot of new unfamiliar topics will introduce themselves as well, as well as different views / perspectives, field challenges and real life action in the realm of TA and FA trading and Investing.
Topics of content
1. A Technical Analysis of Digital Financial Assets: this is the mathematical approach of reading charts and graphs and base future prediction upon the past.
2. A Fundamental Analysis of Digital Financial Assets: here, we analyse underlying core elements of the asset. Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, also includes non-financial fundamental elements ("integrated reporting").
3. Global Systems: this is where we focus on the current global systems, like our monetary or exchanges systems, and upcoming new financial systems like decentralised exchanges or decentralised financial products (global inclusiveness).
4. SDG's: we will bridge finance and with the role it plays regarding the SDG's. We will teach students, and let them experience on their own, how they as future finance professionals can contribute themselves to the SDG's in a more sustainable and inclusive way, while managing financial assets.
5. Psychology and behaviour: this is where we confront students with their emotions, feelings and behaviour. A large part of our behaviour and choices are visible when acting under pressure (for example, when you trade and open a position). This is where we offer students insight and tools to better themselves and their skill set. We will also cover elements of personal development and growing mindset.
6. Understanding of recent financial technology developments. This section aims to illustrate students the latest updates and changes of the fast-moving fintech industry, including new innovations such as tokenised assets, national digital currencies, GPDR focused solutions (Regtech), technology and management business innovation and digital entrepreneurship.
In this 30 ECT variant all the above is done in field practice setting where you will encounter and deal with real life trading situations, field challenges and research challenges from actual field partners. This time not only done on an individual basis, but also on a team base. The 30 ECT minors allows for more time and therefore does an in-depth analysis per topic of content. More subjects are discussed within each topic of content as well as further elaboration on each topic and inherent subjects.

Flexible and personal study elements
We will offer this course in a blended variant and use innovative educational tools to incentivize study behaviour. Examples are digital tokens and badges, but also high-level trading software. It will also be offered via the KOIOS open infrastructure, enabling a platform for students to connect with other enthusiasts worldwide and enabling flexible personal elements like learning at your own pace or choice in assignments. Students can also follow lectures and courses of the other minors.
Optional Learning programms/goals:
Personal Growth and Life Skills: Students should be able to use practical skills like mindfulness, deep learning, and effective communication in both personal and professional situations.

 

If you are a student of The Hague University, you can click here for more information and to enrol:  

Blockchain 15: click here

Blockchain 30: click here

TDFA: click here 

FIT: click here 

Understainding Blockchain: By the end of this minor, students should not only be able to explain the fundamental principles of blockchain technology.

Structure 15 & 30 ECT Minors

There are two variants of the Trading & Investing minor, 15 & 30 ECT. Both Minors start simultaneously, so 15 ECT and 30 ECT classes begin together. After ten weeks, the first period, students of the 15 ECT variant are finished. Students of the 30 ECT variant then continue with the second part for more profound knowledge, skills, and network. This second part is another ten weeks.
The 15 ECTS consists of three parts, each worth 5 ECTS, while the 30 ECTS comprises six parts, also valued at 5 ECTS each. The minor consists of a main mandatory part worth 5 ECTS, along with two optional parts that students can select based on their interests and skills. The minor can be customized to suit the educational preferences of the student, including the option to swap parts with other minors. For further details, please refer to the ‘Description of Tests and the Minimum Pass Rate’.

Desired competencies.

These competencies can be traced back to the program's professional (domain) competencies (s) offering the minor. Competencies are always on the university of applied sciences level. For a transfer minor, these competencies should be derived from the academic competency profiles.
1. Provide a contribution to the design of the management control system aimed at the management, control and monitoring of an organisation, such that the (strategic) goals are achieved.
2. Selecting and applying appropriate analysis methods aimed at taking the right decisions by an organisation.
3. Finance professionals can translate practical questions in organisations on the basis of a critical analysis into a concrete knowledge need and answer these with practical, feasible advice or designs (e.g. product, process, model), focusing on decision making that leads to improvement or renewal of practical situations .
4. Finance professionals are advisory. This means, among other things, that they are communicative in word / and writing, also in an international context. Finance professionals are agile because they can reflect on their own actions and their own learning process and can adjust their actions accordingly.
The above are the Finance & Control Program Learning Outcomes (PLO's) from which this minor is officially offered.

Goals:
LO1: The student is able to evaluate (15 ECT) and create (30 ECT) entry and exit trading points based on fundamental as well as technical aspects of trading
LO2: The students is able to apply trading skills into practice and will be able to actively manage a trading/investing portfolio (15 ECT) and participate in trading research field projects (30 ECT)
LO3: The student will learn the fundamentals of financial markets, macro-economic tendencies, their history and their implications on the world economy (15 ECT) and evaluate them with global market tendencies (30 ECT)
LO4: The student will be able to analyse (15 ECT) and evaluate (30 ECT) the financial results of companies (listed on stock exchanges)

LO5: The student learns extensive risk and investment management strategies and apply them in a live trading competition for 10 weeks (15 ECT) or 20 weeks (30 ECT).
LO6: The student will learn to work in a team of traders, collectively and actively managing a portfolio and act as advisors to employers and/or trading/investment funds (15 ECT). Students can create a (automated) trading strategy based, based on this portfolio managing (30 ECT)
LO7: The student will learn how to recognise and improve Psychologic elements of trading (15 ECT) and how to apply them in TA and FA (30 ECT)
LO8: the student support and evaluates the pallet of possible TA variables, connects them with FA variables and applies them over an extended period in real live trading situations.
LO 9: the student supports and advices in real life field and research challenges.

As a multidisciplinary topic, this course is open to all. Our experience has shown that students from diverse backgrounds enroll in this course. The minor starts from the basics and is fully adaptable and flexible to meet your educational needs.

Intermediate English proficiency is required. Assignments may be submitted in Dutch if your main program also allows it. Prior knowledge is not necessary; the minor welcomes students starting from scratch.

In addition to the Koios.world platform (see https://app.koios.world/#/worlds), which supports online content sharing, community building and field /network connecting, other aids are coming from:

Recommended Reading:
- How to Make Money in Stocks – William K. O'Neil
- Thinking Fast & Slow – Daniel Kahneman
- Market Wizards – Jack D. Schwager
- Insider Buy Superstocks – Jesse C. Stine
- How to DeFi: Beginner – Darren Lau, Daryl Lau, Sze Jin Teh

Websites:
- Investopedia.com
- Fidelity.com
- Online trading and investing communities (will be provided)
- Tradimo (will be provided)

Note: a personal laptop and internet connection for this course are highly recommended. If a student has no access, we will act according to the THUAS policy (provide via library and other facilities).

Teaching method(s):
Blended learning, classical education, individual and team assignments, presentations, portfolio's and reports. Tokenized education.

Study load:
- Web colleges + tutorials + lectures guest speakers.
- Intensive contact with industry, i.e. advisory report.
- Application of blended learning where students prepare the material at home and come to class to discuss the material. In addition, the homework assignments for the portfolio are related to the teaching material.
- We strongly encourage ecosystem learning (on- and offline) via KOIOS.
- Minor is considered to be intensive but instructive by students.

Schedule The total amount of contact hours is 12 hours per week. Students may follow multiple disciplines or other extracurricular activities. Not all classes are mandatory. Many hours are assigned to the portfolio and other assignments. It combines theory and authentic experience in the field ("if you want to learn how to ride a bike, you need to hop and make some mileage on the road").

First block (first 15 ECTS)
1. Main Portfolio: In the lessons, weekly tests are administered, of which four out of five must be passed. Students must not have missed more than three lessons and must pass at least four tests. Additionally, students will actively manage a portfolio in which theoretical knowledge and practical skills are tested. This part must be completed with a pass (pass/fail). It is a mandatory requirement for every student of the minor to complete in order to finish the minor. (5 ECTS)
2. Teach the Teacher: Students need to submit weekly video assignments, one video per week. In these assignments, students must explain a subject from that week's curriculum. It’s a "teach the teacher" assignment. This part needs to be passed (pass/fail). It is an optional route that students can take to earn 5 ECTS.
3. Growth Course: The growth course that we are offering requires students to submit a reflection report along with their weekly assignments upon completion. This is an optional route that students can take to earn 5 ECTS.
4. Trading Journal: Students participate in a trading competition, keep a journal of their trading activities, analyses, trade execution and reflect upon it. Students must achieve a grade of 5.5 or above to pass this component. It is an optional route that students can take to earn 5 ECTS.

Second Block (Second 15 ECTS)
1. Main Portfolio: In the lessons, weekly tests are administered, of which four out of five must be passed. Students must not have missed more than three lessons and must pass at least four tests. Additionally, students will actively manage a portfolio in which theoretical knowledge and practical skills are tested. This part must be completed with a pass (pass/fail). It is a mandatory requirement for every student of the minor to complete in order to finish the minor. (5 ECTS)
2. Teach the Teacher: Students need to submit weekly video assignments, one video per week. In these assignments, students must explain a subject from that week's curriculum. It’s a "teach the teacher" assignment. This part needs to be passed (pass/fail). It is an optional route that students can take to earn 5 ECTS.
3. Growth Course: The growth course that we are offering requires students to submit a reflection report along with their weekly assignments upon completion. This part needs to be passed (pass/fail). This is an optional route that students can take to earn 5 ECTS. "Students who have already completed the growth course in the first block will enroll in the advanced program, while students who did not select it in the first block will be placed in the basic program.
4. Field Assignment: This assignment involves solving a real-life problem/assignment in a group format. The format of the output differs per assignment and assignment provider. Students must achieve a grade of 5.5 or above to pass this component. It is an optional route that students can take to earn 5 ECTS.

Optional: Students may also replace one of the optional parts of this minor with one of the optional parts of the " Blockchain, AI & Quantum" minor. For more information about these options, please refer to the minor description of this minor and discuss with the teachers.

Total Grade: Students can fully complete the minor and receive their full points, or they can receive partial points for each completed part.

The Hague University of Applied Sciences x TradingView partnership

The Hague University’s Finance & Control programme is excited to announce a strategic partnership with TradingView, the world’s leading platform for traders and investors. This collaboration will provide students enrolled in our popular minors, "Trading Digital & Financial Assets" and "Fintech:Investing & Trading" with unparalleled access to advanced analytical tools, empowering them to explore the dynamic world of trading and investing.

Through this partnership, students gain access to global financial market data via TradingView throughout their program, encompassing a wide range of assets such as stocks, cryptocurrencies, bonds, and more. They will develop the skills to apply both fundamental and technical analysis to evaluate these assets, deepening their understanding of financial markets.

The primary goal of this partnership is to make financial markets and data more accessible to both beginners and experienced traders. Students will gain hands-on experience performing market analysis, making informed decisions, and tracking the outcomes of their strategies. TradingView’s comprehensive tools, including the Stock screener, calendars, heatmaps, and others, will allow them to delve deeply into financial market analysis.

We are proud to collaborate with TradingView and excited to support students in developing valuable skills that will serve them well in the world of finance. This partnership will undoubtedly enhance their learning experience and help them confidently navigate financial markets.