Capital Markets offers a new program that teaches students how to trade and invest in the stock market.

George Micheni, director of the Capital Markets lab in the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management on the campus of Morgan State University (MSU), is offering students a chance to earn a Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate.

The Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certificate functions as proof that a person has fundamental knowledge of the Bloomberg Terminal. The Bloomberg Terminal is a financial analytics tool that can be used to study market data.

A Bloomberg Terminal costs $24K a month, but Michael Bloomberg, the founder and CEO of the financial software, data and media company has made it available to many educational institutes in a philanthropic effort to teach young Americans about the finance industry.

The Bloomberg Terminal grants users access to public information on all companies and countries. This information can be used to make knowledgeable investments and stock trading decisions.

Micheni mentioned that the terminal can also be used for research on projects.

The BMC certificate requires 8 hours to complete. Students can pick any available time that the lab is open to work toward earning the credits needed.

The BMC certificate is only one part of Micheni’s efforts to train students on how to invest and trade stocks. He has also created an investment club, where students use the stock trading simulation program, StockTrak, to invest and trade stocks in real time.

“When we build up with a number of students, and we get serious students, we are going to use real money,” said Micheni. In the Fall of 2018, he wants to switch from the simulated stock trading program to using real money.

He said that most investment clubs at other institutions are already doing this and he believes Morgan students can do it too.

“I have seen other schools grow from 50 thousand to 100 thousand, to 150,” he said.

Micheni is also offering excel workshops for students throughout the semester.

Micheal Cassei, a graduate student working on a master’s in finance has already earned his BMC certificate and is focused on training other students. He believes that the skills acquired while earning the certificate will give students an edge over competitors in the job market.

“The certificate Is beneficial in a way that employers, or potential employers know that you have this training already,” said Cassei.

Cassei exclaimed that students armed with this knowledge do not necessarily have to go work for an employer to take advantage of the knowledge gained by receiving this certificate.

“You can be a pioneer,” he said. “If you come here and you learn these techniques and get the right tools, you can go and start a family investment club.”

Cassei also noted that all Morgan students should take advantage of this program because they may not have access after graduating.

“It’s important that students take advantage of this because it is free for the Morgan community,” said Cassei.