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42Courses

The Art of Behavioural Investing

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Three things you can rely on.

A CPD-accredited Mini MBA.

Real learning, backed up with proof. Signed, dated, and easy to track.

Marked by humans, not bots.

Someone on the team actually reads what you submit and replies, usually within 24 hours.

Personalised to your role.

Our system reshapes each lesson around your day to day work, so you can apply it straight away.

About this course

The biggest risk to your investment progress? It's probably you.

As Benjamin Graham, the go-to name behind value investing, put it so well: The investor's chief problem and even his worst enemy is likely to be himself.

This course is built to help you see the psychological patterns that quietly derail financial choices. Once you notice them, you can start making calmer, clearer decisions.

Made for ambitious professionals, finance-minded people, and anyone who's ever asked, Why did I do that with my money? this isn't one of those generic finance courses. It's quick to get through, practical in the real world, and taught by Dr Greg B Davies, a leading Behavioural Finance expert at Oxford Risk, with input from investment professionals around the globe.

Your Key Learning Takeaways:

The psychology of investing: How common sense can turn irrational, and why your instincts sometimes lead you astray.
Behavioural traps you'll recognise: From loss aversion to overconfidence, you'll learn how biases show up and how they affect results.
The emotional side of investing: The optimistic highs, the panic lows, and how to stay steady even when your feelings get loud.
Hands-on tools you can use: Simple approaches to cut out expensive mistakes and keep moving toward long-term goals.

(Want the full breakdown of chapters and lessons? Just scroll a little further down this page.)

Why take it?

Because markets can be unpredictable. But your reactions do not have to be.

Earn CPD credits, add a miniMBA certificate to your CV or LinkedIn, and actually enjoy learning something that improves how you handle your finances.

It's time to stop self-sabotaging.

Let's get your thinking right before your portfolio.

Please note this course does not constitute investment advice.

For more information about Oxford Risk, head to oxfordrisk.com

What you'll learn:

Why investing can turn into self-sabotage
How psychological bias affects the way you make financial choices
How to improve your investing habits using four straightforward rules
Core ideas like confirmation bias, loss aversion, familiarity bias, and the endowment effect.
Practical support to help you stick to your investing goals

Who's it for

Made with you in mind.

If you're a:

New investor trying to understand what might be blinding you
Experienced investor looking to sharpen your decision-making
Financial advisor who wants better client outcomes through smarter decisions
Anyone curious about the psychology behind stronger investing
Current investor who wants to make more thoughtful choices going forward

A quick look behind the curtain.

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Inside a lesson

Short lessons that tell a story, not a lecture. Never boring. You'll spend about 15 minutes per session. Each one includes video, a strong narrative in the writing, and a question to confirm the idea actually landed.

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AI personalisation

Built around your role and what you're aiming for. Tell us what you do and what you want to improve. Our system reshapes each lesson so you get practical takeaways tailored to your working life. The frameworks and data stay the same, but the examples become relevant to you.

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Real feedback

A real person ready to help. Some questions are checked manually by someone from our team. If you need direction, you'll get it. And if you get stuck, we can jump on a call and talk it through.

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The certificate

A Mini MBA certificate you'll actually want to keep. CPD-accredited, signed, dated, and trackable. Learners complete the course at a rate above 80%, compared to an industry average nearer to 10%.

42courses vs typical online courses.

Feature	42courses	Typical platform
Marking & feedback by real people	Within 24 hours	Auto-quiz only
Personalised by role & sector	AI rewrites every lesson	Same content for everyone
Taught by working practitioners	The people who wrote the book	Often academics or actors
Average completion rate	Over 80%	5 to 15% (industry average)
CPD-accredited Mini MBA certificate	Every course	Sometimes
30-day money back, no questions	If you aren't happy, we aren't	Usually a 7-day refund window

Questions you might be wondering about.

Roughly eight hours of content total, broken into small lessons of about 15 minutes each. Most people get it done in around two weeks. There's no strict deadline though, and you can pause whenever life or work gets in the way.

No prior study needed. We start with the basics and build from there. You'll learn a fresh way to think about the topic, using insights from leading voices in the field. Whether you're brand new or you already know your way around, you'll leave with a better edge.

Each lesson ends with a short question to check your understanding. In every course, select questions are marked manually by our team. If you need a steer, a real person will come back with notes to help you get to the right place. If you're stuck, or you just want to talk something through, we're also happy to get on a call with you.

You get 30 days from enrolment to request a full refund. No forms, no exit interview, no awkward email chains. We respond to refund requests within 24 hours, often quicker. If the course isn�t for you, neither are we.

The books give you the theory. This course is all about applying it, with the content shaped around your role and goals, so you finish each lesson with practical takeaways that actually fit your situation.

Yes. People who've completed it have used it across tech, healthcare, retail, banking, government, charities, and education. The personalisation adjusts every lesson to your role and goals, so examples and activities shift to match what you're dealing with.

Yes. Most learning and development budgets cover this without a problem. If you need it, we can issue a VAT-friendly invoice. Just email groundcontrol@42courses.com . For groups of 10 or more learners, check out Team plans.

It's a CPD-accredited certificate recognised across the UK and internationally for continuing professional development. You get it personalised with your name, signed, dated, and trackable. Pop it onto your LinkedIn, your CV, your performance review, your fridge. Whatever works.

Tools You'll Explore

Dr Greg B Davies

Greg leads Behavioural Finance at Oxford Risk. Back in 2006, he set up the first behavioural finance team in the banking world at Barclays, and he ran it for a decade. He holds a PhD in Behavioural Decision Theory from Cambridge, has held academic roles at UCL, Imperial College, and Oxford, and he's the author of Behavioral Investment Management. In other words, he's exceptionally well qualified to guide you through this topic.

Oxford Risk

Oxford Risk was launched in 2002 by researchers and specialists in human behaviour from Oxford University. They've become a go-to name in applying behavioural science to financial decisions. With advanced software and practical insights, they support banks, financial institutions, and wealth management firms worldwide, helping investors make better, more informed choices at every step of their journey. What makes it different is how behavioural finance, data science, quantitative finance, and modern technology come together. That blend helps guide individuals toward improved outcomes by understanding the psychology behind their decisions, not ignoring it. They work with wealth managers and financial advisers globally, offering Risk Suitability solutions so clients can align investments with who they really are financially. To find out how Oxford Risk can support your journey, visit https://oxfordrisk.com

Carl Richards

Carl Richards is a Certified Financial Planner�, built and sold a successful investment firm, and has written bestselling books like The Behavior Gap and The One-Page Financial Plan. He's also spoken at major finance events around the world.

Dr. Brian Portnoy

Dr. Brian Portnoy is an author and a specialist in the psychology of money. He founded Shaping Wealth, a learning and training platform focused on human first financial guidance. Shaping Wealth offers coaching, courses, and resources designed to help advisory teams level up in behavioural finance, positive psychology, and emotional intelligence.

Laura Carolina Cardona Mesa

Laura is Head of the Behavioral Sciences Laboratory at BanColombia. She focuses on decision-making and behaviour change, and brings 13+ years of experience across analytics, finance, and behavioural science within the banking sector.

Daniel Crosby

Daniel Crosby is a Behavioural Finance expert, a NYT bestselling author, a psychologist, and a keynote speaker. His books, including The Soul of Wealth and The Behavioral Investor, have been translated into 17 languages. Right now, he's the Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion Advisor Solutions.

Merle Van Den Akker

Merle is a specialist in behavioural science, personal finance management, payment systems, and consumer finance. She has a PhD from Warwick Business School and currently works as a Senior Product Manager at Australia's largest bank, Commonwealth Bank.

Shweta Agarwal

Shweta focuses on applying cutting-edge research in decision sciences, statistics, and analytics to choices that happen in the investment world. She holds a PhD in Decision Sciences and Risk Management from the London School of Economics.

Ryan O. Murphy

Ryan's work centres on how people make decisions, especially when it comes to risk, money, and investing. He currently serves as Global Head of Behavioral Insights at Morningstar and holds a PhD in Behavioural Decision Theory from the University of Arizona.

Paul Nixon

Paul is the Head of Behavioural Finance at Momentum Investments. He also holds a master's degree in Behavioural Finance from Stellenbosch University and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School.

John de Goey

John de Goey is a Portfolio Manager at Designed Securities and a strong supporter of investor rights. He's been named one of Canada's Top 50 Advisors by Wealth Professional Magazine twice, and in 2017 he received the Donald J. Johnston Award for his work in financial planning.

Micheal Kitces

Michael (Chief Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com) is also Head of Planning Strategy at Buckingham Wealth Partners. He's a co-founder of XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, and Pathfinder.

Clare Flynn Levy

Clare Flynn Levy is the Founder and CEO of Essentia Analytics. She provides behavioural analytics for professional investors. Essentia's Behavioral Alpha? Benchmark helps portfolio managers improve decision-making and strategy. She's also a non-executive director at Leathwaite and holds a BA from Barnard College.

Anthony Damtsis

Anthony Damtsis is Deputy Head of Behavioural Finance at TD Bank Group. He applies psychology to financial decision-making and holds a B.Com. as well as a Master's from Ryerson University's Ted Rogers School of Management.

Meir Statman

Meir Statman is Glenn Klimek Professor of Finance at Santa Clara University. He specialises in behavioural finance and studies how investor decisions shape markets. He earned a Ph.D. from Columbia University, has degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and was listed as a top 25 influencer by Investment Advisor.

Alex Chesterfield

Alex Chesterfield is a behavioural scientist with a focus on behavioural risk, decision-making, and organisational failure. She leads behavioural risk work in financial services. Before this, she founded Which Behavioural Science team, worked in the FCA's Behavioural Economics & Data Science group, and is co-author of Poles Apart.

What we'll cover, in order.

An Introduction to Behavioural Investing

What is behavioural investing and how can it make you a better investor?

Why Behavioural Investing Matters

You Are Your Own Worst Enemy

The Two Brains Within You

Speak the Language of Investing

Know Thyself (Finding Your Financial Personality)

How your need for emotional comfort during your investment journey leads to costly behaviours.

The Cost of Being Human

What’s Your Investor Type?

Know Your Comfort Zone (and Why It Matters)

Know Your Circle of Competence

(Over)Confidence and Confirmation Bias

Biases Through The Investment Journey

An overview of the various biases the average investor experiences on their investing journey.

The Cycle of Market Emotions

The Ascent – From Optimism to Exuberance

The Decline – When Fear Takes Over

The Recovery

Other Costs Through The Cycle

Understanding Investments

Focusing on the long term can help you achieve steady, positive returns and avoid the common pitfalls of emotional investing.

Time Is the Investor’s Superpower

Mastering Risk & Volatility

Luck vs Skill In Investing

Why We Avoid the Unpopular

Market Bubbles

Four Golden Rules to Behavioural Investing Success

Good investing doesn't have to be complicated. Following just four simple rules can help you outperform most investors.

Investing Shouldn’t Be Complex

Rule 1 - Build a Safety Buffer

Rule 2 - Put the Rest to Work – Get Going!

Rule 3 - Diversify (and Invest Efficiently)

Rule 4 - Leave It Alone

Practical Tools to Stick to Your Plan

Tools to help you stay the course: your investing constitution, asset allocation, portfolio rebalancing & pause points.

Ulysses – Tie Yourself to the Mast

Create Your Investing Constitution

A Simple Yet Powerful Portfolio

How to Rebalance Your Portfolio

The Art of Pause Points

How to Make Better Investment Decisions

Five practical ways to help you make better lifelong investment decisions.

Improve Your Information Diet

Evaluate Expert Opinions

Control When and Where You Make Decisions

The Play Pot - A Safe Space for Obsessive Tinkerers

What Now? A Simple Ending for a Lifelong Journey

Certification Process

Complete all the classes

Attend classes, ask questions, and finish your homework. We check your activity and support your learning journey every step of the way.

Get the Summary Notes

Receive high-quality supporting documents, summary notes, and recommended readings. Ensure you have access to all tools and resources.

Complete 100% Impact

Complete the final assessment to validate your learning. Earn your certificate and share your achievement with your professional network!

Free

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This Course Includes:

Level Access

8h of Content

Certificate of Completion

English

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