What is Bloomberg?

The Bloomberg terminal is a computer system that enables financial professionals to access the Bloomberg Professional® service through which users can monitor and analyze real-time financial market data movements and place trades.  The system also provides news, price quotes, and messaging across its proprietary, secure network.  The system provides news and analytics for over 129 countries and 250 exchanges.  Bloomberg market coverage includes: governments, preferred, corporate, mortgages, money markets, municipals, equities, commodities, indices, currency, and derivatives. To access Bloomberg, you must be physically sitting at a terminal, and must have a current account.

Where is Bloomberg located?

The Masters Investment Learning Center (Masters ILC) provides Bloomberg terminals, detailed instruction manuals, and live support from Bloomberg Certified Financial Data Assistants.

Earn a Bloomberg Acknowledgement!

Bloomberg offers the Essentials Online Training Program, by which students (in finance or in any other discipline) earn an acknowledgment in Equities, Fixed Income, Foreign Exchange, and/or Commodities.  Being familiar with the resources available through Bloomberg is an invaluable tool for finance and other business classes.  Bloomberg can also be utilized to perform research on companies, markets, countries, and economies.

Why Get Bloomberg Acknowledged?

At least 250,000 Bloomberg terminals are used by investment professionals around the world.  Corporate recruiters are seeking candidates with competitive technical and financial technology skills.  Employers place great emphasis on having well-trained employees.  In an increasingly competitive market, the more tools you have in your educational arsenal, the better.

Who is Eligible?

Only faculty, staff, and students currently enrolled in University of Tennessee courses are eligible to enroll in the Bloomberg Essentials Online Training Program.  There is no charge for the training.  You have one academic semester to start and complete training, since your Bloomberg account becomes invalid after 30 days of inactivity. 

 

Bloomberg Self-Paced Training

FIN 425 and FIN 525 students will be required to complete the Bloomberg Essentials Online Training Program during the semester in which they are enrolled in the course.  Any other student (in any major, from any college) may receive Bloomberg training at his or her own pace.  To complete the training, students may utilize the Bloomberg terminal in team room HBB 240, within the Masters ILC, when it is available.  Reservations can be made through the CBA Room Scheduling System at http://rooms.bus.utk.edu. A detailed manual giving step-by-step instructions on the self-paced training is available at the terminal, explaining account registration, playing videos, taking exams, and requesting your acknowledgement.  The entire training process is completed on the Bloomberg terminal while in the Masters ILC.

 

Acknowledgement Requirements

You have the option of obtaining an Acknowledgement of Completion in up to four market sectors:  Equities, Fixed Income, Foreign Exchange and/or Commodities.  The Masters ILC recommends you get certified in Equities first, although no specific order is required, and you may set your own pace.  To earn an acknowledgement in any of the four market sectors, you must first watch four core videos (Getting Started, Bloomberg News, Market Monitors and Launchpad, and API), and then one of the market sector videos (Equity Essentials, Fixed Income Essentials, FX Essentials, and Commodity Essentials).  The core videos will familiarize you with basic Bloomberg functionality, while the supplemental market sector videos will introduce you to major market fundamentals. 

Exams Required

After watching the four core videos you are to pass the core exam.  To earn an Acknowledgement of Completion in a market sector, in addition to passing the core exam you must also pass the market sector exam.  Thus, it is possible to earn an Acknowledgement of Completion in all four market sectors by watching the four core videos and the four market sector videos, and by passing the one core exam and all four market sector exams; i.e., watching a total of eight videos and taking a total of five exams.  At a minimum, you can earn an acknowledgement in one market sector area by watching five videos (four core videos and one market sector video), and by passing two exams (one core exam and one market sector exam).

Time Required

To earn your acknowledgement in all four market sectors, it will take approximately 8 ½ hours.  It takes an estimated total of 1½ hours to watch all four core videos.  The core exam is 35 questions and will take an estimated hour to complete.  Each market sector course takes about 1 ½ hours to complete: the video is approximately 30 minutes, and each exam will take approximately an hour to complete.  Thus, to earn your Acknowledgement of Completion in one market sector, it will take approximately four hours. 

Strict Passing Requirements

A grade of 75% or greater must be achieved on each exam in order to pass.  If your score is lower than 75%, you cannot retake an exam.  You are strongly encouraged to take the time you need to explore the system and practice before taking the exams.

Bloomberg Training for FIN 425/FIN 525 Students

Currently the Masters ILC offers a Bloomberg training course for FIN 425 and FIN 525 students each semester.  All FIN 425 and FIN 525 students are required to earn an acknowledgement in all four market sector areas for course credit.  Students will watch the course videos in group sessions, and afterwards will sign up and take a corresponding online multiple-choice exam in Online@UT, utilizing a Bloomberg terminal.  All of the activities will take place in the Masters ILC (HBB 237) and take place outside of the FIN 425 and FIN 525 class times. 

 

Bloomberg Terminal Availability

A Bloomberg terminal is available for individual use in team room HBB 240 (within the ILC), Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 am until 7 pm, and on Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.   Usage is on a first come basis, second only to faculty and departmental use.  Sessions are limited to one hour per student, and one session per day, unless there are no other students waiting for the terminal. Reservations can be made through the CBA Room Scheduling System at http://rooms.bus.utk.edu.

Bloomberg Terminal Assistance

As time and staff available permit, a brief introduction to the use of the terminal will be provided.  The Masters ILC staff is not available to offer extensive hands-on assistance to each Bloomberg user, but will attempt to give limited assistance when possible. 

For further information about the Masters ILC, please contact:

 

Dr. Laura Cole, Director, Masters Investment Learning Center

Office: SMC 435

Phone: 865-974-1715

Email:  lwallis@utk.edu

 

 

Contact Information:

Masters ILC Director:
Dr. Laura Cole

435 Stokely Management Center

Department of Finance

The University of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN  37996

Voice:  865-974-1715

Fax:  865-974-1716

Email: lwallis@utk.edu