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 Investment Learning Center provides two Bloomberg terminals (HBB 237 & HBB 240), detailed instructions, and live support from Bloomberg Certified Financial Data Assistants.

Get Bloomberg Certified!

Bloomberg offers a “global product certification” program by which students ( in finance or in any other discipline) become Bloomberg-Certified with Equity or Fixed Income training.  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 Certified?

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 Certification program.  There is no charge for the certification process.  You have one academic semester to start and complete certification, since your Bloomberg account becomes invalid after 30 days of inactivity. 

 

Bloomberg Self-Certification (for Non-Finance Majors)

Non-finance majors may get Bloomberg Certified at their own pace.  To self-certify, students may utilize the Bloomberg Terminal in team room HBB 240 when it is available (see ILC door for hours or contact ILC staff).  A detailed manual giving step-by-step instructions on self-certifying is available at the terminal, explaining account registration, playing videos, enabling exams, and requesting a certificate.  The entire certification process for non-finance majors is completed on the Bloomberg terminal.

 

Certification Requirements

Students may get certified in Bloomberg by completing 8 courses in either the Equity or Fixed Income track.   Each course consists of a video and exam, and takes approximately one hour.  Although you have the option of obtaining certification in either track, the ILC suggests getting certified in Equities first.  For either track, you must pass eight courses (three introductory courses and five additional courses in either Equity or Fixed Income).  To pass each course exam a minimum score of 70% is required.  If you fail you cannot retake the course.  Instead you have the option to take any Electives course until you have passed a total of 8 courses.

Bloomberg Certification Tracks

Bloomberg Certification for Finance Majors

Currently the ILC offers a Bloomberg Certification course for finance majors each semester.  All FIN 425 and FIN 525 students are required to get certified in Equities for course credit.  Students will watch the course videos in group sessions, and afterwards will sign take a corresponding multiple-choice exam in Online@UT, utilizing one of the two Bloomberg terminals.  All of the activities will take place in the 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, Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.  Usage is on a first come basis, second only to faculty and departmental use.  Sessions are limited to one hour per student, and two sessions per day, unless there are no other students waiting for the terminal.  There is a sign in sheet at the terminal.

 

Bloomberg Terminal Assistance

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

 

ILC (HBB 237) Staff Information

For futher information about the ILC, please contact the staff directly:

Laura Seery Cole, Director, Investment Learning Center

Office: SMC 435

OfficePhone: 974-1715

Email:  lwallis@utk.edu

Emily Edwards, Bloomberg Certified Financial Data Assistant

Office: HBB 320

Office Phone: 974-6512

Email:  eedward8@utk.edu

Jonathan King, Bloomberg Certified Financial Data Assistant

Office: HBB 320

Office Phone: 974-6512

Email: jonking@utk.edu

 

Contact Information:

ILC Director: Laura Seery 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