Basic algebra and percentages are helpful. A spreadsheet program is useful for optional practice, but watching the videos does not require purchasing statistical software.
About this course
Financial data becomes useful only when its limits and relationships are understood. This free statistics course with Aswath Damodaran introduces the concepts he uses in finance and investing. It pairs explanations with applications so that learners can move from recognizing a statistical term to asking whether a particular analysis supports the conclusion being drawn.
Course at a glance
| Provider / Instructor | Aswath Damodaran |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · Aswath Damodaran |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Beginner · WikiFree audience assessment |
| Language | English |
| Available videos | 14 |
| Video duration | 5h 9m · allow extra time for independent practice |
| Format | Self-paced viewing of the source course |
| Certificate | No certificate included with free YouTube viewing |
What you’ll learn
- Recognize sampling choices that can distort a financial analysis.
- Interpret descriptive measures and distribution assumptions.
- Explain what a statistical relationship can and cannot establish.
- Describe the role of probability tools and simulation in financial analysis.
Skills you’ll gain
- Data interpretation
- Sampling awareness
- Statistical reasoning
- Scenario analysis
Course Overview
The sequence begins with the purpose of statistics and the difficulties of sampling. It then considers descriptive measures, distributions and relationships between variables. Later sessions introduce probability tools and simulation. Applications are woven into the course, including finance examples that illustrate how an apparently straightforward number can become misleading when sampling, model assumptions or uncertainty are ignored.
How the course develops
- From observations to evidence: examine why samples are used and how bias or error can affect the results.
- Describing and connecting data: compare summary measures, distributions and relationships across financial variables.
- Working with uncertainty: explore probability tools and Monte Carlo simulation through finance applications.
The classroom retains every entry from the selected source playlist, including introductory or review videos when present. Follow the lesson sequence, or use the lesson search to return to a specific explanation. The source lesson titles are preserved so that you can match your place with the instructor’s materials.
Who is this for?
Finance students, business analysts and self-directed learners who want an applied introduction to statistical reasoning in a financial context.
Before you start
Basic algebra and percentages are helpful. A spreadsheet program is useful for optional practice, but watching the videos does not require purchasing statistical software.
Put the lessons into practice
Use a small public financial dataset and document how you selected the observations. Calculate a few summary measures, inspect a distribution and compare two variables. Add a paragraph explaining what the sample cannot tell you. If you try a simulation, write down its assumptions before interpreting the range of possible outcomes.
This optional activity is provided by WikiFree for independent study. It is not a graded assignment from the instructor. Keep your working notes and separate evidence from assumptions so that you can review your reasoning as you progress.
Certificate / Assessment
The public YouTube videos are free to watch. Viewing them through WikiFree does not include a certificate, academic credit, an NYU degree, instructor feedback or admission to a university program. Separate enrolled or certificate programs can have different requirements and fees.
Mark complete records your study progress; it does not assess your work or award a qualification. Examples and figures belong to the source recordings. Use the lessons to learn the analytical methods and verify current inputs before applying them to a real decision.
Use this course in a learning path
- Free Statistics for Business Decisions Learning PathCourse resource in this path
Related courses for your next step
- Compare another approachStatistics Fundamentals: Free Course
Focus: Descriptive statistics · Probability
Beginner - Explore a higher-level optionSampling Distributions: Free Course
Focus: Sampling distributions · Standard error
Intermediate - Compare another approachStatistical Study Design: Free Course
Focus: Sampling · Survey bias
Beginner
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Statistics for Finance: Free Course | Beginner | Data interpretation · Sampling awareness · Statistical reasoning | 5h 9m of video; practice time is additional |
| Statistics Fundamentals: Free Course | Beginner | Descriptive statistics · Probability · Sampling | 2h 0m of video; practice time is additional |
| Sampling Distributions: Free Course | Intermediate | Sampling distributions · Standard error · Central limit theorem | 1h 42m of video; practice time is additional |
| Statistical Study Design: Free Course | Beginner | Sampling · Survey bias · Experimental design | 1h 11m of video; practice time is additional |
Frequently asked questions
Is this course free to watch?
Yes. The videos in this listing are public lessons from the Aswath Damodaran YouTube channel. Optional books, software and separately enrolled programs may have their own costs.
How long does the course take?
The 14 available videos total approximately 5h 9m. Allow additional time for pausing, notes, calculations and independent practice.
What background do I need?
Basic algebra and percentages are helpful. A spreadsheet program is useful for optional practice, but watching the videos does not require purchasing statistical software.
Does the course include an NYU certificate?
No. Free YouTube viewing and WikiFree progress tracking do not award an NYU certificate, degree or academic credit.
Can I study on a phone?
Yes. The classroom includes a responsive video player and searchable lesson list. A larger screen is useful for detailed spreadsheets and calculations.
What happens if a lesson is unavailable?
Its place should remain in the course with an availability notice. If the source no longer provides a title, the missing item is identified clearly instead of inventing one. You can continue with the available lessons.
Provider: Aswath Damodaran. Videos play from the Aswath Damodaran channel on YouTube.
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