UC Irvine Extension Partners with CFA Society of Orange County to Offer CFA Level II Review; Face-to-Face Review Course Prepares Investment Managers for Upcoming CFA(R) Level II Examination.

IRVINE, Calif. -- UC Irvine Extension announces open enrollment for a comprehensive new review course taught by two Chartered Financial Analyst(R) (CFA) professionals and designed to prepare investment managers for the CFA Level II examinations to be offered in June 2006. The program is offered in collaboration with the Orange County Society of Investment Managers (CFAOC), and will include Level III preparation courses in the future. CFA Level II Review courses will be held on Thursdays from Feb. 2 to May 18.

The course is part of a series designed to put students on the fast track toward achieving the CFA designation - the internationally recognized symbol of professional excellence in the field of investment management. Part II of the exam focuses on asset valuation, where candidates are required to have a thorough understanding of industry and company analysis and apply the analyzing and valuing investment tools and concepts learned in Level I.

At the end of the course, students should be able to analyze specific equity and fixed-income securities and other investments, estimate expected investment return and risk, compare alternative investment choices and make investment recommendations. Most important, students will be better prepared to pass Level II of the CFA examination, one of the most rigorous examinations in the financial industry. The average student takes 4 1/2 years to complete the CFA examinations, and statistics show that those who participate in study programs as opposed to self-study are more likely to pass the first time.

The instructors for this course have extensive credentials in the financial industry. Thai Hoang, CFA, is a financial consultant and vice president at Wells Fargo in Newport Beach, Calif. He began his investment career at Smith Barney in 1991 and joined Wells Fargo in 1997. Hoang holds the CFA charter and has the Series 7, 66 and California Insurance license. He is also an NASD arbitrator.

"The CFA program sets the bar for investment knowledge, standards and ethics," said Hoang. "Any investment professional serious about pursuing a career to the highest levels in the finance industry should invest in earning the CFA charter. I am happy to mentor and share my experiences with the goal of giving participants further insight into the various subjects and the applicability of these subjects in their respective profession."

Also teaching the course will be Bill Campbell III, CFA, M.A., the principal in a risk management consulting firm in Yorba Linda, Calif. His background includes five years analyzing mortgage securities at PIMCO, three years in risk management at Northrop-Grumman, more than 12 years teaching university-level mathematics, and two years teaching university courses in risk management.

"The CFA exams are extremely difficult, covering an immense amount of material from economics, statistics, portfolio theory, financial statement analysis, equities, fixed-income, alternative investments, and ethics," said Campbell. "In the investment industry, the CFA charter is recognized worldwide as testament not only to the investment knowledge of the charter holder, but to their ethical standards as well."

The CFA Level II review course will cover the following areas:

--Investment Tools: Quantitative Methods for Valuation

--Portfolio Management: Capital Market Theory and Portfolio Management Process

--Ethical and Professional Standards

--Economics of Valuation

--Financial Statement Analysis: Analysis of Accounting Choices

--Financial Statement Analysis: Global Issues, Earnings Quality Issues and Financial Ratio Analysis

--Equity Investments and Valuation Models

--Debt Investments: Valuation, Structured Securities

--Derivative Investments: Forwards and Futures, Interest Rate Derivatives, Options and Swaps

For more information about the CFA Level II Review, or to register by phone, please call 949-824-5414 or contact Lori Munoz-Reiland via e-mail at [e-mail]. For more information about the CFA designation, please visit the CFA Institute at http://www.cfainstitute.org.

As the continuing education arm of a prestigious university, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a transforming learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and personal development programs to support a diverse audience from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus events and activities. UC Irvine Extension continues to provide a university-level learning experience to all students. For information on courses and details, visit www.extension.uci.edu.