Course Overview
This 40-hour (10-week) course is designed to prepare students for the Retail Securities Exam (RSE) administered by CIRO. The RSE is one of nine proficiency examinations in CIRO's assessment-centric proficiency model. The curriculum is directly aligned with the RSE syllabus and focuses on the key topic elements relevant to retail securities-licensing candidates. Topics include the client-advisor relationship, Know Your Client (KYC) and suitability, fixed-income securities, equities, securities analysis, managed products, portfolio construction, trade execution and market integrity, as well as monitoring and maintaining client relationships. Students will develop skills in applying regulatory requirements, evaluating investment products, constructing portfolios, and managing ongoing client accounts. The course emphasises practical application and exam readiness. (Note: Canadian Securities Course and CSC are registered trademarks of CSI Global Education Inc. The new CIRE exam is part of CIRO's updated proficiency regime.)
Prerequisite(s)
- No prerequisites are required for this course.
Credits
2.5
- Not offered this term
- This course is not offered this term. Notify me to receive email notifications when the course opens for registration next term.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Remember/Understand the structure of the firm–client relationship, identify KYC requirements and suitability obligations (Element 1).
- Understand/Apply the features, risks and rewards of fixed-income securities, including basic yield, duration and valuation concepts (Element 2).
- Understand/Apply the characteristics of equity securities (common, preferred), their valuation approaches and market behaviour (Element 3).
- Understand/Analyze tools of securities analysis including financial statements, industry/sector dynamics and performance indicators (Element 4).
- Understand/Analyze the structure and features of managed products and other investments (e.g., pooled funds, alternatives) and compare them with direct securities (Element 5).
- Apply/Analyze the portfolio construction process: client profiling (risk tolerance, time horizon, constraints), asset allocation and account types (Element 6).
- Apply/Analyze the process of making investment recommendations for retail clients, factoring in suitability, costs, and product features (Element 7).
- Apply trade execution and settlement practices, the Universal Market Integrity Rules (UMIR), trading orders and regulatory obligations to market integrity (Element 8).
- Apply/Analyze the monitoring, reporting and client-relationship maintenance requirements including triggers for suitability reviews and conflict-management practices (Element 9).
- Prepare effectively for the RSE by practising mock exams, time-pressure question drills, and using the official syllabus as a roadmap.
Effective as of Winter 2026
Programs and courses are subject to change without notice. Find out more about BCIT course cancellations.