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About EcoFinLearn
A free, browser-native course in the Python and SQL that finance and economics graduates actually use, made by one lecturer for his own students and then opened to everyone.
Sitraka Forler
Lecturer, Durham Business School
I teach Python and SQL for finance at Durham University Business School. This site started as the material for that course: the lessons my students run in class, the glossary they revise from before interviews, and the careers guide that answers the question I am asked most. Everything on it is written and checked by me, and every lesson is verified by an automated harness that runs the code before it is published.
What is here
49 interactive lessons across 6 tracks (Python, pandas, machine learning, SQL, finance SQL, IT essentials), 60 glossary terms with formula and code, weekly Quant Notes, a capstone research project, and a first-job careers guide.
How it is checked
Every lesson has one exercise you complete yourself, checked instantly in the browser. Before a lesson ships, an automated harness runs the starter code (it must run cleanly and fail the check) and the solution (it must pass). Worked examples in the glossary are recomputed independently. Errors do slip through: tell me and I fix them.
Why it is free
Because it was built for a class and the marginal cost of one more learner is nothing: the code runs in your browser, not on a server I pay for. Lessons, glossary, notes and the careers guide are free without an account. A verified certificate under your real name is the one thing that may carry a small fee, so that it means something.
Independence and corrections
EcoFinLearn is a personal project. It is not an official Durham University publication and does not speak for the university; the affiliation is stated so you know who is writing. No content is sponsored, no product is recommended for payment, and the careers guide names no employer or job board in exchange for anything.
If you find a mistake, from a wrong formula to a stale salary band, please email me. Corrections are made quickly and I would rather be told than let a student learn something wrong.
Contact
Students, teachers who want to use this in a course, and anyone who spotted an error: sitrakaforler@gmail.com. I read everything; replies can take a few days during term.
Data questions: see the privacy note. Legal: terms of use.