Home Study Course - Australian Technical Analysts Association

HomeHome Study Course

Home Study Course

About the course.

The ATAA and the UK Society of Technical Analysts (STA) have partnered in presenting an exceptional e-learning program dedicated to technical analysis. This comprehensive course follows the syllabus of the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA) for the prestigious Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) qualification, making it an invaluable resource for individuals considering taking the CFTe exam.

Authored by industry experts, the course material is divided into fifteen units, each accompanied by an introductory video - a preview of these videos can be found here. These units cover a wide array of essential topics, including chart types, point and figure analysis, candle charts, Dow Theory, moving averages, momentum indicators, cycles, Elliott Wave Principle, Gann Theory, market profile, Ichimoku charts, psychology and money management, risk management, quantitative trading systems, and behavioral finance.

To ensure comprehension of the topics covered, each unit includes a series of multiple-choice questions designed to assess students' understanding. Additionally, the course offers an exam preparation module and provides a set of past exam papers to familiarize students with the exam format and help them prepare effectively. Furthermore, a valuable supplement is included, offering advice on technical analysis report writing, equipping students with the skills necessary to produce high-quality reports in the field.

One of the advantages of this course is that students have the flexibility to progress at their own pace. They can navigate through the units and study the material according to their preferred timeline, allowing for a personalized and self-paced learning experience.

Course Content

The STA Home Study Course is comprised of the following units.

Unit 1. Foundation – Michael Smyrk; Luise Kliem

Fundamental, quantitative and technical analysis compared; support and resistance; chart patterns and trend lines; Fibonacci targets; time frames.

Unit 2. Chart Types – Michael Smyrk; Luise Kliem

Construction of the five main chart types; detailed coverage of line charts (including relative strength) and bar charts; price and volume; equivolume charts; scaling.

Unit 3. Point and Figure Charts – Jeremy du Plessis

In-depth tuition in the construction and application of point and figure charts; point and figure-based relative strength, market breadth and moving averages.

Unit 4. Candle Charts – Adam Sorab; Luise Kliem (other Japanese charting techniques)

In-depth tuition in candlestick construction and interpretation; over 80 candle lines/patterns illustrated and explained; section on Heikin-Ashi, 3-line Break, Renko, and Kagi charts.

Unit 5. Dow Theory and Market Breadth – Michael Smyrk

Development and principles of Dow Theory; use of market breadth measures, including various advance-decline measures, stocks vs their moving averages and net new highs.

Unit 6. Moving Averages – George MacLean

Construction and application of different moving average types; envelopes; Bollinger Bands; the Coppock curve.

Unit 7. Momentum Indicators and Oscillators – Elizabeth Miller

Construction and application of momentum indicators and oscillators including RoC, RSI, Stochastics, MACD, Parabolic SAR, ATR, Directional Movement, CCI.

Unit 8. Cycles – John Cameron

Background history to time cycles; construction and application of cycles in financial markets.

Unit 9. The Elliott Wave Principle – Murray Gunn

Philosophical foundations; the fractal structure; psychology; nomenclature; motive and corrective waves; channeling; phi; the alternative waves issue.

Unit 10. Basic Elements of Gann Theory – Constance Brown

Gann’s swing chart; retracements; ‘magic’ squares; fan lines.

Unit 11. Market Profile® – Daniel Gramza

Background methodology; plotting Market Profile®; key components; the market’s auction process; day structures; early evaluation of the day’s trading action; alternative formats.

Unit 12. Ichimoku Charts – David Linton

Cloud chart construction and interpretation; multiple time frame analysis.

Unit 13. Market Psychology, the Trading Plan and Money Management – Julian McCree

Market psychology and investor sentiment; trading plans and money management; money management formulae.

Unit 14. Managing Risk and constructing a quantitative Trading System – Malcolm Pryor

More on money management including using technical analysis to control trading risk; the construction, testing, evaluation, optimization and management of technical systems.

Unit 15. Behavioural Finance – Steven Goldstein

Case study: the 2007 financial crisis; EMH; behavioural economics and behavioural finance; behavioural biases and non-conscious behaviours; prospect theory.

Exam Prep – Luise Kliem

Guidance on what examiners look for, timing plan, annotating charts, an example of chart annotation and report writing. Students also get access to an exam preparation video.

Report Writing – Anne Whitby

Advice on writing professional technical analysis reports and commentaries.

How is the course delivered?

The course material consists of text-based content enriched with dynamic graphics, spanning an extensive 500-page resource. While the course is accessed through a website, it offers the convenience of full downloadability, enabling students to study offline on their preferred devices such as PCs, Macs, iPads, or Android machines.

How much is the course?

The course can be purchased for $2,595 (inclusive of GST) from the ATAA online store. Please note that the course is only available to ATAA members. If you're not currently an ATAA member, you can easily join by seeing the available ATAA membership options.

Upon completing the purchase, you will then be able to access copy-protected PDF files of the course material, secured with Lizard Lock technology. These files will be available in your “Download Bank” within your membership profile section of the website. The ATAA will inform the course provider, the UK Society of Technical Analysts, of your enrolment, who will then directly send to you a digital key via email to unlock the PDF files. Please keep in mind that due to the time difference between Australia and England, it may take approximately 1 to 2 business days to receive the digital key.

More Questions?

Contact the ATAA Admin Secretary at info@ataa.asn.au

Ready to Purchase?

Go to the ATAA online store.