An individual who is interested in becoming an options trader can take courses offered through colleges and universities. Many schools offer recommended options trading training online or through home study courses, such as Options University or Cyber Trading University. Courses typically last several days. With options trading courses being online, students who want to balance their options training with jobs or other personal commitments can enjoy flexibility when completing their coursework.
Options trading training should cover topics such as which stocks can and cannot be traded. Students must learn about strategies that floor traders use and go over definitions and explanations of several crucial options-related basics and terms. In addition, classes cover advanced options trading topics including vertical and time spreads and strangles and straddles. They review ways to profit from unusual options volume. Case studies and option graphs also are part of the curriculum at Options University.
As part of options trading courses, online colleges typically offer training tools such as prerecorded webinars and professional DVDs on stock market trading strategies. Live class sessions also are available during an options trading program, which allows students to ask questions of the instructor. Students use a chat box built into the web classroom platform to communicate with the teacher. In addition, the online courses are saved and archived so that students can reference them later.
Schools such as Cyber Trading University also offer students real-time access to professional traders' buy, sell and hold calls throughout a trading day to expose students to the thought processes behind these industry actions. In addition, some training programs such as Options University offer home study courses that include hard copy manuals and CDs that do not require the use of high-speed Internet to complete coursework.