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The purpose of this course is to introduce the fundamental concepts and tools of modern financial analysis, including financial statements, cash flow management, risk and return assessment, and the basics of financial and capital structure. Through hands-on assignments, real-world case studies, and practical application exercises, students will gain the analytical skills needed to evaluate financial health and make informed decisions in a corporate or investment setting.

Rationale: This course provides a critical foundation for understanding how financial systems operate, how value is determined, and how informed decisions are made in uncertain and dynamic environments.

Industry Example: If a tech startup is considering whether or not to invest in developing a new AI product, it will use principles such as Net Present Value (NPV) and discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis to help the team project future cash flows, adjusts for risk and determine whether the investment will add value to the firm.

The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of the main issues of modern Corporate Finance. The focus is on understanding how corporation operate on improving decisions at all levels and to some extent on current issues in corporate financing debates. It builds on the foundations taught in the introductory course. In particular, we will answer: Why do IPO’s seem to leave money on the table? How should firms finance their operations? What should we look for in the debt prospectus? What happens in bankruptcy and why should we care about it?

Rationale: This course teaches how businesses make strategic financial decisions that drive operations and long-term growth. Understanding these choices is key to evaluating and influencing a company’s success.

Industry Example: A tech startup planning to launch a new product must decide whether to raise capital by taking on venture debt or by offering equity to investors. Using principles from this course, finance professionals can model the long-term impact of each option on cash flow, control, and company valuation to advise leadership on the most strategic path forward.

This course introduces students to the world of financial assets through a structured, cascading approach. It begins by establishing foundational knowledge of the investment environment, exploring financial instruments and the mechanics of trading securities. Building on this, students progress to portfolio theory, learning about risk aversion, capital allocation, and the construction of optimal risky portfolios. From there, the course moves into asset pricing models, including the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT), and the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH). Students then incorporate advanced pricing approaches, such as Fama-French factor models and structural models. Finally, the course expands into fixed income securities and select derivative instruments, including options and futures, rounding out a comprehensive view of the investment landscape.

Rationale: This course introduces you to the process of evaluating investment opportunities, balancing risk and return, and making informed choices in a constantly changing market.

Industry Example: A private equity firm evaluating whether to acquire a mid-sized logistics company applies advanced investment principles, such as discounted cash flow analysis, risk-adjusted return metrics, and scenario modeling, to determine if the deal aligns with their portfolio strategy and meets expected return thresholds.

Aspiring finance professionals need up-to-the-date industry knowledge and future trends from leading practitioners. The Professional Seminar Series hosts top executives from major multinational corporations, big accounting firms and investment banks, as well as leading entrepreneurs. Students engage with leaders in the industry, allowing them to discuss real world challenges and opportunities as well as extend their professional network.

Rationale: Through direct interaction with experienced professionals, this course connects your academic learning to current events and emerging trends in finance.

Industry Example: A senior executive might discuss how new technologies are influencing corporate finance. These real-world insights help you understand where the field is heading and how you can prepare to lead it.

This course offers a student-driven exploration of current research and evolving industry insights in finance. Students actively investigate real-world issues, engage with emerging trends, and analyze contemporary challenges shaping the financial landscape. Each cohort delves into a unique set of timely topics, ensuring their learning experience is relevant, dynamic, and aligned with the latest developments in the field. The course emphasizes independent inquiry, critical thinking, and collaborative discussion to equip students with a forward-looking perspective as they prepare to enter the industry.

Rationale: This course allows you to pursue a focused research project on a finance topic of personal or professional interest, encouraging deeper thinking and independent analysis.

Industry Example: If you're curious about sustainable investing or digital currencies, you can study their real-world impact, sharpen your analytical skills, and develop expertise that sets you apart in the job market.

This course will help students answer critical questions from financial statements about a business—whether it is a large multinational company like Apple, or a single-owned business such as software consulting company, a restaurant or retail store. Students will sharpen their analytical skills and identify potential upside and risk. At the end of this course, the student should be able to evaluate a company’s current and future profitability, growth potential, and solvency.

Rationale: Understanding how to interpret financial statements is key to evaluating a company’s performance and financial health.

Industry Example: A retail corporation preparing for an IPO must ensure its financial statements comply with GAAP and accurately reflect its financial health; knowledge from a financial reporting course helps executives interpret and present these reports clearly to investors, regulators, and underwriters.

Students will build a strong foundation in microeconomic theory by engaging directly with core concepts and applying them to real-world examples. They will explore key topics such as Choice Theory, Consumer Theory, Producer Theory, Uncertainty, General Equilibrium, and Mechanism Design. Through problem-solving, discussion, and hands-on analysis, students will take an active role in mastering the tools and frameworks that underpin microeconomic thinking.

Rationale: By studying how individuals and organizations make choices about resources, pricing, and production, you’ll gain insight into the underlying structure of markets.

Industry Example: A ride-sharing company like Uber uses microeconomics to set dynamic pricing—analyzing supply and demand in real time to adjust fares, balance driver availability, and maximize revenue during peak hours.

This course introduces statistical and analytical techniques to the student which are directly applicable to business. Using R technology, students will calculate descriptive statistics, an introduction to probability, an overview of inferential statistics and insights into linear regression through the use of applicable and relevant datasets.

Rationale: build the quantitative skills needed to interpret financial data, model risk, and make data-driven investment decisions. Mastery of these tools is essential for roles in financial analysis, quantitative research, portfolio management, and fintech.

Industry Example: A retail company uses statistics and data analysis to forecast sales trends and optimize inventory levels, ensuring they stock the right products at the right time to meet customer demand while minimizing excess costs.

This course offers an in-depth look at options and futures, blending theory with practical strategy. Students will uncover how these powerful financial instruments work, how they're priced, and how they can be used to manage risk or enhance returns. With a strong emphasis on real-world applications, the course will challenge students to apply mathematical and statistical tools to solve complex problems and design effective trading strategies. A solid quantitative foundation is essential, as the course delves into the formulas and logic that drive today’s derivatives markets.

Rationale: Helps you develop advanced skills in pricing, hedging, and trading derivative instruments. This knowledge is crucial for managing financial risk, implementing investment strategies, and understanding market behavior—key competencies for careers in trading, risk management, portfolio management, and financial engineering.

Industry Example: An airline might want to lock in fuel prices to avoid future spikes. This course gives you the tools to understand how those kinds of contracts work and how they protect the company.

This course immerses students in the world of fixed income—the foundation of most investment activity. Students will explore the wide range of securities traded in fixed income markets and develop the tools to analyze their structure, pricing, and performance. In addition, the course examines key public policy issues that shape and influence these markets, encouraging students to consider both the financial and regulatory dimensions of fixed income investing.

Rationale: Gain a deep understanding of how debt markets function and how fixed income securities are priced, analyzed, and managed. This knowledge is essential for making informed investment decisions, managing risk, and pursuing careers in finance, especially in roles related to asset management, credit analysis, and investment strategy.

Industry Example: An investment analyst at BlackRock is tasked with constructing a bond portfolio for a pension fund client seeking stable income with minimal risk. Drawing on knowledge from the course, the analyst uses concepts such as duration and convexity to manage interest rate risk, credit spreads to assess risk-adjusted returns, and yield curve strategies (e.g., bullet vs. barbell portfolios) to position the portfolio based on macroeconomic forecasts. Understanding mortgage-backed securities and callable bonds also helps in evaluating prepayment risk and optimizing yield in a low-interest-rate environment.

This course explores the strategic, financial, and economic forces behind mergers and acquisitions (M&A), blending theory with real-world analysis. Students will examine the motivations for M&A, types of deals, and the patterns behind merger waves. Key topics include takeover tactics, leveraged buyouts, and valuation techniques. The course also introduces financial modeling tools used to evaluate M&A transactions, enabling students to assess deals from both a strategic and quantitative perspective.

Rationale: This course introduces you to the strategies behind corporate mergers and acquisitions, as well as how to evaluate whether a proposed deal creates value.

Industry Example: A corporate development manager at Google is evaluating the potential acquisition of a promising AI startup. Using skills gained from the M&A course, they conduct valuation analysis (DCF, precedent transactions, and comparable company analysis), assess strategic fit and synergies (e.g., technology integration, talent acquisition), and perform due diligence on financials, legal risks, and cultural alignment. They also apply knowledge of deal structuring, regulatory considerations, and post-merger integration planning to recommend an approach that maximizes long-term value and minimizes disruption.