Corporate Finance is the bedrock of investment and corporate banking. No wonder then that business schools spend a good chunk of the first year teaching students the basics of corporate finance. This knowledge almost always comes handy and is utilized in all aspects of running or managing a business.
For investment and corporate banking though, corporate finance is especially important. If you do not completely master this subject, success in banking is going to be elusive.
Corporate Finance covers everything from basic accounting, financial planning, valuations, M&A analysis, debt and equity raising, borrowing, lending, credit analysis, risk management etc. Everything a company needs from the finance department to keep it humming. And as a banker, its your job to provide these services to your corporate clients.
1. Executive Finance Programme from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Who is it for?
Finance or Business leaders dealing with Investment Banking activities like IPOs, M&A, capital market issuance.
Course Review
Oxford is indeed one of the best universities to have on your CV and the personal branding opportunities here are immense. If you are trying to up your finance credentials and are involved in, or hope to get involved in M&A, IPOs, debt issuance or other investment banking actives from the perspective of a corporate, then this is an excellent investment of your time.
This is an excellent corporate finance course that covers the basics but form the strategic perspective of business leaders. You learn the fundamental of finances like time value of money, IRR, NPV, cost of capital, CAPM and using all these tools and many others for cooperate decision making.
M&A, along with debt and equity issuance remains one of the most challenging tasks that top business leaders need to execute. Its not just the sheer size of these transactions that makes them so crucial to execute well, it is also all the moving parts and changing market dynamics. This course does a great job at demystifying all these concepts and making things clearer.
Interestingly, ESGs (Environmental, Social and Governance) considerations get a chapter all of their own which is always good to see. These are super important from the perspective of a senior manager and older courses generally skip on these. However, these can make or break a deal and I have seen many mergers fail due to governance or cultural issues. Good to see these front and center.
Click here and use code GS-AF-BBD15 for a 15% discount on this course!
Summary
| Duration | 6 weeks, about 8 hours a week |
| Format | Fully online, on-demand |
| Level | Executive |
2. Managerial Finance from Kellogg School of Management
Course Review
If you are a non-finance professional, then this course provides a great opportunity to learn the essentials of managerial finance while also giving you excellent personal branding opportunities with a certification from Kellogg. You should definitely be looking out for personal branding opportunities in the early and mid part of your career and certifications like these from top universities help get that message across.
The course curriculum is similar to what you would expect form a corporate finance course including CAPM, risk, investment decision making, cost of capital, cash flow, forecasting, financial modeling, capital structure, multiples valuations, and a bit of M&A as well. Beginners to finance should have a comfortable time picking it up as the focus is on strategic aspects of finance that is used at the corporate level.
You will learn to analyse financial statements, valuation techniques, identify business risks, evaluate competing investment decisions, figure out funding strategies and the cost of capital, make cash flow statements and use that to make business decisions, learn a lot about financial modelling, and even flirt with the basics of inorganic growth mergers and acquisitions. Essentially everything you need to know to be finance leader.
The idea behind the course is to make corporate finance more accessible and allow non-finance managers to make financial decisions based on tried and tested corporate finance principles. This is a well structured course with a combination of core finance principles and concepts interspersed with strategic level decision making from a financial management perspective.
Click here and use code GS-AF-BBD15 for a 15% discount on this course!
Summary
| Duration | 6 weeks, about 8 hours a week |
| Format | Fully online, on-demand |
| Level | Executive |
3. Professional Certificate in Corporate Finance from NYIF
Course Review
The New York Institute of Finance is an institution that has dedicated itself to educating bankers and financiers for almost a century. This course reflects that dedication, expertise and commitment. Once you successfully earn this certificate and put it up on your CV and LinkedIn profile, some of that is going to rub off on you as you signal your expertise and commitment to potential recruiters.
This is an all-encompassing course that covers everything corporate finance. From financial and management accounting to credit analysis and valuations. From M&A and treasury management to capital markets, investment and risk management and everything in between.
Ideal for corporate and investment bankers, coverage bankers, corporate finance executives at the analyst and associate levels and or even senior executives looking to make a switch. This is an intermediate level course.
Summary
- Time to Complete: Around 60 hours.
- Available fully online and on-demand.
- The best corporate finance courses available online.
4. Managerial Finance from the London School of Economics and Political Science
Course Review
An excellent course offering from LSE for mid level corporate finance managers. This course covers the basics of corporate finance while also touching on some strategic level aspects to help managers use the full spectrum of financial tools available in their arsenal. LSE is a great brand to have on your Resume and LinkedIn profile and that’s another plus point that you need to consider.
You don’t necessarily need a finance background to start with this course which makes it ideal for non-finance managers or fresh finance hires who have yet to cut their teeth. Even though the entry barrier is low, the course still covers everything you need to know. From financial statement analysis to accounting, ledger management, funds management, financial ratios, forecasting, budgeting and everything in between.
No finance course is complete without an in-depth deep dive into investment evaluation. Whether that be discounted cash flow method, or comparables/ multiples, this course has got you covered.
As a finance manager, you have to figure out how best to deploy the firms financial resources. Even if you are not he ultimate decision maker, you still need to perform the analysis and discuss it with leadership. Here, you will learn to use tools like scenario analysis, sensitivity analyses, break even forecasting, the opportunity cost of capital, investor behaviour, CAPM, capital structure and others to help you do just that. By the end of this course, you should be a finance pro ready to take on any challenge.
Click here and use code GS-AF-BBD15 for a 15% discount on this course!
Summary
| Duration | 6 weeks with about 10 hours a week |
| Format | Fully online, on-demand |
| Level | Executive |
5. Professional Certificate in Corporate Finance from Columbia
Course Review
This is another excellent and foundational corporate finance course that covers the basics rather well. This course is essentially based on what is taught to Columbia’s first year MBA students, so this is as good as it gets. You will be learning what MBAs learn at Ivy League Business Schools.
The certification is divided into three comprehensive courses that cover the basics of corporate finance, debt and equity valuations, cash flow analysis, risk-return etc. The course not only gives you a solid understanding of the core corporate finance concepts, it does so in a manner that is intuitive and self reinforcing.
By the end, you should be able to use cash flow and other methods method for valuation, value stocks and bonds, compute returns for any project type, calculate residual value, understand capital structure, understand how equity and debt affect a firm, measure risk, calculate expected return and so on.
Columbia is a brand that will add immense value to your CV. Recruiters have to sift through a lot of CVs and you need something that pops. Columbia is most certainly one of the best brands to add to your CV and an opportunity that should not be passed in my opinion. We really didn’t have such opportunities back in my day of being able to enhance our CVs with practically any brand in the world.
Summary
- Time to Complete: Around 35 hours.
- Available fully online and on-demand.
- Good for beginners and adding brand value to your CV.
6. Essentials of Corporate Finance from the University of Melbourne
Course Review
This is another great course from the University of Melbourne that provides a lot of conceptual clarity when it comes to corporate finance. This is a more strategic look at the subject and would be better suited for managers or bankers who have to make strategic decisions based on financial data.
The course was created in partnership with Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) so it does have that extra real-world flair and it shows. Topics covered include tools of financial analysis, global capital markets, main and alternate approaches to valuations, strategic decision making for value creation, strategic investments and other CXO level decisions.
The Capstone project that you have to complete at the end is a nice touch. It will provide you with some hands-on experience as to how this stuff is handled in the real world. You essentially take on the role of a financial analyst who is tasked with advising a wealthy client with a strategic investment into a listed, global business firm.
This course is highly recommended for finance professionals at Fortune 500 companies or even those looking to transitioning into mainstream banking.
Summary
- Time to Complete: Around 75 hours.
- Available fully online and on-demand.
- Strategic level course suited for senior management, business owners or bankers.
7. Entrepreneurial Finance from Duke University
Course Review
Corporate Finance is not just restricted to Fortune 500 companies or mature businesses. A good chunk of companies are now startups that have a vastly different financial structure and capital requirements compared to mature businesses. And there is indeed a massive skill gap when it comes to running these businesses. That is the gap that is being filled by this course.
The valuation of startups is or entrepreneurial ventures is a rather tricky subject and that is the first focus of this course. High growth companies can throw the best of assumptions off course and it is important to master the skill necessary to navigate this landscape. The financing options also differ ranging from loans, venture capital, angel investments and even crowdfunding.
The course also has an advanced approach to risk management utilizing R programming to measure and manage risk. Even blockchain strategies are discussed.
Summary
- Time to Complete: Around 32 hours.
- Available fully online and on-demand.
- Recommended for entrepreneurs or bankers dealing with a lot of startups or high growth projects.
8. Financial Management from University of Illinois
Course Review
A comprehensive course that covers corporate finance and some additional topics that are also highly relevant to any fiance professional. This is essentially a compressed version of what you would learn during an MBA program (it is quite literally the finance component of Illinois’s iMBA program).
Topics covered including financial accounting, investments, corporate finance, capital markers, financial decision making, financial management and pretty much everything else necessary to run the finance department of any corporation.
The capstone project at the end helps to provide some practical experience and tops off a great insight into the very foundations of corporate finance. This is a meaty course with a lot of content, but all of it is relevant and useful for those interested in a career in finance.
Summary
- Time to Complete: Around 160 hours.
- Available fully online and on-demand.
- This is essentially the finance component of an iMBA program.
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