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Daniel Wolfenzon
In this course, you will gain an understanding of time-honored financial concepts and rules, and how these can be applied to value firms, bonds, and stocks.
We will cover the time value of money, cost of capital and capital budgeting. You will be using Excel for many process including valuing bonds and stocks, computing NPV and finding IRR.
An introductory finance course that is required for all first-year MBA students at Columbia Business School, the course is taught by a world-class instructor, actively training the next generation of market leaders on Wall Street.
Read more
In this course, you will gain an understanding of time-honored financial concepts and rules, and how these can be applied to value firms, bonds, and stocks.
We will cover the time value of money, cost of capital and capital budgeting. You will be using Excel for many process including valuing bonds and stocks, computing NPV and finding IRR.
An introductory finance course that is required for all first-year MBA students at Columbia Business School, the course is taught by a world-class instructor, actively training the next generation of market leaders on Wall Street.
Read more
In this course, you will gain an understanding of time-honored financial concepts and rules, and how these can be applied to value firms, bonds, and stocks.
We will cover the time value of money, cost of capital and capital budgeting. You will be using Excel for many process including valuing bonds and stocks, computing NPV and finding IRR.
An introductory finance course that is required for all first-year MBA students at Columbia Business School, the course is taught by a world-class instructor, actively training the next generation of market leaders on Wall Street.
Participants from all backgrounds will be prepared to participate on the ever-evolving financial playing field.
What you'll learn
- How to value any asset
- Decide which projects to take out of the many a corporation might be considering
- Compute the return on any project
- Compute the value that a project adds
- Value a bond and compute its yield
- Value a stock using a simple model (i.e., determine the fair price of a stock)
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/smnsi1/introduction
Traffic lights
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause and
possible dealbreakers
Provides core finance techniques used by Wall Street professionals
Taught by an instructor who runs a world-class MBA program
Provides foundation for MBA, finance students, and anyone looking to sharpen their finance skills
Develops skills in valuable financial modeling tools
Requires use of Excel for modeling, but does not teach Excel
Excellent for learners seeking to understand core finance concepts
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Reviews summary
Foundational corporate finance for professionals
According to learners, "Introduction to Corporate Finance" offers a highly effective and clear introduction to core financial concepts, proving particularly valuable for those with minimal prior background aiming for finance careers. Students frequently praise the instructor's ability to simplify complex topics like valuation models and capital budgeting, making them accessible. The inclusion of practical Excel applications is widely seen as a significant strength for bridging theory and practice. While a few learners found the pace occasionally fast or desired more diverse real-world case studies beyond Excel, the course is largely viewed as providing a strong foundational understanding, preparing students confidently for the financial field.
Instructor's passion is evident, though some found delivery dry.
"The instructor’s passion for the subject shines through every lecture, making it genuinely engaging."
"While the instructor is clearly an expert, the teaching style didn't always resonate with me."
"The lectures were informative but sometimes a bit dry, and I wished for more interactive elements."
Offers valuable hands-on experience applying concepts in Excel.
"The practical examples and Excel applications are incredibly helpful, bridging the gap between theory and real-world scenarios."
"The Excel components are useful for immediate application."
"The practical application exercises were a highlight of the course for me."
"I found the focus on using Excel for valuations and capital budgeting to be very beneficial for practical understanding."
Builds a robust understanding of core corporate finance principles.
"This course is a phenomenal introduction to corporate finance. I came in with minimal finance background and left feeling very confident..."
"A very solid foundational course. It covers all the essential topics, from time value of money to stock valuation."
"This course is a must-take for anyone in business or finance. It's challenging but rewarding and highly recommended."
"I now feel much more comfortable with financial analysis and valuation techniques thanks to this course."
Instructor's ability to demystify complex financial ideas.
"The concepts are explained with such clarity, making even the most complex ideas, like valuation models and capital budgeting, digestible."
"The way the instructor breaks down complex topics like cost of capital and risk-adjusted returns is masterful."
"The fundamental concepts of corporate finance are presented in a clear, concise, and engaging manner."
"I felt the course material was highly relevant to my career aspirations, and the instructor simplified complex topics effectively."
Pace can be fast for true beginners; some desired more diverse examples.
"Occasionally, the explanations can feel a bit fast-paced, especially if you're entirely new to these concepts. I had to re-watch some."
"I struggled a lot with this course... I felt it moved too fast, especially given that it's supposed to be an 'introduction.'"
"The promised accessibility for 'all backgrounds' wasn't quite there for me. I had to seek external resources for basic concepts."
"I personally prefer more case studies to connect with real-world scenarios, as I found the focus heavily theoretical at times."
Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in Introduction to Corporate Finance with these
activities:
Read 'Security Analysis' by Benjamin Graham
Show steps
The book helps students understand the time value of money, which is a core concept in this course.
View
Security Analysis, Seventh Edition: Principles...
on Amazon
Show steps
-
Read through chapters 1-7
-
Practice the concepts by solving examples
Compile a notebook of key concepts and formulas
Show steps
Having a summary of key concepts in one place can serve as a quick reference guide, facilitating accessibility and recall.
Show steps
-
Review notes and materials
-
Organize and categorize
-
Create a notebook
Solve practice problems related to the covered concepts
Show steps
Regular practice through problem-solving reinforces concepts and helps retain knowledge.
Show steps
-
Collect practice questions from online forums, textbooks, or other resources
-
Solve
-
Review the answers
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Form a study group with classmates
Show steps
Study groups provide an opportunity to discuss concepts, solve problems, and learn from your peers.
Show steps
-
Find a study buddy or form a group
-
Schedule meetings
-
Prepare topics
Participate in financial case competitions
Show steps
Case competitions simulate real-world situations and allow you to apply your skills in a competitive environment, enhancing your learning.
Browse courses on
Financial Analysis
Show steps
-
Find competitions
-
Form a team
-
Prepare and present
Build your own financial model for a company
Show steps
Creating a model allows you to apply the concepts and tools discussed in the course, providing you with practical experience.
Browse courses on
Financial Modeling
Show steps
-
Choose a company and gather data
-
Design
-
Test your assumptions
Read 'Security Analysis' by Benjamin Graham
Show steps
The book helps students understand the time value of money, which is a core concept in this course.
View
Security Analysis, Seventh Edition: Principles...
on Amazon
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Read through chapters 1-7
- Practice the concepts by solving examples
Compile a notebook of key concepts and formulas
Show steps
Having a summary of key concepts in one place can serve as a quick reference guide, facilitating accessibility and recall.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Review notes and materials
- Organize and categorize
- Create a notebook
Solve practice problems related to the covered concepts
Show steps
Regular practice through problem-solving reinforces concepts and helps retain knowledge.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Collect practice questions from online forums, textbooks, or other resources
- Solve
- Review the answers
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Form a study group with classmates
Show steps
Study groups provide an opportunity to discuss concepts, solve problems, and learn from your peers.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find a study buddy or form a group
- Schedule meetings
- Prepare topics
Participate in financial case competitions
Show steps
Case competitions simulate real-world situations and allow you to apply your skills in a competitive environment, enhancing your learning.
Browse courses on
Financial Analysis
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find competitions
- Form a team
- Prepare and present
Build your own financial model for a company
Show steps
Creating a model allows you to apply the concepts and tools discussed in the course, providing you with practical experience.
Browse courses on
Financial Modeling
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Choose a company and gather data
- Design
- Test your assumptions
Career center
Learners who complete Introduction to Corporate Finance will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Investment Analyst
Investment Analyst
An Investment Analyst spends their time researching, tracking, and evaluating the worth of financial products. This may include investment opportunities, such as stocks, bonds, and funds. Taking this course would help build a foundation to identify profitable opportunities. It will also teach the details of valuing financial products, project returns, and identifying the value added by a project.
Financial Advisor
Financial Advisor
Financial Advisors work directly with clients to assess their financial situations. They provide advice and assistance on budgeting, saving, and investing. This course will help an individual to better understand markets and sound financial strategies. Knowledge gained will help to maximize client outcomes.
Portfolio Manager
Portfolio Manager
A Portfolio Manager is reponsible for the investments of a client or a group of clients. This course would be helpful in learning how to find, compare, and evaluate stocks as well as how to diversify a portfolio. It will also help build a foundation for managing funds according to client investment goals.
Loan Officer
Loan Officer
Loan Officers originate, process, and close loans. Understanding the time value of money and other financial concepts is essential to this career. Furthermore, this course will provide knowledge to assess repayment risk, which is a key consideration for any Loan Officer.
Financial Analyst
Financial Analyst
Financial Analysts provide financial advice to businesses. They help companies to make decisions about investments, capital structure, and financial planning. Understanding time value of money, cost of capital, and capital budgeting will provide a solid foundation for a career as a Financial Analyst.
Budget Analyst
Budget Analyst
Budget Analysts help businesses and organizations to prepare budgets. They develop financial plans and monitor spending. This course will be helpful in understanding how to allocate a budget effectively and to assess the costs and returns of a budget.
Private Banker
Private Banker
Private Bankers provide banking and investment services to high-net-worth individuals and families. This course will be helpful in learning how to value financial products, make recommendations, and manage the financial affairs of others.
Risk Manager
Risk Manager
Risk Managers identify, assess, and manage risks for businesses. This course will be helpful in understanding how to evaluate risks and to develop strategies to mitigate them. It may also be helpful in understanding the methods for assessing probability and impact of certain risks.
Auditor
Auditor
Auditors examine and evaluate financial records to ensure that they are accurate and complete. This course will be helpful in learning how to value financial products, and to identify and assess financial risks.
Underwriter
Underwriter
Underwriters evaluate and assess the risk of issuing insurance policies. This course will be helpful in learning how to value financial products, and to identify and assess financial risks.
Tax Accountant
Tax Accountant
Tax Accountants provide accounting and tax advice to individuals and businesses. This course will be helpful in learning how to value financial products, and to identify and assess financial risks. It will also help to build a foundation for understanding the tax implications of financial decisions.
Insurance Agent
Insurance Agent
Insurance Agents sell insurance policies to individuals and businesses. This course will be helpful in learning how to evaluate and assess the risk of insurance policies.
Financial Planner
Financial Planner
Financial Planners provide financial advice to individuals and families. This course will be helpful in understanding time value of money, cost of capital, and capital budgeting. It will also help build a foundation for managing funds according to client investment goals.
Investment Banker
Investment Banker
Investment Bankers advise companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and other financial transactions. This course would be helpful in learning how to value financial products and how to evaluate the financial risks and returns of different investment opportunities.
Compliance Officer
Compliance Officer
Compliance Officers ensure that businesses comply with laws and regulations. Understanding time value of money and other financial concepts will provide a solid foundation for this role.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/smnsi1/introduction
Reading list
We've selected 13 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Introduction to Corporate Finance.
This textbook is commonly used by students and practitioners alike and standard reference in the field of corporate finance. It covers a wide range of topics relevant to the course, including the time value of money, capital budgeting, and valuation.
Save
This textbook comprehensive resource for corporate finance, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written in a clear and concise style, making it accessible to students of all levels.
This classic book must-read for anyone interested in investing. It provides a wealth of insights into the world of finance and investing, and it great way to learn about the fundamental principles of corporate finance.
This handbook comprehensive resource for fixed income securities, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written by a team of experts in the field and valuable reference for students and practitioners alike.
This textbook comprehensive resource for macroeconomics, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written in a clear and concise style, making it accessible to students of all levels.
This textbook concise and accessible introduction to corporate finance, covering the essential concepts and theories. It good choice for students who are new to the field or who want a refresher.
Classic in the field of security analysis. It provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and techniques used to analyze stocks and bonds.
This textbook comprehensive resource for investments, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written in a clear and concise style, making it accessible to students of all levels.
This textbook comprehensive resource for multinational finance, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written in a clear and concise style, making it accessible to students of all levels.
This textbook comprehensive resource for financial markets and institutions, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written in a clear and concise style, making it accessible to students of all levels.
This textbook comprehensive resource for international corporate finance, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written in a clear and concise style, making it accessible to students of all levels.
Comprehensive resource for fixed income securities, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the course. It is written in a clear and concise style, making it accessible to students of all levels.
Classic in the field of investment theory. It provides a rigorous and comprehensive treatment of the theory of investment value.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/smnsi1/introduction
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