electives for finance majors

According to Forbes, MBA degrees are not as coveted as they once were. Many companies today prefer candidates who have a master’s degree in a more concentrated area. One of those valuable degrees is a Master of Finance. These are some helpful and popular electives to take during this degree program.

Related Resource: The 30 Best Master of Finance Degree Programs

Entrepreneurial Finance

New businesses do not have the same financing opportunities as businesses that are already established. This elective covers effective techniques for successfully starting a business. It provides students with the knowledge and tools necessary to build a solid financial foundation for the future of a new business. They learn how to construct practical road maps to create useful business plans. Students also learn about:

  • business execution
  • fundraising strategies
  • other tasks necessary to bring a business to the next level

They also learn exit strategies. This elective gives students proven methods for maintaining control of their interests with insightful information. It also shows them how to navigate financial barriers.

Venture Capital

With this elective, students learn what it is like to work for a venture capital firm. For entrepreneurs, it helps them understand:

  • how their roles relate to the functions of VC firms
  • how to approach the firms
  • how to work with them effectively

Students learn:

  • how VC funds are acquired
  • how firms build their portfolios
  • how to analyze their options
  • how to generate returns for their investors

Many courses include both lectures and hands-on practical exercises. This gives students a realistic experience with the challenges, pressures and rewards of working with VC firms.

Financial Structuring And Modeling

In this course, students learn modeling mechanics and how to use tools for performing different financial structuring operations. These are the types of tools and procedures used by:

  • big investment banks
  • corporate finance departments
  • private equity funds

Students learn about the different types of models and their purposes. With a comprehensive view of modeling, they learn why modeling is difficult without proper structuring and how to develop good habits to avoid mistakes.

Mergers And Acquisitions

In this elective course, students learn about implementation, analysis and design of mergers and acquisitions. They learn about dilemmas of companies facing repositioning moves. They also learn about the complexities, opportunities and environmental challenges of such moves. Students learn about:

  • leveraged buyouts
  • recapitalization
  • debt restructuring
  • divestitures
  • spin-offs
  • downsizing
  • stock tracking

Also, students examine the major mergers and acquisitions that have affected Wall Street recently and in the past. The course covers:

  • the importance of good governance
  • maintaining corporate roles in society
  • proper timing of repositioning and restructuring moves

Global Strategic Valuation

This course is a great choice for:

  • future business leaders
  • management consultants
  • entrepreneurs
  • investment professionals

It covers activities and business strategies that fuel wealth. It shows students how to measure a company’s ability to accomplish those strategies. With a focus on value-creation as valuation, the course covers business strategy concepts and analysis. Some courses include:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • activities

Students learn about:

  • forecasts
  • cash flow results
  • actions
  • plans

Courses include advanced and traditional valuation techniques and their connections to valuation issues. From asset allocation strategies to Marco theme identification, the course also provides education about guiding insights.

Conclusion

Students who earn a Master of Finance have a wide range of job opportunities and entrepreneurial opportunities ahead of them. With the valuable skills and tools from these elective courses, they can maximize their success, income and job satisfaction. The first step is choosing the right finance degree program.

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