Corporate Finance and Investment Management Concentrations

The corporate finance and investment concentrations cover the historically largest employment areas for MBA students in finance: corporate finance and investment management. MBA students graduating with these concentrations typically work as financial, investment, or credit analysts in corporations, investment firms, or financial institutions.

MBA graduates commonly start either as financial analysts for corporations or as associates of corporate treasury departments. Students in this area are also often sought by management consulting firms. As financial analysts, they are often responsible for: conducting analysis and providing recommendations on capital investments and financing alternatives; analysis of new marketing and product programs; generation and analysis of division and corporate performance measures; preparation and coordination of annual budgets and financial forecasts; analyzing and reporting on product and customer profitability; and, the analysis of acquisition candidates. In a corporate treasury department, common duties include: financial planning for the corporation; structuring and arranging medium and long-term financing including bank loans and public securities issues; arranging funding for company capital projects; and assistance with the acquisition and disposition of corporate assets.

Students interested in this area are especially encouraged to participate in the annual Finance Tournament. In this competition, teams of students analyze a financial case and present their solutions to faculty and industry judges. Winners of the competition receive scholarships provided by the sponsoring corporations. For additional information on the Finance Tournament, see the Graduate Finance Association website: http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/students/gfa/FinanceChallenge.asp

Curriculum Requirements
FIN 394.1 Advanced Topics in Corporate Finance
FIN 397.1 Investment Theory & Practice

Finance Block
Choose at least three courses from the following:
FIN 390.1 Financial Markets and Institutions
FIN 394.2 Financial Strategies
FIN 394.3 Global Finance
FIN 397.2 Portfolio Management and Security Analysis
FIN 397.4 Financial Risk Management
FIN 397.5 Fixed Income Analysis

Accounting Block
One course from the following:
ACC 380D Advanced Topics in Financial Reporting
ACC 380K.7 Financial Statement Analysis