Private Equity in the MBA Program at The McCombs School of Business:

The Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Center for Private Equity Finance supports development of a private equity finance curriculum in the McCombs School of Business MBA program.  The private equity curriculum is designed to help MBA students prepare for careers that require an in-depth understanding of the private equity market.  While there is a heavy emphasis on finance, the curriculum is multidisciplinary in that it includes courses in all of the traditional functional areas of business as well as more specialized courses covering concepts directly related to the private equity market and managing private equity investments.  The curriculum develops skills that are especially important for students interested in careers with investors in private equity funds, private equity fund managers, issuers of private equity securities, or other important participants in the private equity markets, such as commercial banks, investment banks, or other investment advisors or agents.

In addition to being multidisciplinary, the curriculum covers the broad spectrum of private equity investments, including early- and later-stage venture investing, investing in established private firms, buyouts, financial restructuring of distressed firms, and private equity financing by public firms.  Students interested in a particular segment of the private equity market, such as venture capital, have the opportunity, in conjunction with the general private equity curriculum, to focus on that area by taking specialized courses in finance or entrepreneurship or by designing customized independent study courses with individual faculty.