Mergers & Acquisitions Graduate Certificate
In this for-credit program, you’ll learn how to use financial accounting and finance to express the economic realities of complex organizations, as well as the deal structures and transactions that shape the design of these organizations.
Applications open on January 6, 2025
Classes start next Fall.
8-24 Months
Minimum timeframe to complete may vary depending on course load and start date.
$4,164
Tuition and fees are subject to change.
100% online
Faculty teach live classes and offer weekly office hours.
Gain a well-rounded knowledge of key concepts that form the foundations of a successful M&A deal.
Hands-on practice
Through projects, exercises, and case studies, you’ll build the experience and confidence to apply what you learn in the program on the job.
Top faculty
Benefit from multiple opportunities to engage with and learn from world-class experts. Faculty teach live classes and offer weekly office hours, and teaching staff are available to provide support as needed.
Curated, stackable content
In this program, you’ll build knowledge and gain skills that are aligned with real-world demands and opportunities, based on the latest research and connections in mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, the certificate stacks directly into the full Master of Business Administration (iMBA), Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA), or Master of Science in Management (iMSM) from the University of Illinois. Upon completion of the certificate program, you can take 12 credit hours of completed work and apply that toward one of those degrees now or in the future.
Gain a holistic understanding of how successful M&A deals are structured and executed to create value for the organization.
Overview
The Mergers and Acquisitions Graduate Certificate provides learners with a well-rounded knowledge of key concepts that form the foundations of a successful M&A deal. Learners will learn how to use financial accounting and finance to express the economic realities of complex organizations, as well as the deal structures and transactions that shape the design of these organizations. The coursework includes a project that is a real-life investment banking case assignment, simulating the work that a Wall Street investment banking firm would deliver to a global, highly sophisticated client.
Benefit from live, interactive learning sessions with instructors and receive actionable feedback from teaching staff and fellow learners. Through hands-on projects, exercises, and case studies, you’ll develop experience and insight in mergers and acquisitions that you can apply immediately in your career.
The certificate stacks directly into the full Master of Business Administration (iMBA), Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA), or Master of Science in Management (iMSM) from the University of Illinois.
Required background
A bachelor's degree is required and professional experience, skills, or knowledge related to business concepts and statistics is preferred.
Skills you will gain
- Financial Accounting
- Corporate Accounting
- Financial Modeling
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Corporate Investments
- Taxes
- Financial Statements
Complete 3 required courses
Course 1 of 3
ACCY 532: Mergers and Acquisitions and Other Complex Transactions
Overview
This course will increase your sophistication as a user of financial information by enhancing your ability to penetrate the complexity of intricate organizational architectures and to gain deeper insight into an organization's business model, strategy, and performance.
It is strongly recommended to complete Finance of Mergers & Acquisitions before beginning this course.
Course 2 of 3
FIN 572: Finance of Mergers and Acquisitions
Overview
Learn to value and price Mergers and Acquisition (M&A) deals and how to choose the optimal financing mix for an M&A deal. Deepen your understanding of financial modeling and capital structure, both in theory and practice.
It is important to have a basic notion of statistics and be comfortable with quantitatively focused work before beginning this course.
Course 3 of 3
FIN 573: Investment Banking Concepts
Overview
In this course, you will be working on a real-life investment banking case assignment, and create a pitch book that simulates the work product that a Wall Street investment banking firm would deliver to a global client.
Prior to beginning this course, it is strongly recommended that you complete Finance of Mergers & Acquisitions and Accounting for Mergers & Acquisitions and Other Complex Transactions.
Instructors
Frequently asked questions
Coursera does not grant academic credit; the decision to grant, accept, or recognize academic credit, and the process for awarding such credit, is at the sole discretion of the academic institutions offering the Graduate Certificate program and/or other institutions that have determined that completion of the program may be worthy of academic credit. Completion of a Graduate Certificate program does not guarantee admission into the full Master’s program referenced herein, or any other degree program.