This course consists of three modules. Module 1 provides a high-level overview of corporate finance, including the key roles and functions in the area. At a high level, corporate finance is concerned with decisions that companies take to maximize corporate value to the shareholders. At a deeper level, this involves key issues such as debt and equity financing (raising capital), managing short-term cashflows (working capital management) and acquiring all or part of a business (mergers, acquisitions, and so on).

Module 2 describes the different options available to companies to fund their development and illustrates the reasons why they may choose one type of funding over another.

Module 3 provides a high-level overview of the Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) world, including the role played by investment banking analysts in valuing such deals. M&A also referred to as takeovers, are combinations of two or more companies. M&A transactions are part of everyday business life and some deals are quite high profile, running to many billions of dollars.

On completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify the key tasks that corporate finance teams undertake to ensure companies have effective financial management
- Recognise the typical structure of a corporate finance team and the key roles within that team
- Define the different types of business structure
- Recognise the different types of equity finance that are available to companies throughout their lifecycle
- Identify the different forms of debt finance that companies use
- Identify the different types of M&A deal and the high-level process involved in such deals
- Recognise the methods that analysts use to value M&A deals (DCF analysis, trading comparables, and transaction comparables)
- Identify the key takeover defenses that target companies can use to repel hostile takeovers
- Recognise the different ways that companies can demerge or divest their assets
- Recognise the purpose behind special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs)

Module 1: Corporate Finance - An Introduction
Topic 1: Overview of Corporate Finance
Topic 2: Corporate Finance Functions
Topic 3: Financial Strategies & Planning
Topic 4: Corporate Actions
Topic 5: Corporate Finance Roles
Topic 6: Forms of Business

Module 2: Corporate Finance – Raising Capital
Topic 1: Capital Finance
Topic 2: Equity Capital
Topic 3: Debt Capital

Module 3: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) – An Introduction
Topic 1: Overview of M&A
Topic 2: Integrating Companies
Topic 3: Business Lifecycle
Topic 4: Deal Valuation
Topic 5: Takeover Defenses
Topic 6: Other Corporate Restructuring Events
Topic 7: Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)