Published on 03-24-2025
When people picture their future careers as corporate financiers, they imagine suits, mornings spent reviewing market and economic reports, reviewing the KPI and cash flows of their companies, meetings with financial modeling, forecasting stocks, assessing mergers, acquisitions, and capital. They assess risks and regulations and make recommendations. As with other industries, the finance industry i
One embedded specialization is corporate finance. Corporate finance is a subset of finance that deals with how firms “address funding sources, capital structures, accounting and investment decisions,” according to Investopedia. The objective is to maximize shareholder value through short- and long-term financial planning by maximizing profits and minimizing costs. Corporate finance professionals stand out due to their unique skills in communication, negotiation and collaboration.
Most professionals with a specialization in corporate finance start with an undergraduate business-related degree in finance, accounting, economics or business management. If one is not already enrolled in a business-related degree but would still like to delve into corporate finance in the future, supplementing their existing undergraduate degree with online courses in financial modeling and valuation, finance fundamentals and pursuing certifications like the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) can help make the pivot into corporate finance easier in the future.
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The Daniels School of Business curriculum has proven to be challenging and stimulating, even beyond what my undergraduate background prepared me for. The topics we cover in class are complex but broken down for better understanding. My professors are teaching me not only the foundations and fundamentals of finance but also how I can take these teachings and apply them in real-world scenarios. — Lia Roudebush, MS Finance ‘24
At the Daniels School of Business, the corporate finance specialization focuses on developing key skills in financial decision-making processes, funding methods and risk management. Students learn to analyze financial statements, assess company performance, and apply valuation techniques to evaluate past, present and future corporate decisions. By introducing students to integral concepts such as capital budgeting and capital structuring, students understand how to optimize a company’s structure by purposefully selecting the best-suited funding strategies.
All four specializations within the Master’s in Finance (MSF) program share a foundational core. Each leverages financial principles to drive business productivity, build capital and protect financial security. Foundational courses like Accounting for Managers, Financial Management, Investments and Valuation and Financial Statement Analysis appear beneficial and possibly required across all tracks—developing a shared understanding of core financial concepts and analytical techniques.
Through the corporate finance specialization at the Daniels School, students gain exposure to quantitative expertise, strategic financial management and networking. They graduate equipped with skills to foster financial strength and build wealth.
To succeed with a specialization in corporate finance, it’s important to home in on certain skills that equip you to deal with the ins and outs of your daily tasks. For example, having strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills is game-changing. Corporate finance integrated roles require professionals to make data-driven decisions to solve real financial challenges—strong skills in critical thinking can help professionals problem-solve suitably and comprehensively.
Being an efficient communicator and a powerful presenter sets apart corporate finance leaders. These skills help professionals explain complex financial data to executives and stakeholders and, hence, stand out.
In addition to these soft skills, analytical skills in valuation techniques and corporate strategy are critical to sharpen. Having a wide understanding of the various valuation techniques helps professionals prepare for when they need to assess the worth of a company using discounted cash flows (DCFs) and draw comparable conclusions. Similarly, having exposure to corporate strategy lets professionals decide how to invest their resources optimally to maximize efficiency and growth for a company.
The final prong for proficiency are advanced technical tools and software. Mastery of advanced formulas and financial functions in Excel and spreadsheet modeling, paired with knowledge of ERP systems such as SAP and Oracle, as well as business intelligence tools such as Power BI, SQL and Tableau, set graduates up for success.
STEM equals business here at Daniels, and so the MSF program fosters a tech-first curriculum—integrating the foundational principles of business-related technology rather than simply adding tech courses to a traditional master’s program. For example, classes like Financial Analytics with Python and Financial Risk Management enable Daniels students to build their technical skills while practicing their communication and executive skills in real-time.
If you would like to receive more information about pursuing a business master’s at the Mitch Daniels School of Business, please fill out the form and a program specialist will be in touch!
