As a Wisconsin MBA student in corporate finance and investment banking, you will develop real-world, practical expertise that differentiates you in the eyes of employers. Employers tell us that our students hit the ground running faster due to our unique applied learning opportunities which include:
The program is specifically designed to link textbook theory to practice in a way that gives you a competitive advantage. You will proactively confront real-world problems to get the full benefit of a transformational MBA experience.
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In your second year, you will engage with challenging, real-world problems through consulting projects during both the fall and spring semesters. Consulting projects are sourced directly from key decision makers—CEOs, CFOs, or our board of advisors—and analyzed by a student team led by our director. Students deliver recommendations directly to the client. We have built a reputation for delivering first-class consulting advice to our clients. These projects provide invaluable experience analyzing strategic business problems.
Recent consulting projects include:
Engage with key business leaders on industry-defining transactions and trends through our Nicholas Center Speaker Series. Each year we host approximately 20 speakers on campus on a variety of finance topics. Recent events include:
Every year our MBA students travel to New York City and Chicago to meet with influential alumni and employers and visit important institutions. A recent New York City trip included:
You will participate in case competitions, important building blocks of an MBA experience that hone analytical skills, presentation skills, and teamwork. You will have an opportunity to participate in an ACG Cup Case Competition in the spring semester and are encouraged to participate in national case competitions. A team from the Nicholas Center recently reached the finals of the National Investment Banking Competition, the largest international banking case competition in the world with over 2,000 competitors from 200+ universities worldwide.
Contribute to the Nicholas Center’s thought-leadership mission by developing original content closely aligned with your career interest. For example, if you are interested in mergers and acquisitions, you might develop a thought-leadership publication on the topic that will contribute to the Nicholas Center while furthering your career goals. Recent contributions include analyses of:
“The corporate finance and investment banking specialization in the Wisconsin MBA Program provided me the opportunity to work with incredibly talented peers in a focused atmosphere where I developed the skills and tools I need for success in investment banking.”
—Joseph B. Calavenna, MBA ’15 Investment Banking Associate, Baird
“The Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking has diverse offerings for its students outside of the academic courses. This prepares students for the real world and helps them stay ahead in the job market. One such offering is the Wall Street Prep training program for first-year MBA students. This is especially useful for career switchers like me. The Nicholas Center fulfills its promise to focus on applied learning through various mediums.”
—Harsha Nariseti, MBA ’16
“The ICA (Integrated Company Analysis) is another unique aspect of the Wisconsin MBA which demonstrates students' preparation for real-world challenges. Giving a presentation in front of faculty, staff, and second-years and being prepared to field questions was an excellent way to end the first semester at the Wisconsin School of Business.”
—Rishi Shah, MBA ’17
“The notion of practical and real-world application of classroom learning is an awesome idea. There is a real divide between the purity of the theory of finance and the murkiness of its application. The attempt to try to bridge that is genius. I've been lucky to have a couple of consulting projects done by Wisconsin MBA students in corporate finance and investment banking and they have been great.”
—Doug Baird Chairman, Equity Capital Markets, Citigroup
“The corporate finance and investment banking specialization in the Wisconsin MBA Program takes finance theory and puts it into practical application. You learn to work with companies to solve real problems. For finance professionals, one of the key determiners of your ability to progress is, first, to be able to use theory and analytics to help companies become more valuable to their shareholders, and second, to be able to take those ideas and package and communicate them in a way that people can understand. This is something that is best learned from experience.”
—Mindy Mount Business Advisor
“The project completed by the corporate finance and investment banking students helped us determine a more accurate way to evaluate the profitability of key business areas. The result was a more informed process for capital investment and business strategy. Our team enjoyed working with the Wisconsin MBA students and would highly recommend participation to other companies.”
—Paul Shain, MBA ’86 President & CEO, Singlewire Software
Every semester, corporate finance and investment banking students receive hands-on training using advice from senior executives. These applied learning sessions prepare our graduates to tackle some of the industry's most pressing challenges.
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