Leading with Finance
Leading with Finance will equip you with an intuitive knowledge of financial principles and enable you to understand the market in which your organization operates, create and assess value, and communicate business decisions to stakeholders.
Apply NowWhat You'll Learn
- Understand the key financial levers that drive financial performance
- Discover how and why finance is concerned with cash flow versus profits and why that matters for your business and budget
- Identify ways to create and measure value in order to evaluate and pitch potential projects
- Examine how capital markets work and how they affect your business
- Develop a financial intuition that will give you the confidence to make effective decisions in your career and life
About the Professor
Mihir Desai is the Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Finance at Harvard Business School and a Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He is an award-winning teacher and leading scholar of corporate finance and tax policy. He has published more than 25 case studies, a casebook, and has testified before the US Congress on policy issues.
Who Will Benefit
Early and Mid-Career Professionals
Gain the skills and confidence needed to understand the financial landscape of your business and industry in order to advance your career, especially if you’re in a non-finance role.
Aspiring Finance or Investment Professionals
Prepare for future professional opportunities and jumpstart your career by gaining an understanding of financial concepts, terms, and principles.
New Leaders
Elevate your business knowledge and prepare for leadership responsibilities, such as assessing value and performance, budgeting, and communicating the financial implications of your decisions.
Program Structure
Leading with Finance consists of approximately 35 to 40 hours of material delivered over a six-week period. You can complete the coursework on your own time while meeting regular deadlines.
- Length: 6 Weeks
- Program Dates: 1/25/23 – 3/8/23
- Cost: $1,750
- Application Deadline: January 16
- Detailed Calendar
- Length: 6 Weeks
- Program Dates: 3/22/23 – 5/3/23
- Cost: $1,750
- Application Deadline: March 13
- Detailed Calendar
- Length: 6 Weeks
- Program Dates: 5/24/23 – 7/5/23
- Cost: $1,750
- Application Deadline: May 15
- Detailed Calendar
Leading with Finance is part of the Finance & Accounting Learning Track. If you’re interested in developing deeper insights and expertise, you can choose to complete three finance & accounting courses within 18 months to earn a Certificate of Specialization.
Syllabus
Leading with Finance provides participants with a thorough understanding of the principles of finance—a conceptual toolkit for making smart financial decisions and the confidence to clearly articulate those decisions to key stakeholders.
Learning requirements: In order to earn a Certificate of Completion, participants must thoughtfully complete all 6 modules, including satisfactory completion of associated quizzes and capstone assignment, by stated deadlines.
Capstone Assignment: You will finish the course with a brief capstone assignment which integrates and applies the concepts covered in the course.
| Modules | Case Studies | Takeaways | Key Exercises |
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| Module 1: Financial Analysis |
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| Module 2: Finance vs. Accounting |
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| Module 3: Capital Markets |
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| Module 4: Creating Value |
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| Module 5: Valuation |
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| Module 6: Capital Allocation |
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The HBS Online Advantage
- World-class faculty
- Edge-of-your-seat online learning
- Global peer collaboration and networking
- Real-world, case-based learning
Harvard Business School Online offers a unique and highly engaging method of learning vital business concepts. Immerse yourself in real challenges faced by experts from the worlds of corporate finance, private equity, and investment management, including Laurence Debroux, CFO of Heineken; Paul Clancy, CFO of Biogen; and Alberto Moel, an equity research analyst at Sanford Bernstein. Step into their shoes and wrestle with the same issues they faced, while engaging with fellow learners from around the world.
Stories from Our Learners
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Mihir Desai was able to bring a relatively dry and inscrutable page of numbers to life in a highly engaging and interactive way. He has a great teaching style: clear, sharp, entertaining, and challenging. Mihir was able to truly engage our leaders of all levels of financial experience on the key levers of performance and how this applies to their own businesses.
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"Having a deep understanding of finance is crucial to effectively lead a business, and Mihir Desai’s engaging delivery of rich content through the case study method has given me the confidence to clearly message important financial updates and decisions to our key stakeholders."
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No matter the size, depth, or reach of any organization or your role in that organization, a foundational understanding of the finances that drive performance is essential. Mihir’s style is one that is inviting, energetic, and thought-enhancing. He really instills the fundamental belief that in our careers we are really only there to complete one task and that is ‘think.’ He makes you ‘think’ about what we are viewing, turn it over, and makes you ‘think’ about what falls apart and how to put it back together.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to log in at a set time? How does the grading process work? At this point, you probably have a few questions, and we’ve got answers.
Enrollment Eligibility
Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.
Enroll today in Harvard Business School Online's Leading with Finance course.
Apply Now