Business: Finance, Investment and Banking MBA

Founded in 1900, the School of Business established one of the first five business programs in the nation. That entrepreneurial spirit remains strong.

As a student in the School of Business, you will find yourself inspired by peers, staff, alumni, business leaders, and world-renowned faculty who are focused, collaborative, and engaged in every aspect of the student experience. You will join a highly ranked program that equips you to meet both academic and career challenges. Employers value School of Business graduates because of the comprehensive preparation this learning environment provides. Graduates possess highly sought-after general management and specialized expertise in business.

Joining collaborative, inspiring, trustworthy, and progressive Wisconsin School of Business alumni, Business Badgers graduate prepared to lead their organizations to success and transform the world of business. Together Forward!

Named Option in Applied Security Analysis

The Wisconsin MBA in Business: Finance, Investment and Banking named option Applied Security Analysis Program (ASAP) at the School of Business was founded in 1970 by Professor Stephen L. Hawk. Approximately 500 students have graduated from the program. Each graduate enters the investment community with the unique educational experience of learning the investment business through hands-on management of real portfolios. Beginning with $100,000 in 1970, students now manage over $50 million in equities and fixed-income assets. The program is proud to be a pioneer among student-managed investment programs and a CFA® Program Partner. See the program website for more information.

Named Option in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking

The Wisconsin MBA in Business: Finance, Investment and Banking named option in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking offers students a unique opportunity to gain practical experience working on meaningful corporate finance consulting engagements. Students work in teams on assigned finance projects for consulting firms, investment banks, public corporations, and private companies. The financial consulting engagements typically involve an analysis of problem for the engagement sponsors in areas such as working capital management, evaluation of funding sources, valuation, cost of capital, capital expenditure decisions, acquisition analysis, and joint venture and strategic alliances. Throughout the academic year, students work on approximately four to six diverse financial consulting engagements. Overall, each class works with 1618 different corporations, firms, and banks. See the program website for more information.

1. Develop the ability to assess the value of publicly traded equity and fixed income securities. (Applied Securities Analysis Program)
2. Articulate the common causes of mispriced securities, develop techniques to find these securities, and acquire insight as to how to evaluate the success of their process and decisions. (Applied Securities Analysis Program)
3. Develop the ability to build portfolios that are designed to produce consistent positive returns and/or outperform benchmarks without taking on significant absolute or incremental risk. (Applied Securities Analysis Program)
4. Design financial strategies for non-financial firms, including raising capital, the choice and mix of securities, refinancing, as well as various forms of returning capital to different investors. (Corporate Finance and Investment Banking)
5. Assess the value of publicly traded and privately held equity and fixed income securities. (Corporate Finance and Investment Banking)
6. Analyze business decisions utilizing multinational finance techniques. (Corporate Finance and Investment Banking)
7. Develop the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively within an organization. (Applied Securities Analysis Program)
8. Understand the importance of ethical behavior within the investment industry and have an understanding of how to work through ethical dilemmas as they arise. (Applied Securities Analysis Program)
9. Able to perform the role and functions of investment bankers, such as underwriting of securities, advising on mergers and acquisitions, divestures, corporate restructuring. (Corporate Finance and Investment Banking)
10. Able to execute private equity and venture financing of high potential companies. (Corporate Finance and Investment Banking)
11. Apply their knowledge and skills by providing financial consulting services to national companies. (Corporate Finance and Investment Banking)

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution is required. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree. You must have completed your undergraduate degree, or similar, before starting graduate school.

A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required. Applicants from an international institution must demonstrate strong academic achievement comparable to a 3.00 for an undergraduate or master’s degree. The Graduate School will use your institution’s grading scale. Do not convert your grades to a 4.00 scale.

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically via ETS. IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by paper.  Our office address is: UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 232 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706.  Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement.

Applicants are exempt if: