Finance — Harvard & Yale MBA Core
Finance Mastery — Course Catalog
8 chapters distilling the first-year MBA finance sequence · Financial statements · Time value of money · DCF valuation · Capital structure · Portfolio theory & CAPM · Capital markets & EMH · M&A strategy · Options & derivatives
Learning Philosophy
Finance is a framework for decision-making under uncertainty. Master the mental models, then apply them relentlessly to real cases. Each chapter is structured as a Harvard-style case discussion — you learn by deciding, not by memorizing. Every chapter includes vivid analogies, interactive demos, and a real-world case so concepts stick.
Progress
| Group | Chapters | Topics | Done / Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundations | 01–03 | Financials, time value, valuation | 3 / 3 |
| Corporate Finance | 04–05 | Capital structure, portfolio theory | 2 / 2 |
| Markets & Strategy | 06–08 | Markets, M&A, derivatives | 3 / 3 |
| Overall | 01–08 | Full MBA core | 8 / 8 |
Chapter Map
01
Financial Statement Analysis— The Language of Business
Income statement · Balance sheet · Cash flow statement · Key ratios · Red flags in 10-K filings
Q: Is this business actually making money?
✅ Done
02
Time Value of Money & DCF— A Dollar Today vs. A Dollar Tomorrow
PV / FV · Annuities · NPV · IRR · WACC · Free cash flow · DCF model build
Q: What is this cash flow worth today?
✅ Done
03
Valuation— How Much Is This Company Worth?
DCF valuation · Comparable company analysis · Precedent transactions · EV/EBITDA · P/E · Sum-of-parts
Q: How much is this company worth?
✅ Done
04
Capital Structure— Debt, Equity, and the Optimal Mix
Modigliani-Miller · Tax shield · Financial distress · WACC optimization · Dividend policy · Buybacks
Q: How should a company finance itself?
✅ Done
05
Portfolio Theory & Risk— Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Diversification · Efficient frontier · CAPM · Beta · Sharpe ratio · Alpha · Factor models
Q: How do I build a portfolio and price risk?
✅ Done
06
Capital Markets & Pricing— How Markets Price Everything
Efficient Market Hypothesis · Behavioral finance · Fixed income · Yield curve · Duration · Credit spreads
Q: Why do markets price assets the way they do?
✅ Done
07
Corporate Strategy & M&A— When 1 + 1 Should Equal 3
Synergies · Accretion/dilution analysis · LBO mechanics · Deal structure · Due diligence · Integration
Q: When should a company buy another?
✅ Done
08
Derivatives & Alternative Assets— Options, Futures, and the Full Toolkit
Options · Futures · Black-Scholes · Real options · Private equity · Hedge funds · Risk management
Q: What are options, PE, and hedge funds doing?
✅ Done
How to Use This Course
- Work through chapters 01 → 08 in order — each chapter builds on the previous one's vocabulary and concepts.
- Each chapter opens with a real decision you are asked to make — form your own view before reading the answer.
- Use the interactive demos in each chapter: change the inputs, see how the outputs change. Intuition comes from playing, not reading.
- After the demos, study the case: a real company or transaction. Apply the chapter's tools to it.
- Run the Self-Check at the end of each chapter — if you cannot answer all three prompts from memory, re-read the relevant section.
Core Resource Stack
| Purpose | Resource |
|---|---|
| Core textbook | Berk & DeMarzo, Corporate Finance (4th ed.) |
| Valuation bible | Damodaran, Investment Valuation (3rd ed.) |
| Investing classic | Graham, The Intelligent Investor |
| Markets & behavior | Shiller, Irrational Exuberance |
| Best free lectures | NYU Stern / Damodaran (YouTube + website) |
| Yale course (free) | Financial Markets — Robert Shiller (Coursera) |
| Mental models | Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway letters (1965–present) |
| Market data | SEC EDGAR (10-K filings), Yahoo Finance |