Financial Literacy Program
Develop a Solid Understanding and Harness Finance
About the Program
The Financial Literacy Program is all about how to read, derive, and apply relevant financial information to decision-making situations. Created for managers who are not financial specialists, this program provides a solid foundation in finance and accounting.
This financial literacy training will help you to read, understand, and interpret income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets. An overview of types of financing will be presented and you will develop an understanding of the characteristics of different financing instruments. You will be able to effectively apply financial analysis techniques and through that understand the strategic performance goals.
Program Content
The financial management course covers the key terms and concepts relating to financial accounting. Participants will learn to read, understand, and use the information provided in financial publications. In addition, basic principles of corporate finance will be introduced and the necessary practical tools for financial decisions and corporate valuation will be developed. In this context, we will take a closer look at the determinants that affect the debt/equity choice and discuss practical guidelines to determine the cost of capital for single projects and the whole firm. In addition, the finance course will provide an overview of a firm’s external financing alternatives (debt and equity), with a focus on the security issuance process (IPOs).
WHU’s Financial Literacy Program will address the following topics:
- Introduction to Finance and Accounting Vocabulary
- Financial statements & Key Performance Indicators Analysis
- Time Value of Money
- Investment Decision Rules
- Risk and the Cost of Equity
- Discounted Cashflow Method
- Company Valuation
- Capital Structure and Cost of Capital (WACC)
Program Format and Module Dates
This 3-day program runs at WHU Campus Dusseldorf.
Before the finance training, participants go through an online session (mandatory) to get familiar with the basic concepts of financial accounting and are obliged to get familiar with several case studies. The primary objective of the introductory online section is to become familiar with the most important accounting terms, accounting records, the principle of double-entry accounting, and the relations between the different financial statements. The insights gained through this online section will then be put to practical use in a case discussion in the classroom.
Depending on your experience with the material, seat time for the online section will be about 16 hours. The preparation of the mandatory case studies will take up to 6 hours.
Module Dates
Program Benefits
Upon completion of the financial seminar, participants will …
- be able to read, understand, and derive conclusions from financial statements
- understand fundamental concepts in finance & accounting
- be able to apply the discounted cash flow method
- have the necessary practical skills to estimate the cost of capital of a single project or a firm
- know company valuation methods
- understand the main characteristics of different financing sources
- engage more effectively with financial stakeholders
Upon completion, you will be awarded a WHU Executive Education Certificate, a recognized mark of your commitment to growth, leadership, and lifelong learning, issued by one of Europe’s top business schools.
Participant Profile
Who benefits most from the financial management program?
- Participants who have an educational background in a field other than finance
- Participants who are in transition into a leadership position and would like a compact overview of the “numbers side” of business
- Participants who want to learn the impact of financial statements on a company’s strategy
The minimum number of participants for this program is 12.
This Program is part of the Management Essentials Program, a package that provides participants, who are transitioning into a leadership position, or have done so recently, with the fundamental skills of General Management. You can choose 3 out of 4 of the following programs: Leadership Essentials, Strategy Essentials, Financial Literacy, and Innovation & Corporate Entrepreneurship Essentials.
In combination with an additional personality profile, the 3 programs can be scheduled flexibly to make them best fit your professional and personal schedule.
Upon completion of the program, participants receive WHU’s “Certificate of Excellence in General Management”. Furthermore, you can choose to gain 6 ECTS credits.
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