5 Best Courses for Investment Banking With Placements

Investment banking, hands down, is one of the most financially rewarding careers out there. So, it is very evident why students are enthusiastic to join this industry, regardless of its hectic and teetering job profile. Investment banking is a particular division of banking that supports governments, companies, and other organizational bodies in seeking and raising the needed capital. They also provide assistance with the financial concerns of their clients and support them in their crucial financial transactions and in here; we are discussing some of the best courses for investment banking in India.

Types of Investment Banks

Now before moving with our topic, ‘Best courses for investment banking in India’, it would be highly favorable to learn and understand the concept of investment banks. There are two types of investment banks: bulge-bracket investment banks and boutique investment banks.

Bulge-bracket investment banks are those multinational, huge investment banks that can provide all the possible functions of an investment bank with no limitations. They are capable and well-sufficient to provide services to any industry and in any domain of the investment banking sector. Boutique investment banks aren’t inclusive, and they are inclined to perform certain functions only.

Functions of Investment Banking

By now, we are well aware that investment banking is comprised of multiple activities aiming to secure the financial concerns of their clients. That includes,

• Underwriting
• Advisory services
• Asset management
• Trading and Brokerage

Underwriting

Underwriting is a crucial and prominent function within the domains of insurance and investment banking. It can be described as the process of estimating, judging, and acknowledging the risk on behalf of an insurer or a client. It also entails evaluating the risk associated with a specific investment or an insurance policy and deciding the terms, conditions, and pricing accordingly.

In the process of underwriting, the capital is raised by selling bonds or stocks to investors by issuing securities in financial markets. These “securities” include both equity and debt that the investment banks would purchase from the issuer to resell in the market. Also, underwriting is a function that is important to maintain market stability and investor confidence.

Advisory services

Advisory services have an irrefutable role in the investment banking sector, as their mission is to provide strategic vision and financial guidance to companies and individuals. They further focus on supporting and assisting organizations in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), debt restructuring, financial restructuring, capital raising, strategic planning, etc.

They are mandatory for crucial investment decisions and to navigate complex financial situations. With expertise and extensive networks, advisory services help eliminate risks and support clients in achieving favorable financial outcomes.

Asset management

Asset management is another prominent function in the realm of investment banking. It focuses on the proper and professional management of different assets, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, on behalf of their clients. To achieve any financial objectives, faultless and systematic management of assets is the primary concern.

It includes the selection, acquisition, issuance, and tracking of assets with the intention of maximizing returns by controlling the risks and dangers. In other words, the prime concern and focus here is to manage investors’ money and make favorable investment decisions that ensure growth.

Trading and Brokerage

Trading and brokerage are essential factors in the financial markets, focusing on the buying and selling of different financial instruments. Elaborating, trade refers to the process of buying and selling stocks, bonds, currencies, and commodities with the aim of constructing profits. On the other hand, brokerage services do act like intermediaries between buyers and sellers. They provide access to market liquidity and promote the execution of trades.

Who is an Investment Banker?

An investment banker is more like a financial advisor who is employed by a financial institution. They are the mediators between their clients, supporting them to raise capital for expansion and improvement. Huge organizations, governments, or companies, when in financial crisis, would seek the guidance and service of an investment banker.

Their services include raising capital by issuing stock, floating a bond, or negotiating a merger; they also help the companies go public by launching IPOS (initial public offerings). Now before examining the best courses for investment banking in India, let’s take a look further at the functions of investment bankers.

• Arranging Financing:

If a large company finds it hard to meet its financial needs or does not have the desired cash flow to execute a required action, it may decide to issue a bond to raise finance to support the same. Later, the cost of the bond will be paid by the new company from their increased revenue. An investment banker will plan on issuing a bond, price it appropriately, complete the documentation procedures, and lastly, market these bonds to buyers.

• Equity financing:

Large companies or cooperative organizations can either sell their bonds or stocks to gain the needed financing. This process of raising money through the sale of shares is known as equity financing. By selling shares, a business entity is selling its ownership in the firm in return for cash.

• Underwriting deals:

As mentioned before, this is the process where investment banks raise capital for their clients from investors, and the funds collected here are from issuing securities like equity and debt.

• Arranging private placements:

Other than issuing stock or bonds, companies might prefer an alternative way to raise their capital if they are reluctant to go public. In such cases, investment bankers help their clients through private placements. In this process, securities are sold to private investors to raise capital. These investors include mutual fund investors, insurance companies, other financial firms, etc.

• Negotiating mergers and acquisitions (M&A):

As an investment banker, one would engage in the duel grounds of M and A, namely buy-side and sell-side. There are organizations or firms that sell bonds and stocks, and as an investment banker on the sell side, your function is to make investors buy these products. Now, on the buy-side, an investment banker uses capital to purchase these securities or even companies that are for sale.

Skills Desirable for Investment Bankers

• Analytical skills

Being in an industry where complex and critical problems must be solved, one should have commendable analytical skills to offer. As an investment banker, you have to do problem-solving, presentations, interpersonal communications, and high-end Meetings. So, preferably, one should work smart on improving both market research and financial analytical skills.

• Strong numerical skills

Numerical skills are of utmost importance to achieving success and stability in the investment banking sector. Accuracy and proficiency are the prime considerations when analyzing a complex financial situation. Investment bankers should further evaluate financial data, and financial statements, determine investment opportunities, assess risks, analyze market trends, etc., and investment banking professionals thus depend greatly on their numerical and mathematical skills.

• Basic finance knowledge

All aspirants should have basic financial literacy. You should be familiar with concepts like cash flow, capital markets, financial transactions, equity research, etc. Financial statements, such as balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, must be thoroughly understood by investment bankers.

In order to evaluate a company’s financial performance, profitability, liquidity, and solvency, they should be able to analyze these financial documents. Valuation techniques like DCF (discounted cash flow analysis), CCA (comparable company analysis), PTA (precedent transaction analysis), and IPOs (initial public offerings) are completely dependent on the numerical proficiency of the investment banker.

• Excel and PowerPoint skills

Excel and PowerPoint are two mandatory tools that play a prominent role in the day-to-day operations of an investment banker. These sectors are known to be Excel and PowerPoint-heavy, as the majority of investment banking projects are done in Excel sheets and PowerPoint presentations. From preparing financial models to creating project presentations, these two tools ease the job of investment bankers. So, advanced understandings of these tools are a necessity to become job-ready.

• Financial Modeling

In financial modeling, the employees would create a portrayal of an actual, existing financial situation, and in investment banking, this model is used to understand and evaluate the futuristic financial performance of an organization by framing relevant assumptions about how the company is expected to perform in the upcoming years.

A Career in Investment Banking

As mentioned before, a career in investment banking entails massive financial stability, but at the same time, it is absolutely demanding. Considering the risks and complexities of the job profile, most investment banks recruit candidates from top universities and business schools. Also, experience is another green signal to drive into the investment banking sector. Now, before detailing the best courses for investment banking in India, we should know for whom a career in investment banking suits the most.

Career Options in the Investment Banking Sector

Investment banking demands high stamina and confidence. To meet deadlines and solve critical situations, one should be confident. Now, generally, the working hours in this domain would be anywhere between 60 and 70 hours, and obviously, one should have a strong personality to acknowledge these needs. There are several distinct sectors in investment banking, and one should evaluate their strengths and weaknesses before choosing an area to work on.

The Sectors in Investment Banking Include

• Corporate finance
• Sales and trading
• Research

Corporate finance:

It includes obtaining and maintaining finances through areas like capital budgeting, capital structure, working capital management, and dividend decisions, and this sector focuses on optimizing an organization’s growth and value for its shareholders. Some key aspects of corporate finance include mergers and acquisitions (M&A), debt and equity financing, and financial advisory risk management.

Sales and trading

This sector plays a prime role in generating revenue for investment banks by providing liquidity to the financial market. Sales professionals in investment banking are accountable for building and maintaining an active relationships with their clients. To understand and analyze the client’s perspective and financial objectives, the sales team works closely with research analysts.

On the other hand, trading executives scrupulously observe the market conditions, analyze them, and mitigate the risk factors. As their job demands more engagement and conversations with clients, a sales and trading employee should offer impressive communication skills.

Research

The research sector focuses on attempting in-depth analysis and providing insights into financial markets, industries, and business organizations. To understand industry dynamics, growth prospects, broader market trends, and industrial opportunities, the research sector greatly helps.

Salary Expectations in Investment Banking

Best Courses for Investment Banking in India

While we are discussing the best courses for investment banking in India, here the aim is to project more clarity on the academic grounds. A bachelor’s in finance, accounting, or MBA is preferable to get into the investment banking sector to achieve the required skill set and perceive in-depth knowledge, there are various credible courses available, and below are the top courses for Investment Banking in India.

1. PG Programme in Investment Banking and Financial Modelling by DataTrained

DataTrained is an ed-tech company focusing on providing quality content in domains like data science, analytics, big data, artificial intelligence, digital marketing, management, machine learning, cloud computing, etc. Now, their PG program in Investment Banking and Financial Modelling is one of the best courses for investment banking in India.

Course Outline

This postgraduate program by Datatrained is one of the quality-assured courses for investment banking, with a duration of 6 months. They also provide a 100% placement guarantee after the successful completion of the program. Students are taught by domain experts, and the primary focus is given on practical case studies rather than theoretical knowledge.

Students are introduced to a 200-hour learning experience that includes 180+ hours of live training and 30+ hours of project-based learning. They also focus on practice tests, classes on job-relevant skills, and upskilling.

Certification of completion and career assistance with mock interviews are also included in the course. The course syllabus prioritizes lessons on financial statements, the basics of economics, introduction to investment banking, financial modeling, advanced Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, start-up valuation, cost of capital, etc.

• Program Fee

The total amount payable in this 6-month program would be 90,000 plus GST.

Recommended Read: Investment Banking Courses in Hyderabad

2. PGCM in Investment Banking by NSE (National Stock Exchange of India Ltd).

The Post Graduate Certificate in Management in Investment Banking offered by the SDM Institute for Management Development is an AICTE-approved, Government of India-approved program designed by the national stock exchange NSE, and can be considered one of the best courses for investment banking in India. Students who complete this course will receive the coveted NSE certification in investment banking along with the NCFM certification.

• Course Outline

The total duration of this course is 15 months, which includes a 3-month corporate internship. The course is further divided into 4 terms, and students do have access to 750+ hours of learning experience. Further, high-performing students would win a chance to participate in the SEP program (Student Exchange Programme) at globally acclaimed partner institutions.

The course syllabus focuses on concepts of marketing management, human resources management, information technology for management, business data analysis, organizational behavior, business communication, corporate finance, marketing research methods, operations management, macroeconomics, management information systems, business in global markets, introduction to financial markets, investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, mutual funds and fixed income securities, investment advisory, equity research, computer applications in investment banking, financial valuation and modeling, taxation, money laundering, etc.

• Eligibility and selection process

Graduates from any discipline who have obtained at least 50% in their final year can apply for the course. Candidates with work experience would be given more preference. The candidates should also attend the SDMIMD admission test (SAT), an online entrance exam that includes quantitative, reasoning, logical, and passage questions. Finally, a personal interview will be conducted in person or online.

• Program fee

The total amount for the ‘Post Graduate Certificate in Management in Investment Banking’ is 5, 90,000/-.

3. IBFM Programme by Educradile

Educradle is an online educational platform with a prime concern to provide quality lessons and support to build a financial career for students. They claim to offer practical application-based learning with result-oriented courses that are backed by relevant internships and live projects. The IBFM program can be considered one of the best courses for investment banking in India for its scrupulously crafted course outline.

• best courses for investment banking Outline

The duration of the IBFM (investment banking and financial management) program by Educradile is 5 months, which includes 80+ hours of live and online study sessions. Students would learn under the expertise of domain experts, and they would work on live projects and case studies.

They also provide 100% placement support by offering their students a 2-month internship with boutique investment banks and research-based finance firms. Their course content further includes resume building and mentorship sessions for interview preparation and mock interviews.

• Program fee

The total amount for the IBFM (investment banking and financial management) program is 30,000.

4. Certified Investment Banking Professional Trainee Programme by Finocontrol

Finocontrol Consultancy Services LLP is a financial management company that is recognized and registered under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, MSME, Govt. of India and they provide one of the best courses for investment banking in India.  They also aim to construct a solid foundation of financial and technical literacy amongst people, making them competent and efficient in their respective domains of interest.

• best courses for investment banking Outline

This Certified Investment Banking program by Finocontrol has a duration of 6 months. Upon completion of this course, you will be guaranteed an internship at Finocontrol as a “financial analyst” or a “research analyst.” Along with 100% placement assistance, they also mentor you on resume and CV building and LinkedIn profile optimization, and for these obvious reasons, it is considered one of the best courses for investment banking in India.

Now, the curriculum of the program includes entry into investment banking, basic intermediate, advanced Excel, advanced Microsoft PowerPoint, applied financial statement analysis, EIC analysis, equity valuations, introduction to fixed income valuations, fixed income securities, merger and acquisition/deal products, pitchbooks, industry reports, IPO, business management and etiquettes, leveraged buyouts, etc.

• Program fee

The total amount for the Certified Investment Banking Professional Trainee Programme by Finocontrol is 13,999.

5. Advanced Certification Programme in Investment Banking Operations by EduBridge

EduBridge is an integrated workforce development organization focusing on delivering impactful CSR programs in the domain of career development, and they have been focusing on the BFSI, IT/ITES, retail, and hospitality sectors.

Considering awards and recognition, they have been awarded as the “best-performing start-up’ by NSDC and also the “emerging social business award’ from CNBC and the ICIC Foundation and surely is one of the best courses for investment banking in India.

• best courses for investment banking Outline

The Advanced Certification Programme in Investment Banking Operations is an online course that includes 326 hours of learning. Enables you to understand and evaluate the concepts of the Indian Financial System, Stock Markets, Derivatives (Types of Derivatives Products, Derivatives Applications), Price of Equity, Types of Bonds, Bond Price Sensitivity Measures, and Bonds and Equity Investment), Financial Modelling concepts like Portfolio Theory, Time Value of Money, and Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), Investment Banking concepts including Merchant Banking, Over the Counter Products (OTC), Exchange Traded Products, Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and Due Diligence.

As the program is completely online, they suggest you have

• Desktop or laptop (mobile phones are not allowed)
• Internet connectivity and speed with 4 MBPS and above
• Webcams are compulsory.

Eligibility criteria for enrolment –

Candidates are preferred to have CA/MBA/CMA/CFA/MCOM/B. Com or any other Business/Commerce related degree. Good Communication in English is mandatory as training is conducted in English only.

A digital certificate of completion will be provided after finishing the program, and along they assure a 100% guarantee of job placement with EduBridge’s Job Portal.

Program fee

The total amount on EduBridge’s Advanced Certification Programme in Investment Banking Operations is ₹ 69,000. (EMI options are available).

Lists of Books to Understand Investment Banking in Depth

In an industry like investment banking, where complex concepts and trends are continuously introduced, it is strongly advisable to read and address the changes happening. Also to succeed in this highly lucrative and competitive industry, you must learn and understand from the best. Now, in this article, we not only included the best courses for investment banking in India but also some of the best, must-read books on investment banking that got global acknowledgment.

Must Read Books on Investment Banking Careers

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Best Courses for Investment Banking

• Is MBA necessary for investment banking?

No, an MBA isn’t compulsory to enter into the investment banking sector but it surely is favorable to have one.

• Is CFA necessary for investment banking?

No, a CFA charter isn’t mandatory, but having one would be highly beneficial to land great opportunities.

• CA or investment banking, is a better option?

On financial grounds, comparatively investment bankers earn much higher than chartered accountants. The average salary of a CA is 5-6 lakhs per annum in India, while an investment banker could make 10- 15 lakhs per annum.