Corporate Finance Immersion (CFI)
Study corporate finance at a deeper level
The most effective corporate finance executives are strategic thinkers capable of integrating operational and financial insights into their work. At the Johnson School, you can gain the sophisticated decision-making skills you’ll need to take the lead in this fast-paced industry.
Part of our two-year Cornell MBA program, the corporate finance immersion gives you a mix of theory and practice—and gives you a competitive edge in your career.
What is the Corporate Finance Immersion (CFI)?
Rooted in the principles of shareholder value creation, the semester-long CFI gives you a real-world, practical perspective through courses, projects, networking opportunities, and other immersive experiences. You’ll learn from dedicated scholars and practitioners with a range of finance specializations.
Our curriculum: What you’ll learn in the CFI
Through a mix of corporate finance classes, hands-on learning experiences, and personal coaching, you’ll deepen your knowledge and broaden your skills.
Theory-based courses
Strengthen your foundation with corporate finance courses in policy, valuation, modeling, and accounting.
Practicum
Hone corporate finance skills through team-based activities and simulations, plus hear from guest speakers.
Electives
Enhance your education with electives such as managerial spreadsheet modeling and international finance.
Cultivate and strengthen your skills
When you study corporate finance at the Johnson School, you will build career-advancing skills.
Strategic planning
Discover how to leverage your financial knowledge to help organizations reach their short- and long-term business goals.
Valuation
Learn how to determine what a company or business unit is worth, useful in preparation for mergers, acquisitions, or other strategic organizational decisions.
Financial modeling
Hone your analytical skills and learn about the key techniques for financial modeling—when to use them and why.
Presentation development and communication
Sharpen your speaking skills and prepare to get buy-in from executives and other decision-makers.
Problem-solving
Improve your problem-solving skills while learning sophisticated approaches for complex financial challenges.
Why the Corporate Finance Immersion?
Corporate finance encompasses strategic planning, financial planning and analysis, treasury management, business and corporate development, and investor relations. The CFI program will prepare you for positions in industries of all kinds. With experience, you can continue to advance your career.
Corporate finance, financial planning & analysis
Corporate and business development
Rotational leadership and/or financial programs at major corporations
Working in corporate finance
Our corporate finance MBA students secure internships at the most prominent S&P 500 companies across a wide range of industries.
Adobe
Amazon
American Express
Apple
Bank of America
Citi
Corning
Ecolab
Ford
IBM
Johnson & Johnson
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Merck
Microsoft
P&G
PepsiCo
What our students say
“The CFI was one of the key elements that made the Johnson School a transformative experience for me. In addition to gaining a thorough understanding of finance and its role in creating long-term value, I left with increased industry-specific knowledge, enhanced financial analytic and modeling skills, strengthened connections with classmates, and improved communication prowess. After completing the CFI, I was ready to hit the ground running in my internship and have an immediate impact in my first role post-graduation.”
Riley Watts, MBA ’22
“One of the primary factors that drew me to the program was the experience of the seasoned faculty in charge of the immersion program. These professors possess industry experience and maintain connections with professionals in the field, thus infusing the classroom with cutting-edge industry insights. The CFI program offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from industry experts and acquire practical knowledge applicable to real-world scenarios.”
Nnamdi Iwuji, MBA ’21
Study with top faculty
During your immersion semester—and throughout your time at Cornell—you’ll study with some of the top faculty members and industry practitioners in the corporate finance field. Alongside these experts, you will dissect real case studies from Fortune 500 companies and explore how they arrived at decisions.
Areas of focus: Choosing your specialty
In addition to the corporate finance immersion, you can continue to build your financial expertise through your elective credits. Focus areas that may be of interest to corporate finance MBA students include:
Corporate Finance
Strategy
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Add to your experience
Extracurricular opportunities at the Johnson School include clubs and organizations aimed at expanding your corporate finance knowledge—and expanding your professional network.
Old Ezra Finance Club
Make connections as part of the oldest and largest network for banking professionals on campus, named for the founder of Cornell University.
Corporate Leadership Club
Prepare for the recruiting process with this career-oriented club’s resources, events, case competitions, and deep alumni connections.
Next steps: Applying to the Johnson School
If you’re looking for a graduate-level corporate finance degree, we encourage you to apply to the two-year Cornell MBA program at the Johnson School, where you can take a deep dive into the industry through a semester-long immersion.