Introduction to Corporate Finance

This Wharton course introduces finance through the timing of cash flows. Instead of beginning with a long list of financial products, it builds a framework for comparing money received or spent at different times. The result is a foundation for understanding why the same headline return can describe very different decisions.

What you will learn

• Calculate present and future values
• Interpret interest rates and discounting
• Evaluate cash-flow-based project decisions
• Understand net present value and return measures

Who this suits

Useful for a business learner who wants to understand the reasoning behind a financial model. Basic algebra and comfort with percentages help. A spreadsheet is useful for practice, but understanding the assumptions matters more than learning a particular template or calculator sequence.

Before you enroll

The course teaches analytical concepts rather than personalized investment advice. A valuation is only as useful as its assumptions, and uncertainty should remain visible in your calculations. Further accounting study will help when the cash-flow inputs come from an organization's financial statements.

Full assessment and certificate access follow Coursera's current enrollment terms. Check the provider page for paid, preview, or financial-aid options.

Put it into practice

Compare two fictional projects with different cash-flow timing, then show how changing the discount rate changes the preferred choice.

Source and review

This overview is based on the provider's published information, checked on 11 October 2026. It is an editorial assessment, not a claim that we completed the resource. Time filters are approximate study ranges; projects and exercises can take longer.

View the curriculum and current access options at Coursera.

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