Class Details & Program Activities
If planned early and well, there are no extra credits to graduate as an undergrad. Students recognize theory and learn how to apply it in practice over 21-months through real work in 550, 552, 553, and 554!
Pre-IMCP
- (not required) Bus Adm 295/795 Company Stock Analysis (group research on a stock and guest speakers across the industry)
- (not required) Join Student Investment Club that is open to all students, and consider continuing and leading it as an IMCP student
Year 1
First Summer
Orientation
Four days when students meet new friends, learn about the industry, begin researching a stock and learn investment software, update their resume, etc.
Year 2
Second Summer
Internship and Training
- Internship (may continue during school year or may take place or begin before the summer)
- Oversight of Funds
First Fall Semester
Bus Adm 550
Learn investment software in the Nicholas Applied Finance Lab. Analyze business drivers, financial statements, and valuation for a Wisconsin firm and create a high-quality sell-side stock pitch that exemplifies your security analysis skills to employers.
Events
- Sell-Side Stock Report on Wisconsin Firm (Start)
- Wall Street Prep or Adventis Financial Modeling Certification
- CFA Research Challenge (Start)
- CQA Competition (Start)
Second Fall Semester
Bus Adm 553
Manage three live buy-side portfolios: (1) research securities (security analysis), (2) analyze country macro conditions (investment strategy), and (3) monitor performance and risk. Students are “on the job” and make the decisions subject to guidelines. Class topics: bonds, investment strategy, and other topics. Join Dana Investment Advisors in roles supporting the client relations team.
Events
- Management of Funds
- Portfolio Client Meeting(s)
First Spring Semester
Bus Adm 552
Portfolio management training. Learn institutional portfolio investment approaches and performance and risk analysis. Participate in the ACG Cup (investment banking competition). Complete either the CFA Research Challenge (stock research) or a hedge fund simulation (CQA competition) begun in 550.
Events
- Sell-Side Stock Report (Finish)
- Portfolio Training
- ACG Cup (M&A competition)
- CFA Research Challenge (Finish)
- CQA Investment Challenge (Finish)
- Chicago and/or Milwaukee Trip
Second Spring Semester
Bus Adm 554
Continue to manage portfolios and complete projects such as quantitative investment research, private firm business valuations (investment banking), the Wisconsin indices, etc. Class topics: behavioral finance, forensic accounting, quantitative investment and factor analysis, ESG and other topics. Join Dana Investment Advisors in roles supporting the client relations team.
Events
- Management of Funds (Continues from Fall)
- Portfolio Client Meetings
- Group Projects
- New York Trip
Two or Three Additional Certificate Courses
Undergraduate students complete portfolio management (Bus Adm 452) and graduate students have the choice of portfolio management (Bus Adm 772) or another graduate business or economics course (the Macro Specialist Designation course or Python is encouraged). Learn derivatives (Bus Adm 454/773) and complete financial modeling (Bus Adm 457/853).
Students may (grad required) perform portfolio analysis for Elmbrook Humane Society as part of Bus Adm 550, 552, 553, and 554. All students also complete Wall Street Prep or Adventis Financial Modeling bootcamp.
Complete Intermediate Accounting (301/721) and Investment Finance (451/771) as soon as
possible or as a co-requisite to Bus Adm 552. 301/721 are waived if you pass the CFA Level I exam.
Other Events
- Student Investment Club
- Biennial Milwaukee Brewers Outing
- Biennial Defining Markets Conference
- CFA exam & M2SD exams
- CFA Ethics Seminar
- On occasion, Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting or London Trip