Private Equity Program – Curriculum

Curriculum Orientation

The curriculum is structured to develop advanced analytical capability across the private equity investment lifecycle. Content is organized to reflect institutional private equity practice, progressing from transaction evaluation to portfolio value creation and realization.

Curriculum Structure

The curriculum is delivered online through a defined sequence of twelve modules. Modules progress from foundational analytical frameworks to integrated transaction and portfolio analysis.

Curriculum Modules

Module 1

  • Private equity as an institutional asset class
  • Structure of private markets
  • Investment models and fund economics
  • General partner and limited partner roles
  • Incentives and governance considerations

Module 2

  • Company fundamentals and financial structure
  • Cash flow analysis
  • Earnings quality
  • Working capital dynamics
  • Operating performance drivers

Module 3

  • Valuation frameworks in private equity
  • Comparable company analysis
  • Transaction comparables
  • Intrinsic valuation considerations
  • Sensitivity and scenario analysis

Module 4

  • Transaction structure and capital formation
  • Equity and ownership structure
  • Leverage and financing considerations
  • Debt instruments and terms
  • Economic implications of structure

Module 5

  • Buyout modeling
  • Cash flow and debt schedules
  • Return composition
  • Value drivers and sensitivities
  • Performance attribution

Module 6

  • Commercial evaluation
  • Market and competitive analysis
  • Customer and product assessment
  • Industry structure
  • Operational considerations

Module 7

  • Financial diligence frameworks
  • Quality of earnings analysis
  • Balance sheet assessment
  • Cash flow sustainability
  • Forecast evaluation

Module 8

  • Portfolio value creation
  • Operational improvement levers
  • Financial structuring decisions
  • Growth strategy evaluation
  • Board level oversight

Module 9

  • Risk assessment in private equity
  • Capital structure risk
  • Business and execution risk
  • Market exposure
  • Downside scenarios

Module 10

  • Exit strategy analysis
  • Secondary transactions
  • Strategic sales
  • Public market exits
  • Return realization

Module 11

  • Sector and market evaluation
  • Macroeconomic context
  • Industry dynamics
  • Opportunity identification
  • Capital deployment considerations

Module 12

  • Integrated private equity case
  • Full transaction evaluation
  • Model construction
  • Diligence synthesis
  • Investment judgment articulation

Assessment Orientation

Evaluation is based on structured analytical work and integrated case analysis aligned with the Institute’s certification standards.

Capability Outcomes

Participants completing the curriculum develop the ability to:

  • Evaluate private companies using disciplined analytical frameworks
  • Construct and interpret buyout models
  • Assess transaction structure and financing implications
  • Integrate diligence findings into investment judgment
  • Analyze value creation and exit pathways