With the development of internet, there are more and more free resources online for learning investment banking basics. Many top universities like Yale, MIT, have opened their courses, including core finance courses, financial analysis, corporate finance, accounting, economics etc. Some MOOC platforms like Coursera, Khan Academy also offer free access to their investment banking related courses. In addition, books, research reports are easy to find as well. This article summarizes some of the most useful materials and resources for self-learning investment banking.
Core online courses for investment banking self-learning
Many top universities have opened their courses online for free access. Yale University’s financial markets course by Professor Shiller gives a broad overview. MIT’s Finance Theory I course is a proper introductory course for master program, covering essential concepts with math derivation. Some MOOC platforms like Coursera, Khan Academy also have great courses focusing on investment banking. Books like Principles of Corporate Finance, Accounting, Investment by Bodie et al. are classics and suitable for beginners.
Materials for accounting, corporate finance and financial analysis
Accounting and corporate finance lay the foundation for learning investment banking. Wharton’s accounting specialization on Coursera, MIT OCW’s financial accounting class are recommended for beginners. For corporate finance, Wharton’s and IE business school’s corporate finance MOOCs offer systematicmaterials. Books like Principles of Corporate Finance by Brealey et al., Financial Statement Analysis by Gibson are considered bible in the field.
Research reports for investment insights
Research reports from top investment banks are good materials to learn from for stock analysis, industry trends and insights. Reports from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Credit Suisse on equity strategy, China/Asia perspectives, global outlooks etc. provide up-to-date analysis on market.
Python, Excel, financial modeling for application skills
Learning some hands-on skills on financial data analysis, modeling, valuation can help strengthen investment banking learning. Resources for excel modeling, financial statement modeling, Python for finance data analytics are widely available. Books like Using Excel for Business Analysis, Python for Finance Cookbook offer practical guidance.
There are abundant free resources online for self-learning investment banking basics, from university courses, MOOCs, to research reports, textbooks and more. Though self-learning requires persistence, with proper materials it can be efficient and rewarding.