Why is it important for me to learn about private equity?

Private equity is important to learn about if you want to pursue an investment career, if you work in a corporate treasury role, or if you are interested in its role in our economy. Private equity is an investment in a private company made by an investment company, often with a high amount of debt. The idea is to improve the performance of the business and then sell it to the public or to another company. It can be a way to help struggling companies improve their performance, help a family business reorganize after the death of a founder, or allow a company's owners to sell some of their stake in the company.

What career opportunities may arise from learning about private equity?

Career opportunities that may arise from learning private equity are mostly in the financial services industry. Occupations using private equity include accounting, investment management, financial analysis, and corporate finance. Business owners may want to know if private equity is the right alternative for their company. Some people working in public policy may also be interested in learning about private equity, venture capital, and other forms of corporate funding because of the effects they can have on the economy. Entrepreneurs and others interested in entrepreneurial finance may want to learn about private equity as an option for startup funding or for later rounds of financing.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn about private equity?

Online courses on Coursera can help you learn about private equity in different ways based on your experience and your reason for learning about it. For example, you might want to know how to account for private equity and value a business that is backed with it. Or you could want to learn how it compares to other forms of startup funding and corporate finance. You may be involved in seeking private equity for your business and want to learn more about how to negotiate with investors. Courses include video lectures, readings, class discussions, and exercises to challenge your knowledge. Some lead to Professional Certificates or Specializations, too.

What are the benefits of taking an online Private Equity course?

Online Private Equity courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Private Equity skills. Choose from a wide range of Private Equity courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Private Equity courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Private Equity, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Private Equity Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Private Equity Course Catalog

Università Bocconi
Private Equity and Venture Capital
Skills you'll gain: Private Equity, Business Valuation, Entrepreneurial Finance, Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions, Investments, Financial Management, Legal Risk, Tax Laws, Entrepreneurship, Due Diligence, Cash Flows
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
8.8K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Advanced Valuation and Strategy - M&A, Private Equity, and Venture Capital
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Decision-Making, Business Valuation, Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions, Game Theory, Strategic Thinking, Financial Analysis, Business Strategy, Return On Investment, Investment Banking, Cash Flows, Corporate Finance, Competitive Analysis
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Pennsylvania
Introduction to Corporate Finance
Skills you'll gain: Return On Investment, Capital Budgeting, Financial Modeling, Financial Analysis, Financial Planning, Corporate Finance, Business Valuation, Financial Management, Asset Management, Cash Flows, Risk Analysis, Cash Flow Forecasting, Working Capital
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
6.2K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Mergers and Acquisitions
Skills you'll gain: Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Investment Banking, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Valuation, Financial Forecasting, Financial Analysis, Capital Markets, Financial Modeling, Corporate Accounting, Price Negotiation, Financial Accounting, Corporate Tax, Accounting, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Investments, Corporate Strategy, Financial Management, Corporate Finance
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
553 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Università Bocconi
Financing and Investing in Infrastructure
Skills you'll gain: Project Finance, Risk Analysis, Capital Budgeting, Financial Analysis, Credit Risk, Risk Management, Investments, Finance, Loans, Contract Management, Banking
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
2.1K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Pennsylvania
Entrepreneurship
Skills you'll gain: Growth Strategies, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Entrepreneurial Finance, Entrepreneurship, Digital Marketing, Business Valuation, Sales Presentation, Market Opportunities, Proposal Development, Customer Acquisition Management, Peer Review, Branding, Lean Methodologies, Business Metrics, Marketing Strategies, Financial Analysis, Product Development, Due Diligence, Presentations, Finance
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
5.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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Status: Free Trial
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Finance of Mergers and Acquisitions: Valuation and Pricing
Skills you'll gain: Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Valuation, Private Equity, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Capital Markets, Corporate Finance, Market Data, Cash Flows, Business Strategy
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
259 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Columbia University
Financial Engineering and Risk Management
Skills you'll gain: Portfolio Management, Derivatives, Financial Market, Securities (Finance), Investment Management, Financial Systems, Asset Management, Credit Risk, Actuarial Science, Mortgage Loans, Mathematical Modeling, Applied Mathematics, Financial Trading, Financial Modeling, Risk Modeling, Financial Services, Regression Analysis, Market Liquidity, Capital Markets, Statistical Methods
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
380 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Geneva
Investment Management
Skills you'll gain: Portfolio Management, Wealth Management, Risk Management, Investment Management, Financial Market, Business Risk Management, Capital Markets, Risk Analysis, Asset Management, Performance Measurement, Investments, Market Dynamics, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Financial Planning, Finance, Equities, Performance Analysis, Financial Policy, FinTech, Economics
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
7.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Duke University
Financial Management
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Return On Investment, Risk Management, Balance Sheet, Accounts Receivable, Business Risk Management, Credit Risk, Income Statement, Operational Risk, Resource Allocation, Proposal Development, Cash Management, Capital Budgeting, Financial Analysis, Cash Flows, Financial Data, Strategic Decision-Making, Operational Efficiency, Stakeholder Communications
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
174 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Duke University
Startup Valuation Methods
Skills you'll gain: Financial Modeling, Entrepreneurial Finance, Business Valuation, Excel Formulas, Finance, Financial Analysis, Investments, Private Equity, Securities (Finance), Entrepreneurship, Cash Flows, Risk Analysis
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
723 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Excel Basics for Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Excel Formulas, Microsoft Excel, Data Cleansing, Data Analysis, Data Import/Export, Spreadsheet Software, Data Wrangling, Data Quality, Pivot Tables And Charts, Google Sheets, Data Manipulation, Data Science, Data Visualization Software, Information Privacy
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
9.9K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months