M&A and Corporate Development Strategies
Create strategic deal value with M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program
The M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program from Wharton Executive Education equips financial managers and senior level executives to harness mergers and acquisitions as a powerful lever for strategic growth. In today’s environment of macroeconomic uncertainty and regulatory complexity, industry leaders must go beyond identifying opportunities — they need the insight to evaluate, structure, and execute deals that deliver sustainable business value.
Led by renowned Wharton faculty, this six-week online program offers a comprehensive view of the deal-making life cycle, from corporate development strategy and mergers and acquisitions decisions to due diligence, negotiation, and divestitures. You will gain the strategic foresight, analytical tools, and leadership skills to navigate complex transactions, drive transformation, and create long-term organizational impact.
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Key takeaways
The Wharton Executive Education’s M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program will enable you to:
Gain an understanding of strategically selecting the right growth mode for your company
Learn to navigate various acquisition strategies, including asset-purchase agreements and post-closing formalities, and enhance your decision-making strengths
Acquire due diligence best practices, ensuring effective management of the due diligence process
Equip yourself with a leadership strategy plan for company-level changes
Craft an appropriate integration strategy, ensuring successful post-merger outcomes
Identify the hidden value-creation potential of divestitures to make informed decisions in uncertain times
Who is the M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program for?
The Wharton M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program is designed for business leaders, senior executives, and financial analysts who seek to leverage mergers and acquisitions to achieve strategic goals and drive long-term organizational growth. It is ideal for:
Mergers and Acquisitions decision makers looking to navigate challenging market conditions and bolster the strategic and financial goals of their companies using Mergers and Acquisitions
Mergers and Acquisitions managers looking to deepen their knowledge on strategic acquisitions and improve their deal-making skills, valuation, and divestitures
Senior advisors and consultants who need to maintain client confidence during a period of reduced deal activity
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Learning journey
The Wharton M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program is designed with the needs of senior professionals and decision-makers in mind. You will learn through online sessions that blend real-world case studies, scenario-based assignments, and live interactions with Wharton faculty.
What you will learn in the M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program
The program provides a comprehensive curriculum that is organized into six modules that cover each stage of the deal-making life cycle — from corporate development strategy and M&A planning to due diligence, negotiation, post-merger integration, and divestitures.
Over six-weeks, the program’s core modules are structured around key phases of M&A. Led by renowned Wharton faculty and industry experts with deep experience in corporate strategy and finance, the program prepares you to identify, evaluate, and execute successful deals that create long-term business value.
Participant testimonials from the M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program
Program Highlights
Live session with faculty
Experience a live online session with the faculty.
World-renowned faculty
Glean insights from knowledgeable faculty who are at the forefront of innovation.
Self-paced learning
Learn at your own pace with a weekly commitment of four to six hours of sessions and activities.
Global peer group
Interact with accomplished peers from around the world through class discussions and gain new perspectives on mergers and valuation techniques.
Try-it activities
Learn from try-it activities and small group projects that will elevate your strategic impact.
Scenario-based assignments
Consider solutions for real-world challenges and apply the concepts to your company with practical examples.
Access proven frameworks to evaluate opportunities, execute deals, and ensure successful post-merger integration.
You will earn a digital certificate of completion from the Wharton School, upon successful completion of the program.
Frameworks and Tools
As part of the M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program, you will explore practical frameworks and analytical tools that bring clarity to each stage of the M&A lifecycle. Learn how to identify, evaluate, execute, and integrate deals through proven models that translate strategic intent into measurable outcomes.
Attractiveness, better off, and cost of entry (ABC tests)
Identify the right opportunity to pursue M&A by understanding the structural attractiveness of the acquired business, its competitive advantage, and whether the cost of acquiring will allow the business to use the acquiring company's profits.
Better-off and ownership tests
Understand which type of acquisition to pursue and whether the present ownership of the acquired business has a competitive advantage over an alternative arrangement.
Due diligence best practices
Define the scope of the due diligence process by selecting the team and set the benchmarks for developing the customer, competition, and capabilities.
M&A deal-making and negotiations framework
Identify the objectives of the acquisition; match acquisition needs to target sources of value; avoid pitfalls in bidding and negotiation; select an appropriate acquisition target; and make implementation strategic planning decisions related to focus, scope, and strategy.
Building blocks for successful post-merger integration strategies
Learn how to address post-merger integration strategies related to asset and employee retention, adoption of processes, degree and speed of integration, and knowledge transfer.
Meet the Faculty
World-renowned Wharton faculty in the M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program will help you navigate the end-to-end deal-making process. You will gain strategic insights into identifying, evaluating, and executing successful mergers and acquisitions that drive long-term business growth.
Michael L. Tarnopol Professor and Professor of Management at the Wharton School
Emilie R. Feldman’s research focuses on corporate strategy and governance, with interests in the role that divestitures, spin-offs, and M&A play in corporate reconfiguration; ...
Certificate
Earn a Wharton Executive Education digital certificate upon successful completion of the M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program. As a past participant of this enriching learning experience, you will gain access to a global community of Wharton professionals, exclusive events, and valuable networking opportunities. In addition, you can benefit from tuition assistance when enrolling in future online electives from Wharton Executive Education.
Note: After successful completion of the online program, your verified digital certificate will be emailed to you in the name you used when registering for the program. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wharton School.
This online certificate program does not grant academic credit or a degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
FAQs
Didn't find what you were looking for? Write to us at learner.success@emeritus.org or Schedule a call with one of our Program Advisors or call us at +1 680 205 5118 (US) / +44 185 845 9995 (UK) / +65 3135 1422 (SG)
The program will observe a scheduled holiday break from December 24, 2025 through January 1, 2026.
Flexible payment options available.
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