The benefit of learning together with your friend is that you keep each other accountable and have meaningful discussions about what you're learning.
Courtlyn
Promotion and Events Specialist
Identify, evaluate, and execute deals for growth
Download Brochure
May 9, 2024
6 weeks, online
4–6 hours per week
Participants report that enrolling in a program with colleagues fosters collaborative learning and amplifies their impact.
Please provide your details to get more information about the group-enrollment pricing.
The benefit of learning together with your friend is that you keep each other accountable and have meaningful discussions about what you're learning.
Courtlyn
Promotion and Events SpecialistMergers and acquisitions are an essential component of business growth. Macroeconomic ambiguity and regulatory scrutiny for larger companies have created an environment where deal processes take longer, with more challenging business cases, and require a deeper understanding of the market. Strategic leaders need to bring transformations by identifying timely opportunities and executing well thought-out deals.
The six-week M&A and Corporate Development Strategies program from Wharton Executive Education is designed for executives who aim to use M&A as a key tool for bolstering their business, acquiring companies, and delivering sustained profitable outcomes. With a comprehensive understanding of M&A for corporate development and business growth, you will gain the skills to tackle the entire life cycle of the deal-making process, including corporate development strategy, M&A decisions, due diligence, divestitures, and negotiation strategies.
of corporate and private-equity leaders said they expect their own organization’s deal volume to increase in 2024.
of dealmakers anticipate activity across the tech M&A market accelerating in the coming year.
Learn how to select the appropriate corporate growth strategy. Analyze the risks and benefits of your selection for a perfect growth plan. Gain an unparalleled understanding of strategically selecting the right growth mode for your organization.
Create a strategy plan for selecting the right M&A target to navigate various acquisition strategies, including market share and the assets and liabilities of a business, to generate the most value for your deals.
Learn to create a due diligence plan using a strategic lens and best practices. Gather information about the various aspects of your target company and flag potential pitfalls.
Learn how to identify an appropriate M&A target. Understand your organization’s needs in the product market and identify your potential acquisition opportunities.
Understand and develop the key elements of a post-merger integration strategy. Identify sources of value and address ex-ante challenges, ensuring successful post-merger outcomes.
Explore business value in strategic divesting and appropriate divestiture structures. Analyze whether your business requires proactive or reactive divestiture. Identify hidden value creation potential to make informed decisions.
Learn how to select the appropriate corporate growth strategy. Analyze the risks and benefits of your selection for a perfect growth plan. Gain an unparalleled understanding of strategically selecting the right growth mode for your organization.
Learn how to identify an appropriate M&A target. Understand your organization’s needs in the product market and identify your potential acquisition opportunities.
Create a strategy plan for selecting the right M&A target to navigate various acquisition strategies, including market share and the assets and liabilities of a business, to generate the most value for your deals.
Understand and develop the key elements of a post-merger integration strategy. Identify sources of value and address ex-ante challenges, ensuring successful post-merger outcomes.
Learn to create a due diligence plan using a strategic lens and best practices. Gather information about the various aspects of your target company and flag potential pitfalls.
Explore business value in strategic divesting and appropriate divestiture structures. Analyze whether your business requires proactive or reactive divestiture. Identify hidden value creation potential to make informed decisions.
Live session with faculty
Experience a live online session with the faculty.
World-renowned faculty
Glean insights from renowned faculty who are at the cutting edge 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
Network with accomplished peers from around the globe and gain new approaches to leadership.
Try-it activities
Learn from real-world case studies and try-it activities that will elevate your strategic impact.
Scenario-based assignments
Consider solutions for real-world challenges and apply the concepts to your organization.
Emilie R. Feldman, PhD
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; the internal functioning of multibusiness organizations; and the impact that large shareholders have on strategic decision making and outcomes. Professor Feldman’s research has been published in top academic journals, including the Strategic Management Journal, Strategy Science, Organization Science, the Academy of Management Journal, and the Academy of Management Review. She received her MBA and DBA in strategy from Harvard Business School. She was also named one of the 40 best business school professors under the age of 40 by Poets&Quants in 2019.
The program makes effective use of examples and case studies that allow you to understand the mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures of organizations, including:
Analyze Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods to determine why the organization chose that corporate development strategy.
Gain insights into how Star Alliance achieves the four key success factors for pursuing an alliance.
Review JetBlue Technology Ventures to appreciate their approach to corporate venture capital.
Apply the ownership tests to AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner to reflect on why the vertical acquisition was risky.
Review the financial disparities of GE and J&J to understand when to pursue diversifying acquisitions.
Learn to apply the M&A deal-making process using the hypothetical scenario of Walmart entering the e-commerce space in 2015.
Research Coca-Cola's acquisition of Costa Coffee to learn how to identify sources of value and ex-ante M&A challenges.
Analyze Marathon Petroleum's sale of Speedway to 7-Eleven to gain insight into how to identify value creation.
Upon successful completion of the program, you will earn a digital certificate of completion from the Wharton School.
Download BrochureNote: 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.
After reviewing the information on the program landing page, we recommend you submit the short form above to gain access to the program brochure, which includes more in-depth information. If you still have questions on whether this program is a good fit for you, please email learner.success@emeritus.org, and a dedicated program advisor will follow-up with you very shortly.
Some programs do have prerequisites, particularly the more technical ones. This information will be noted on the program landing page, as well as in the program brochure. If you are uncertain about program prerequisites and your capabilities, please email us at the ID mentioned above.
Note that, unless otherwise stated on the program web page, all programs are taught in English and proficiency in English is required.
More than 50 percent of our participants are from outside the United States. Class profiles vary from one cohort to the next, but, generally, our online certificates draw a highly diverse audience in terms of professional experience, industry, and geography — leading to a very rich peer learning and networking experience.
Check back to this program web page or email us to inquire if future program dates or the timeline for future offerings have been confirmed yet.
Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.
We have designed this program to fit into your current working life as efficiently as possible. Time will be spent among a variety of activities including:
The program is designed to be highly interactive while also allowing time for self-reflection and to demonstrate an understanding of the core topics through various active learning exercises. Please email us if you need further clarification on program activities.
More than 300,000 learners across 200 countries have chosen to advance their skills with Emeritus and its educational learning partners. In fact, 90 percent of the respondents of a recent survey across all our programs said that their learning outcomes were met or exceeded.
All the contents of the course would be made available to students at the commencement of the course. However, to ensure the program delivers the desired learning outcomes the students may appoint Emeritus to manage the delivery of the program in a cohort-based manner the cost of which is already included in the overall course fee of the course.
A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues, or anything else that may affect your learning experience.
Peer learning adds substantially to the overall learning experience and is an important part of the program. You can connect and communicate with other participants through our learning platform.
Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what will be required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life.
This program is scored as a pass or no-pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please email us if you need further clarification on any specific program requirements.
Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter, resume, and/or display it on your LinkedIn profile.
The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.
No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.
You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 12 months following the program start date. Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.
Participants will need the latest version of their preferred browser to access the learning platform. In addition, Microsoft Office and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts.
Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. However, you can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings, etc. For maximum flexibility, you can access program content from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.
Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and any livestream webinars and office hours will require an internet connection. However, these sessions are always recorded, so you may view them later.
Yes, you can register up until seven days past the published start date of the program without missing any of the core program material or learnings.
The program fee is noted at the top of this program web page and usually referenced in the program brochure as well.
Yes, you can do the bank remittance in the program currency via wire transfer or debit card. Please contact your program advisor, or email us for details.
Yes! Please email us with the details of the program you are interested in, and we will assist you.
Please email us your invoicing requirements and the specific program you’re interested in enrolling in.
Yes, the flexible payment option allows a participant to pay the program fee in installments. This option is made available on the payment page and should be selected before submitting the payment.
Please connect with us via email for assistance.
Emeritus collects all program payments, provides learner enrollment and program support, and manages learning platform services.
For the program refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.
Flexible payment options available.