Post-liberalization increased economic activity has caused banking in general and investment banking in particular, to emerge as a lucrative career option. Especially in the last decade, wherein, India is one of the fastest-growing economies, an increase in demand has also led to opening entry-level opportunities for non-MBA/CA candidates in this domain. This has resulted in the growth of institutes offering short-term certificate financial courses in their curriculum. Imarticus investment banking course review is an attempt to equip students considering taking up this course to make an informed choice.

Imarticus investment banking course review

Scope, Structure, and Salary of Investment Bankers in India

As mentioned earlier, the banking sector has emerged as a key employer post-liberalization. It offers freshers employment and growth opportunities on the business’s buy and sell side. There are a variety of roles available in investment banking.

  • The primary role is advisory in nature, customer-facing, and revenue-generating.
  • The next role is supportive and involves Risk Management and technology
  • Backoffice functions complete the structure

Available Entry-level Job Titles:

Financial Analyst or Associate in investment banking, Risk Management Consultant, Money Market Analyst, Global Finance Researcher, Regulatory Reporting Analyst

As you can see, there is plenty of scope to grow vertically and laterally as you continue to gain experience and develop new skills. The salary ranges between Rs. 3 Lakhs to Rs. 8 Lakhs per annum for freshers as quoted by Glassdoor.

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Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Establishing Parameters

To provide context, investment banking is a specialized financial consultancy service provided by banks. An investment banker mostly plays an advisory role, raising capital for corporates and individuals, new issues or IPOs, Mergers, and Acquisitions (M&A), company restructuring to improve efficiency and profits, trading shares and securities, etc. Keeping this in view, it is evident that this role requires a hoard of special skills, including soft skills, to be developed. To list a few:

  • Basic understanding of
    • Maths
    • Economics
    • Statistics
    • Finance
    • Accounting
  • Research
  • Analytics
  • Problem-solving
  • Technology savvy
  • Regulatory framework of the industry
  • Time management
  • Sales and negotiations
  • Communication
  • Relationship building
  • Networking
  • Creativity

This by no means is an exhaustive list, however, provides us with basic parameters for an Imarticus investment banking course review. Do students leave Imarticus equipped with these basic skills? Let us dive straight in to find out.

Overview of Imarticus as an Educational Institute

Imarticus Learning is an award-winning ed-tech company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, that offers a variety of specialized post-graduate industry-certified B2B and B2C courses, executive programs, and diplomas in collaboration with recognized universities in India and overseas, with placements, making learning accessible to a wide audience.

Though they operate in the finance, technology, analytics, marketing, and management domains, their key focus is finance and data analytics.

Imarticus Learning boasts of a global offline presence with centers in India in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, and Ahmedabad in the west, Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Jaipur, Patna, Lucknow, and Dehradun in the North, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, and Coimbatore in the South, Kolkata in the East, and Dubai in UAE.

In these cities, they work on a hybrid model of teaching, i.e., classroom and online. Online programs are available worldwide. Most of the courses offer weekday and weekend options to students which enables working and non-working individuals to register for these programs. They also offer programs for corporate clients.

Their primary focus is to blend classroom theoretical learning with hands-on experiential and practical knowledge. Their hiring partnership with over 500 multinational companies including names like KPMG, RBS, SOCIETE GENERALE, UBS, Tata Consultancy Services, HSBC, Capgemini, Fractal, Goldman Sachs, and TESCO, to name a few, opens better employment opportunities for their students.

Find here the top-ranked investment banking courses for career advancement:

 

Courses Offered and Areas of Expertise

Source – Imarticus Learning website

Following is a list of courses offered by Imarticus Learning

Job Assured Programs Certification Courses Executive Programmes University Degree Programmes
Certified Investment Banking Operations Professional Certified Management Accountant USA IIM Indore

Postgraduate Certificate Programme for Emerging CFOs

BIMTECH

Postgraduate Diploma in Management

Postgraduate Financial Analysis Programme KPMG Financial Analysis Prodegree IIM Lucknow

Advanced Management Programme in Financial Service and Capital Markets

KL

MBA in Fintech

Postgraduate Programme in Banking and Finance Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK IIM Kolkata

Executive Programme in Investment Banking and Capital Markets

Geeta University

MBA in Fintech

SP Jain

Global Professional Certificate in Fintech

Delhi School of Business

PGDM in Fintech

BCom – Rathinam College of Arts and Science

 

This list indicates their core competence is Finance and Fintech and their courses are a good fit for those seeking opportunities in Finance and Banking Industry.

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Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Founder and Leadership Team Credentials

The Imarticus Learning leadership is led by a team with expertise and experience in the Finance and EdTech domain. Founded in 2012 by Mr. Nikhil Bhashikar, a serial entrepreneur and a Finance and Economics Graduate from Rutgers University and Executive MBA from London Business School and Columbia Business School.

He spent a significant number of years in the banking and finance industry working in leadership and advisory roles at Lehman Brothers and Nomura before his entrepreneurial venture. Co-founder Ms. Sonya Hooja is also a Rutgers University graduate in Arts, Economics, and Information Technology with an MBA from INSEAD.

She has experience in analytics and consultancy having worked in these roles at Accenture, Lehman Brothers, and ACS, before beginning her entrepreneurial journey.

The founding members are supported by a core management team with vast experience in finance, banking, education, training, technology, human capital management, business and product development, and general management.

Given the collective knowledge and understanding of the focus domain of the management team, it is reasonable to expect the delivery of quality courses and education by Imarticus Learning.

The advisory panel at Imarticus consists of several expert industry veterans who have played a key role in shaping the course of various industries. This adds additional gravitas to the image of this institute.

 

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Imarticus Learning – Endorsements, Media Coverage, and Awards

Source – Imarticus Learning website

Media Coverage

Offline media coverage of Imarticus includes trusted names like the Times of India, India Today, Career 360, and The Indian Express to name a few.

Awards

Imarticus Learning has also been bestowed The ET Best Education Brands 2022, Indian Education Awards 2022, Sonya Hooja Most Promising Women Leaders in 2021 by The Economic Times, Certification of Recognition for the “Best E-Learning Company of the Year” Entrepreneur India, The Education Innovation Conclave and awards 2020 for The Best Hiring or Internship Solution by EdTech Review, Business World Education 40 under 40.

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Fee, Duration, and Teaching Methodology

The program fee is Rs. 1,40,000 inclusive of GST

Their flagship investment banking training course goes by the name of Certified Investment Banking Operations Professional (CIBOP). This is an industry-recognized certification. The course duration is 2 months for weekday full-time and 3 months for weekend part-time.

This is a post-graduate certificate course for finance graduates with 0-3 years of experience.

Their teaching methodology is instructor-led interactive live online and offline classes. It includes peer discussions, seminars, case studies, etc. Students are also involved in industry projects designed by industry experts, that provide the students with an opportunity to apply their learning to solve real-world business problems.

A few other courses you must be interested in:

 

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Syllabus

An Introduction to investment banking and financial markets

This portion introduces the student to the basics of financial markets, the landscape, products, and various financial instruments available.

Topics Covered

  • Types of financial markets – Primary and secondary
  • Equities, Bonds, and Fixed incomes
  • Stock exchange and financial centers
  • Yield, Price, and Interest,
  • Forex and money markets basics – Forwards, Futures, and Options
  • Swaps and Types
  • Hedging and Speculation
  • Soft skills – Communication, Resume building, Job readiness

Trade Life Cycle

This module introduces the learner to the basic concepts of Investment Banking operations like trade life cycle and reconciliation. At the end of this chapter, the student understands the fundamental process and framework involved in settlement and reconciliation, KYC and money laundering, and the trade life cycle.

Topics Covered

  • Data Management
  • Asset Management
  • Reconciliation
  • Collateral Management
  • Introduction to ISDA
  • Trade life cycle

Risk Management

This part of the investment banking training program covers the regulatory environment for financial markets, especially the legislation introduced post the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008 to improve transparency and efficiency.

During this segment, the student gets a grip on the application and implications of the regulatory framework in investment banking operations along with knowledge of the fundamentals of risk management.

Topics Covered

  • Introduction to Risk,
  • Regulatory Environment,
  • Market Risk, Credit Risk, Liquidity Risk,
  • Anti Money Laundering and KYC

 

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Faculty

Source – Imarticus Learning website

Ms. Lourdes Miranda, an ITM, Kharagpur, Executive MBA alumnus, has expertise in middle and back-office operations in investment banking. Ms. Miranda has over 6 years of experience in investment banking at JP Morgan Chase and SS & C GlobeOp. Besides her core subject, she has a keen understanding of various other elements covered in this course.

Mr. Rakhshit Rao, an experienced hand in investment banking operations with over 13 years of experience working at Goldman Sachs and Societe Generale, currently manages the training on financial instruments. He holds a degree in Business Management and a Master of Arts in history.

Ms. Nandita Nadig has expertise in financial market products and operations. Her excellent communication and unique story-based approach to delivering learning sets her apart from other trainers.

Mr. Vikrant Tapaskar has experience in the financial services industry and investment banking operations. Besides subject knowledge of aspects associated with the course, his special skill is people development and training.

The combined pool of academic qualifications, knowledge, experience, and skills of the faculty inspires confidence in the learning outcomes of this course.

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Deliverables of the Investment Banking Training Program

100% Job Guarantee as investment banking professionals

Career support by assisting in resume building and interview preparation

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Competitive Landscape

The Economic Times ranks the following institutes as the Top 5 investment banking courses in India:

  • DataTrained – Offers a 6-month post-graduate certificate program in collaboration with the London Governance and Compliance Academy
  • Imarticus Learning
  • AIWMI – Requires the students to take an aptitude exam designed to test the skills of applicants and tailored for professionals looking for career growth
  • The Wall Street School – Financial Modeling online course
  • NSE India – Offers a postgraduate program in investment banking and capital markets

Considering DataTrained is the nearest competitor of Imarticus Learning, we shall compare the syllabus, faculty, duration of the course, eligibility, fee structure, etc. of both institutes.

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Comparison With Datatrained

Imarticus Learning DataTrained
Leadership Team Entrepreneurial spirit, educational background, and experience in Finance and Technology Entrepreneurial spirit, experience in education, training, human capital management, and technology
Course Duration 2 months weekday and 3 months weekend option 6 months, weekday, and weekend options are available
Course Fee Rs. 1,40,000 Rs. 90,000 plus 18% GST = Rs. 1,06,200 and Rs. 50,000 placement success fees
Course Delivery Mode Live Online, and Classroom Live Online and classroom
Course Qualification Finance graduate with less than 3 years of experience Graduate with less than 3 years of experience
Faculty credentials Experienced in investment banking operations and products Experienced in investment market operations, products, and technology
Course Syllabus Exhaustive introduction to financial market functions and products The basics of finance module focuses on improving understanding of corporate finance
The trade life cycle is focused on an introduction to investment banking operations Introduction to Financial Statements teaches reading and analysis of the 3 basic financial statements
Risk Management is significant especially after the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis keeping in view the changes in the regulatory framework The basics of economics module are designed to teach micro and macro-economic fundamentals
Introduction to basics of investment banking
Hands-on learning including projects and case studies Hands-on learning including projects and case studies
Introduction to financial modeling
Basic and advanced Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint
Discounted cash flow, relative and start-up valuations
Cost of capital
Mergers and Acquisitions along with Leveraged Buy Out including case studies
Financial management of start-ups
Soft skills training includes communication skills, resume building, interview, and job readiness preparation Resume-building assistance and interview preparation

 

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Strengths and Opportunities

Key criteria considered while taking up any online course

  • Reputation and ranking of the course and institution
    • Imarticus Learning is ranked number 2 in India by The Economic Times and enjoys a good reputation in the EdTech space. Their investment banking course is endorsed and approved by the industry. Their leadership team has significant domain expertise and authority.
  • The details and focus of the curriculum, including experiential learning which is of great value to the students as it enhances their resume and increase their employability
    • Imarticus Learning offers a robust and comprehensive curriculum that covers the fundamentals of investment banking operations. It also includes soft skills training which is a critical need for any corporate job. Their hands-on experiential training includes research, real projects, and case studies. Peer and industry interactions build the student’s confidence and networking skills.
  • Duration of the investment banking training and eligibility
    • The duration of this course is quite reasonable and aids time commitment, especially for working professionals. The course seems to be structured for upskilling finance and commerce graduates with less than 3 years of experience and corporate employees, so this is a great fit

Keeping in view the parameters we had established to base our review, the investment banking training program does deliver on developing research and analytical capabilities, and soft skills, along with knowledge of the regulatory framework and industry-specific technology and instruments.

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Points to Ponder

The internet has been a great leveler in terms of access to education. It has broken barriers and boundaries of reach beyond the physical infrastructure. The pandemic further accelerated this trend with increased internet penetration worldwide, including in India, due to the necessity to move education online.

This trend has continued post-pandemic too with postgraduate diploma and certificate courses available online. There is a plethora of certificate course options available to students to choose from both online, offline, and hybrid, free and charging tuition fees, affiliated with established institutions, and standalone industry-approved.

Large reputed local and international business schools are also offering online certificate courses to cash in on the commercial opportunity this segment provides. So how does one decide which model and institute to select to pursue their educational and career goals?

The key factors influencing this decision are:

  • Price point – Does the price justify the net outcomes? The reason for a student to choose a paid course is to gain hands-on experience with projects and case studies as theoretical knowledge is available for free online.
    • In the case of Imarticus Learning, the price of an investment banking course could be a barrier as similar courses are offered by competitors at a lower price without compromising on the quality of education.

 

  • Success measurement metrics – Job guarantee is another key influencer in the selection process.
    • The course at Imarticus does offer a job placement guarantee with a high success rate. However, how do we test the veracity of this claim? Their biggest competitor DataTrained offers a low tuition fee and charges a separate fee after the successful placement of the candidate. This could be a significant differentiator in the decision-making process.

 

  • Return on Investment – What kind of earning and career progression opportunities does a course provide post-completion?
    • An analysis of the job opportunities available to a candidate post-completion of the investment banking course at Imarticus suggests that the candidates will be fit for entry-level jobs as financial analysts and associates in financial institutions.
    • Considering the qualification required to take up this course at Imarticus is a graduate in Finance, the ROI does not seem significant for freshers as the student is already qualified for entry-level jobs at financial institutions. They can learn the fundamentals of investment banking on the job, as an intern in the real world, while earning. This course seems more suited for working professionals looking to brush up or enhance their skills.

Furthermore, the Imarticus investment banking course review indicates that it does not contribute to increasing the talent pool available to the industry. The competitor program is structured towards attracting candidates outside the commerce and finance world with an aptitude for finance, which is tested, and infuses the industry with fresh talent that brings in new perspectives and adds dynamism to the industry.

FAQs Related To Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review

Is investment banking a good career?

Investment banking has emerged as a good career option for finance and commerce graduates as demand is robust. Investment banking is a specialized field in the banking service industry and requires a special set of skills and knowledge of the capital markets and regulatory framework. This job demands long work hours and working on tight timelines and schedules.

What is the eligibility requirement?

This is a postgraduate certificate course. Eligible candidates must possess a degree in finance, economics, or commerce with 0 to 3 experience to qualify for the investment banking course at Imarticus.

What is the fee structure of this course?

The fee for the investment banking training program at Imarticus is Rs. 1,40,000 inclusive of GST. Payments can be made using credit or debit cards or bank transfers from any leading bank in the country. They offer EMI options too.

What is the refund policy?

A full refund is not available at Imarticus. Their refund policy is quite structured with fixed guidelines to initiate refunds. They have a refundable and non-refundable component to their fee structure.

What types of jobs are available after the course?

Entry-level analysts, associates, consultants, specialists, or researchers’ jobs associated with investment banking operations and regulations, at banks and financial institutions, are available to candidates upon successful completion of this course.

Imarticus Investment Banking Course Review – Final Thoughts

Like any other business investment banking is a highly specialized and competitive field, perhaps a little more so considering the risks associated with the field. You are dealing with and advising clients on money matters that directly impact their success or failure. This job comes with a lot of responsibility.

Keeping this in view, any additional skill or knowledge you pick up goes a long way in assisting you with fulfilling your role and developing your resume.

However, you do need to evaluate the return on investment before taking up a course to make sure it is aligned with your learning needs and career goals. As the saying goes, learning never stops! So go on learning if it assists you in achieving your full potential. Here we conclude the guide to imarticus investment banking course review.