If you’re interested in pursuing a career in private equity after MBA graduation, there’s no better place to hone your skills than Chicago Booth.
Here, you’ll learn from scholars at the forefront of the field, connect with peers who share your interests, and network with industry leaders.
hosts a variety of workshops, lunch and learns, and other professional events to introduce you to industry insiders and show you what you can do with an MBA with a focus on private equity.
At Booth, You Own Your MBA Experience
A Booth MBA is rooted in The Chicago Approach,鈩� the educational philosophy that sets Booth apart from every other business school in the world.
What鈥檚 more, our MBA curriculum for Full-Time and Part-Time MBA students is the most customizable among top programs globally. You determine your path by sequencing your coursework and choosing the depth of study at Booth. You can customize your education to support your professional interests and goals, because there is no singular roadmap to career success.
Customize your MBA experience and complement your background with private equity MBA courses that prepare you for an impactful career in this rapidly changing field. Here are just a few of the many private equity鈥揻ocused courses available at Booth.
| Course | Short Description |
| Entrepreneurial Finance and Private Equity | The primary objective of the course is to provide an understanding of the concepts and institutions involved in entrepreneurial finance and private equity markets. To do this, the course has been designed to be broad and comprehensive. |
| Commercializing Innovation |
Commercializing Innovation delivers useful 鈥渃ross-training鈥� to students interested in starting, leading or investing in entrepreneurial enterprises. Throughout the quarter, students learn how to effectively evaluate and communicate the fundamentals of novel business opportunities. |
| Private Equity Transactions |
This course will examine a variety of business, legal, and practical issues that arise in negotiating and documenting a typical private equity leveraged buyout transaction. |
| Private Equity/Venture Capital Lab |
The private equity and venture capital lab is an experiential program intended for students who want to learn more about what it is like to work in private equity or venture capital industries. |
To see more Booth MBA courses, visit our course catalog.
MBA Concentrations at Booth You Can Consider
Our flexible curriculum gives you the freedom to focus your MBA experience on a specific area of interest. Earning an MBA concentration gives you deep knowledge in a given field and sets you up for success in your career. Concentrations are available to Full-Time, Evening, and Weekend MBA students.
Entrepreneurship
Build the practical tools and experiences you need to start your own business or embark on a career in private equity or venture capital.
Entrepreneurship
Accounting
Learn how to evaluate economic performance, use accounting information for financial decisions, and create and assess managerial incentives.
Accounting
Analytic Finance
Focus your MBA experience on analytic finance and build a deep understanding of financial theories and how to apply them
MBA Student Groups in Private Equity
Participating in student-led groups is a great way to meet fellow students interested in private equity and make connections across our vibrant community.
The Private Equity Group complements the innovative courses, research, and guidance provided by exceptional Chicago Booth faculty in entrepreneurship, finance, and strategy. Our goal is to provide students with the opportunity to test classroom ideas, gain practical knowledge about the PE industry, and experience investing firsthand.
The Private Equity Group鈥檚 mission is to enhance Booth students鈥� understanding of private equity. It does this through a variety of year-round social events, invited presentations, and panel discussions featuring speakers from a wide range of industries.
The Credit and Distressed Investing Group’s goal to foster a community for students who work in or are interested in credit-related fields, including distressed debt, public and private credit, lending, workouts, turnaround advisory or consulting, or work in related fields such as private equity, real estate, management consulting, and banking.
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Club provides education, resources, and networking opportunities to Chicago Booth students and alumni interested in pursuing entrepreneurship through acquisition via various models by connecting our members to the growing investor and entrepreneur community.
Join a Full-Time MBA Group
Get involved, develop new skills, and meet new people in a wide array of student-led groups.
Join a Full-Time MBA Group
Explore Part-Time MBA Student Groups
Pursue your interests and expand your network by joining a student-led group for Part-Time MBA students.
Explore Part-Time MBA Student GroupsDiscover Student Stories
Exploring Private Equity Opportunities at Chicago Booth
Interested in pursuing private equity at Booth? Read on as the co-chair of the Private Equity Group shares insights on resources available to students interested in PE.
Exploring Private Equity Opportunities at Chicago BoothLearn more from students who had a secured professional path and navigated their MBA program to capitalize on their strengths and focus on their development areas.
Choose Your Path to Success
Tell us about yourself, and we will show you the value of a Booth education.
Discover Alumni Outcomes
Our alumni thrive in private equity worldwide—leading investments, driving value creation, and transforming businesses across industries.
Comic Relief
Merrick ‘Rick’ Elfman, ’83, went from buying and reselling comic books and memorabilia as a young adult to buying, growing, and selling companies.
Comic Relief
Book of Booth Interview with Van Stults, 鈥�98
Stults reflects on seeing promising changes in the real-estate industry and building a business as an expat in Europe.
Book of Booth Interview with Van Stults, 鈥�98Booth Research Centers in This Area
Our interdisciplinary research centers give you access to workshops, conferences, leading scholars, and research opportunities.
The Polsky Center bridges the gap between knowledge and practice, idea and action, and research and impact through education, partnerships, and new venture creation.
Fama-Miller Center for Research in Finance
With a mission to push the boundaries of research in finance, the Fama-Miller Center provides institutional structure and support for researchers in the field.
Fama-Miller Center for Research in Finance
Family Office Initiative
The Family Office Initiative at Chicago Booth supports the education, research, and network needs of current and future family office leaders throughout the world.
Family Office Initiative
Kent A. Clark Center for Global Markets
The Clark Center organizes Booth faculty efforts to influence public policy and the practice of business around the world, and more.
Kent A. Clark Center for Global MarketsDig into Our Employment Reports
Explore our Employment Reports to see where our alumni are creating impact.
In addition to coursework and student group participation, Booth MBAs benefit from career support to assist them in securing internships and full-time roles. Career Services at Booth offers a wealth of resources for students exploring roles in private equity, including industry roadmaps, technical interview preparation, educational programs, and exposure to prospective employers.
Faculty Research in Private Equity
Our faculty are award-winning scholars whose work is regularly covered in Chicago Booth Review, our influential magazine focusing on business, policy, and markets.
Does Private Equity Create or Extract Value?
An expert panel discusses the outcomes of private-equity ownership for companies and the economy in general.
Does Private Equity Create or Extract Value?
Could a Change to the Goodwill Rule Boost Private Equity?
Writing off the value of customer loyalty and human capital might shrink and change the M&A market.
Could a Change to the Goodwill Rule Boost Private Equity?
Private-Equity Buyouts Don鈥檛 Tell a Simple Story
Outcomes of private-equity deals differ greatly by type of buyout and with the broad economic environment during and after the deal.
Private-Equity Buyouts Don鈥檛 Tell a Simple StoryLeverage Resources Across the University
Beyond the Booth campus, the University of Chicago offers a wide range of additional resources to help you build a career in private equity. For example:
- The annual , hosted by the , brings together investors, students, and entrepreneurs to network and share insights into the dynamics of investing in a constantly changing economy.
- The Polsky Center’s offers innovative learning, networking opportunities, and a firsthand look at private equity through an internship and academic course.
- The enables Chicago Booth student teams to work with mentors at private equity firms over several months to develop original investment theses and recommend execution strategies.
- The connects you with members of the Polsky Center Private Equity Council and Chicago Booth alumni in the field.
Engage Further with Us
逗逼直播 and Student Life Stories
Discover what it鈥檚 like to be and become a student at Chicago Booth.
逗逼直播 and Student Life Stories
Full-Time MBA Program
The Full-Time MBA Program provides you with freedom: academic freedom, freedom to take risks, and freedom to define your impact in the world.
Full-Time MBA Program
Part-Time MBA Programs
Our top-ranked Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Programs accommodate the schedules and lifestyles of working, goal-oriented professionals.
Part-Time MBA Programs