Financial Analysis for Technical Professionals, Managers, and Planners

Session 1: Interpreting common financial statements

2 hours, live Zoom session

• Income statement
• Balance sheet
• Key financial ratios

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to calculate key financial ratios and interpret common financial statements.

Significance: Knowledge of these foundational concepts is key to performing due diligence in, for example, selection of suppliers, contractors and business partners.

Session 2:  Analyzing capital investment opportunities

2 hours, live Zoom session

• Time value of money / Discounted cash flow
• Discount Rate / Hurdle Rate / Minimum acceptable rate of return (MARR)
• Weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
• Capital expenditures (CapEx)
• Payback
• Net present value (NPV) and Internal rate of return (IRR)
• Depreciation considerations
• Other non-financial considerations

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to use commonly used methods for analyzing / making capital expenditure decisions.

Significance: This analysis is a key input for evaluating and approving capital projects.

Session 3: Case study

1 hour advance reading / preparation of case study before the live Zoom session
2 hours, live Zoom session

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to evaluate capital expenditure opportunities.

Significance: Working through a case study is a proven method to build and reinforce practical skills.

Sessions 4 and 5: Estimating costs

2 hours each, live Zoom session

• Fixed, Variable and Absorption cost
• Prime cost, Standard cost, Activity-based cost
• Cost-plus pricing
• Contribution margins
• Sensitivity analysis

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to estimate different types of costs relevant in a technical context.

Significance:  This is critical input for planning and budgeting for projects, products and services.

Session 6: Life cycle costing

2 hours, live Zoom session

• Life cycle costing
• LCCA – Life Cycle Cost Analysis
• Federal project requirements

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to estimate life cycle cost of a project.

Significance: LCCA provides a full cost view of projects.  It is required for many types of federal projects.

Session 7: Case study

1 hour advance reading / preparation of case study before the live Zoom session
2 hours, live Zoom session

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to analyze life cycle costs.

Significance: Working through a case study is a proven method to build and reinforce practical skills.

Registration Date/Time:
1/16/2026 11:30am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 1/16/2026  12:00pm - 2:00pm Central Time
• 1/23/2026  12:00pm - 2:00pm Central Time
• 1/30/2026  12:00pm - 2:00pm Central Time
• 2/13/2026  12:00pm - 2:00pm Central Time
• 2/20/2026  12:00pm - 2:00pm Central Time
• 2/27/2026  12:00pm - 2:00pm Central Time

The course will be offered as a live online course, with recordings made of each session so that participants can watch them at other times if they are not available at the meeting time. Therefore, this course can be flexible and accommodate a variety of schedules. The course meetings are held once a week (Fridays Noon to 2 pm Central Time) over a 6-week period. 

Please watch the email address you provided during registration for instructional material release dates and pre-course information. Check your spam folder if you do not see your confirmation or UW (@wisc.edu) communication emails.

• Instructor

  Raj Kamal

  Lecturer

  Raj Kamal is a lecturer in the College of Engineering at UW-Madison, and the owner of Credens LLC, a management consulting firm based in the Madison, Wisconsin area.

  He has 25+ years of industry and blue-chip consulting experience with both Fortune 500 and smaller organizations in manufacturing and distribution; financial services and insurance; and government and higher education. Raj also brings extensive expertise in program management; quantitative modeling; and statistical analyses.

  He holds a Master of Science in Management from Purdue University, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, India, and a BA (with honors) in Economics from Delhi University, India.

  In the Master of Engineering MEM program, Raj teaches EPD 611 – Engineering Economics and Management. Outside EPD, he also teaches operations management, statistics, strategy, information technology, and quality in the MBA program at Edgewood College, and has previously taught at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business.

• Program Director

  Adib Amini

No prior financial experience or knowledge is required.

The course will be delivered via live Zoom sessions (weekly, 2-hours) over 7 weeks, with 2 hours total of reading / preparation outside the live sessions, for a total of 16 professional development hours.

This course is part of the Technical Leadership Certificate. The course may be taken individually as well.

Fee covers online course materials and live online instruction.

Receive $75 off the registration fee per person when two individuals from the same organization enroll. Team affiliation will be confirmed as part of the registration process.

Receive $100 off the registration fee per person when three or more individuals from the same organization enroll. Team affiliation will be confirmed as part of the registration process.

A 10% discount per person is available to participants registered in an InterPro Certificate Program. Promo code needed during registration.    

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.