AIM, founded in 2004, is a nationally recognized undergraduate investment management program built on a rigorous curriculum, applied learning, and competitive career placement, affording a select group of high-performing students the academic training, hands-on capital markets experience, and networking opportunities to launch their finance careers.

The curriculum integrates rigorous theoretical foundations with applied, experiential learning. Students develop advanced financial analysis, valuation, and strategic financial management skills, relevant to roles as debt and equity securities analysts, portfolio managers, wealth advisors, investment bankers, private capital investors, and more.

Students gain hands-on experience managing a portion of Marquette's endowment, presenting investment recommendations to practitioners, participating in case studies and competitions, Wall Street Prep, and internships. Professional development is a core component of the program, including technical interview preparation, alumni mentorship, and networking. AIM students graduate technically trained, ethically grounded, and ready to contribute on day one.

The AIM ecosystem at Marquette is further supported by several student-led groups and organizations, including the AIM Portfolio Management Club, Marquette University Investment Banking Association (MUBI), Marquette Investment Club, Beta Alpha Psi, and more. 

Admission is highly selective and based on academic performance, technical aptitude, and demonstrated interest. AIM is completed as a secondary business major alongside a primary finance major, and students choose one of two AIM concentrations, CFA/Investments or Investment Banking and Private Capital.

The AIM Core Curriculum 

Every AIM student, regardless of concentration, moves through the same foundation curriculum, with specific coursework applicable to the chosen concentration typically occurring in the junior and senior years. Students develop financial statement analysis, modeling, and valuation skills, while learning to construct and defend an investment thesis, and manage portfolios. Coursework is complemented by structured networking, interview preparation, and recruiting process, incorporating industry-specific timelines.

Instruction is delivered via experienced faculty and from Executives in Residence who have all spent their careers in the industry, with real-world records of achievement. AIM's advisory board and alumni network afford open access to investment firms, primarily throughout the US East Coast and Midwest. Annual field trips to New York City, Chicago, and more, facilitate direct introductions and connections. Students complete at least one internship, and placements are tracked closely by AIM faculty and staff.

CFA/Investments Concentration (CFA)

The CFA track prepares students for careers in asset management, debt and equity research, sales and trading, and private wealth. Students go deep into security valuation, portfolio construction, and the analytical frameworks that define the buy-side activity. Coursework is mapped to the CFA Institute Candidate Body of Knowledge, preparing students to sit for the CFA Level I exam upon graduation. Practical experience is gained through the AIM student-managed fund, where students research stocks, present recommendations to an investment committee, and take ongoing responsibility for monitoring positions, and reporting performance against benchmarks.

Investment Banking & Private Capital Concentration (IBPC)

The IBPC track is also intended to bridge theoretical and applied learning. Students will expand their skills in financial analysis, deal structuring and execution, and strategic advising, preparing them to navigate the complexities of global financial markets. The program places a strong emphasis on advanced financial modeling, including integrated three-statement models, leveraged buyout (LBO) models, merger (M&A) models, IPOs, and more. Students will further consider ethical behaviors in business and investment management. Graduates of the concentration are well-positioned for competitive roles at investment banks, private equity firms, and corporate finance organizations.

The investment banking curriculum emphasizes front office corporate finance activities such as merger and acquisition advisory, debt and equity capital markets activities, and private equity investments.  Students will explore the economics of transactions, develop pro-forma financial statements, assess financing sources and deal structures, and calculate expected returns.

Within the private capital curriculum, students will explore the private capital industry, including transactions and firms (e.g., LBOs, venture capital, private debt, and real assets such as real estate), common analytical techniques, valuation and return measurements, fundraising, the deal cycle from origination to exit, portfolio management, and issues relevant to firm management.

Coursework also covers approximately 80% of the curriculum tested on the Series 7 and Series 63 exams, giving students a head start on industry licensing.