A Review of the Best Due Diligence Courses

Due diligence is a complex affair that takes in every component of a business.

In the thousands of due diligence processes that DealRoom has played host to, there has been a vast range of actors participating on deals: tax lawyers, forensic accountants, health specialists, government lobbyists, and more.

The scope of the participants speaks to the range of issues that can arise during a well conducted process. 

For this reason, it comes as little surprise that there is a growing offering of due diligence courses on the market. Most of these courses aim to provide participants with a general overview of the due diligence process rather than getting into the specifics of a more localized area. For holistic M&A Course overview, check the M&A courses list.

DealRoom has taken the time to look over some of these courses, and a selection of the best available can be found below: 

1. M&A Science Diligence Management Certification

M&A Science Academy Cost: $99/month billed monthly, $79/month billed annually

This certification course is part of the M&A Science Academy.

In the academy, members have access to 40+ M&A related courses, virtual summits, exclusive networking events, and more.

In this certification course, learn how to approach diligence, build a diligence team, the art of asking good questions, why due diligence is an iterative process, and the importance of data integrity.

The course is taught by four M&A professionals, all with different M&A roles, providing unique diligence perspectives.

More information here.

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2. M&A Leadership Council: The Art of M&A for Due Diligence Leaders

Cost: $1,750 The Art of M&A for Due Diligence Leaders (Live on-line) – 3 half days, $4,440 The Art of M&A for Due Diligence Leaders (Live in-person) – 3 full days

More information here.

The M&A Leadership Council brings together the best professional talent in M&A and their presenters are all at the top of their field. They share years of real-world M&A experience and continue to facilitate active M&A transactions.

The online and in-person courses are instructor-led and provide an overview of essential steps, decision inputs, lessons learned, best practices, and insights to apply. The courses are given through breakout exercises, real-world case examples, Q&A, and small group assignments.

The courses cover topics like corporate development’s role across each phase of the M&A lifecycle, target selection criteria, screening and letter of intent (LOI), managing the due diligence process, and much more.

The M&A market is highly competitive, and expert facilitators and experienced M&A practitioners will help you deliver on essential requirements, risks, and value-drivers; from M&A strategy and targeting, through comprehensive due diligence; and from pre-close integration strategy planning to transaction close.

3. IMAA Institute: Due Diligence Course

Cost: $990

More information here.

The IMAA markets itself as the ‘leading global think tank for M&A,’ and has over 10,000 registered users of its resources. If nothing else, this means that its materials are subject to ongoing feedback and revision.

Their due diligence course is given through a combination of written answers, quizzes and MCQ, and real life business cases. Students can also gain access to mentoring throughout their time on the course. 

The course is thorough, covering topics that one would expect such as financial, legal, and tax due diligence. But it also covers less well-known areas such antitrust due diligence, cultural and ethics due diligence, and health and safety due diligence.

Each student has access to all of the IMAA’s resources, many of which are built on real-life cases. All in all, this is a strong course, but coming in at a price of just under $1,000, it may be a little pricey for what’s on offer. 

4. M&A Science

Cost: $150/month for the annual subscription to all the M&A Science Academy courses

More information here.

M&A Science offers a range of courses across a spectrum of M&A-related subjects. Three of these - How To Approach Diligence, Making Your Diligence Process More Efficient, and Due Diligence Lessons by Podcast - directly cover the subject of due diligence.

All three provide practical steps that can add significant value for everyone from first-time participants to seasoned practitioners in M&A.

The course is all online, so lectures can be taken (and revisited) at a time that best works for you. Also, unlike most due diligence courses - even the good ones - the modules here form part of a bigger picture of a broader curriculum of M&A subjects that takes in deal sourcing, negotiations, divestitures, and post-merger integrations.

Best of all, are all delivered by real and experienced M&A professionals. And together with these diligence courses you'll get access to tones of other M&A training with new materials every month.

5. The Merger Training Institute: M&A Due Diligence Training Course

Cost: $1,440 (webinar), £1,800 (in-person, London), £2,250 (in-person, Singapore & Dubai)

More information here.

The Merger Training Institute often offers a good way to network as well as learn, with students coming from a selection of blue chip companies and investment banks.

This speaks to the quality of its courses. Their due diligence course looks at due diligence as an integral part of the M&A process, assessing how it interacts with target value, risks around the target, and how certain issues will affect post-merger integration.

Participants also learn about the key issues that are likely to arise in each component of due diligence. There is also an analysis of cross-border M&A, and how due diligence therein is likely to pose new challenges.

The course is designed for executives that want to get a better grip on the due diligence component of their M&A process.

All in all, an excellent course based on leading industry practice and delivered by experienced M&A professionals. 

6. CIMA: Due Diligence - Introduction

Cost: £650 (£550 for members)

More information here.

As a specialist in management accounting, CIMA (the Chartered Institute for Management Accountants) generally tends to emphasize the practical elements of running a business over the more technical aspects.

This one-day course, taking place in October 2021, is no exception. It provides a solid grounding in the fundamentals of due diligence for M&A, as well as practical advice on the process.

The course covers areas such as the techniques and procedures needed to ensure good due diligence, the roles of professional advisors, problems that are likely to arise when due diligence has not been conducted in a robust manner, and the differences in due diligence required for public and private takeovers.

A good course, where students will come away after just one day with a much better understanding of what due diligence entails. 

7. ACCA: Due Diligence in Mergers and Acquisitions

Cost: £75

More information here.

As the cost suggests, this course is really only a primer to the due diligence process.

Nevertheless, coming as it does from the ACCA - a global authority on accounting - it makes this list because of its undoubted credentials.

This course is completely online and can be completed within 4 hours.

Best used as a first step before deciding if it’s worth taking the plunge on one of the more costly - and detailed - courses mentioned above.

Summary

In conclusion, the due diligence process is an integral component of M&A transactions, and its successful execution can have a significant impact on the overall success of the deal.

By enrolling in M&A Science's due diligence course, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the process and acquire the necessary skills to conduct due diligence with confidence.

As a leader in M&A education, M&A Science provides a unique value proposition that incorporates the latest industry insights, practical tools, and real-world examples to deliver a top-notch learning experience.