What is accounting, and why is it important to learn about?

Accounting is the “language of business,” a system for collecting, classifying, measuring, and communicating financial information. While this language includes familiar terms like revenues and costs, assets and liabilities, and profits and losses, accountants use them in specific ways to express key details about the financial health of a company. This discipline is important for anyone trying to understand the performance of an organization, whether managers or employees within a business or external parties such as investors or the government. Rigorous financial accounting is particularly important for high-level executives, who rely on this information to guide effective decision making. Thus, accounting requires much more than being good with numbers or spreadsheets. It requires a blend of analytical skills as well as interpersonal “soft skills,” as accountants must be able to interpret financial information, prepare financial statements and reports that capture this information accurately, and then convey the most important findings clearly.

What kinds of careers can I pursue with a background in accounting?

While accounting terminology is generally the same regardless of your job in this field, accounting careers can vary widely depending on the audience you are communicating to and for what purpose. Public accountants such as Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are a familiar type of accounting professional, and they work with clients to produce legally-required financial documents such as balance sheet statements for investors or annual reports for taxation authorities. Private accountants, often known as management accountants, instead prepare findings for internal use within an organization. Managerial accounting focuses on collecting and analyzing financial information used to create business plans, forecasts, and budgets, as well as data used for performance evaluation. A background in accounting can also lead to a career as an auditor, employed within a company or by an outside organization to examine financial records and identify signs of mismanagement, waste, or fraud. Similarly, forensic accounting is a specialized job in this field that works with law enforcement agencies like the FBI to “follow the money” in criminal investigations, identifying suspicious activities and uncovering financial clues. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , most accountants have at least a bachelor’s degree, and many pursue additional certifications in more specialized areas of the field.

Can I learn accounting skills through online courses on Coursera?

Yes, Coursera offers a wide range of online courses on topics related to accounting, from introductory-level courses in financial accounting to more advanced courses and Specializations in areas like financial management, reporting, and taxation. Coursera also offers a Masters of Science in Accountancy from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to take your accounting career to the next level. Best of all, taking classes remotely lets you learn on a flexible schedule that can fit into your existing work or family life. And, although online courses and Specializations through Coursera offer the same materials and credits as on-campus alternatives, they are available at a significantly lower tuition cost.

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Accounting

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DEGREE
Offered by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A cutting-edge degree from an accounting powerhouse, completely online.
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Accounting, Business and Society: The Multi-faceted Role of Accounting
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Preguntas frecuentes sobre contabilidad

Accounting is the “language of business,” a system for collecting, classifying, measuring, and communicating financial information. While this language includes familiar terms like revenues and costs, assets and liabilities, and profits and losses, accountants use them in specific ways to express key details about the financial health of a company.
This discipline is important for anyone trying to understand the performance of an organization, whether managers or employees within a business or external parties such as investors or the government. Rigorous financial accounting is particularly important for high-level executives, who rely on this information to guide effective decision making.
Thus, accounting requires much more than being good with numbers or spreadsheets. It requires a blend of analytical skills as well as interpersonal “soft skills,” as accountants must be able to interpret financial information, prepare financial statements and reports that capture this information accurately, and then convey the most important findings clearly.
While accounting terminology is generally the same regardless of your job in this field, accounting careers can vary widely depending on the audience you are communicating to and for what purpose.
Public accountants such as Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are a familiar type of accounting professional, and they work with clients to produce legally-required financial documents such as balance sheet statements for investors or annual reports for taxation authorities.
Private accountants, often known as management accountants, instead prepare findings for internal use within an organization. Managerial accounting focuses on collecting and analyzing financial information used to create business plans, forecasts, and budgets, as well as data used for performance evaluation.
A background in accounting can also lead to a career as an auditor, employed within a company or by an outside organization to examine financial records and identify signs of mismanagement, waste, or fraud. Similarly, forensic accounting is a specialized job in this field that works with law enforcement agencies like the FBI to “follow the money” in criminal investigations, identifying suspicious activities and uncovering financial clues.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most accountants have at least a bachelor’s degree, and many pursue additional certifications in more specialized areas of the field.
Yes, Coursera offers a wide range of online courses on topics related to accounting, from introductory-level courses in financial accounting to more advanced courses and Specializations in areas like financial management, reporting, and taxation. Coursera also offers a Masters of Science in Accountancy from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to take your accounting career to the next level.
Best of all, taking classes remotely lets you learn on a flexible schedule that can fit into your existing work or family life. And, although online courses and Specializations through Coursera offer the same materials and credits as on-campus alternatives, they are available at a significantly lower tuition cost.

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Aprende una habilidad relevante para el trabajo que puedes usar hoy en menos de 2 horas a través de una experiencia interactiva guiada por un experto en la materia. Accede a todo lo que necesitas directamente en tu navegador y completa tu proyecto con confianza con instrucciones detalladas.

COURSE

Toma cursos de los mejores instructores y las mejores universidades del mundo. Los cursos incluyen tareas revisadas entre compañeros y con calificaciones automáticas, lecciones en video y foros de debate comunitarios. Cuando completas un curso, eres elegible para recibir un certificado de curso electrónico para compartir por una pequeña tarifa.

SPECIALIZATION

Inscríbete en un programa especializado para desarrollar una habilidad profesional específica. Completarás una serie de rigurosos cursos, llevarás a cabo proyectos prácticos y obtendrás un certificado de programa especializado para compartir con tu red profesional y posibles empleadores.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE

Ya sea que desees comenzar una nueva carrera o cambiar la actual, los certificados profesionales de Coursera te ayudarán a prepararte. Aprende a tu propio ritmo con las mejores empresas y universidades, aplica tus nuevas habilidades en proyectos prácticos que te permitan demostrar tu pericia a los posibles empleadores y obtén una credencial profesional para comenzar tu nueva carrera.

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Con los certificados MasterTrack™, algunas secciones de los programas de las Maestrías se dividieron en módulos en línea, por lo que podrás obtener una credencial profesional en línea otorgada por una universidad de excelente calidad a un precio sorprendente y mediante un formato interactivo y flexible. Disfruta de una experiencia de aprendizaje muy cautivante con proyectos de la vida real y capacitaciones dictadas por expertos en vivo. Si te aceptan para realizar el programa completo de la Maestría, el trabajo del curso MasterTrack se cuenta para tu título.

DEGREE

Transforma tu currículum con un título de una de las principales universidades por un precio de lanzamiento. Nuestra experiencia de aprendizaje de título modular te otorga la capacidad de estudiar en línea en cualquier momento y obtener créditos a medida que completas las tareas de tu curso. Recibirás la misma credencial que los estudiantes que asistieron a la clase en la universidad. Los títulos de Coursera cuestan mucho menos dinero en comparación con los programas presenciales.

Cursos de Accounting

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Searches related to accounting

accounting: principles of financial accounting

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accounting and finance

accounting data analytics with python

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accounting and finance for it professionals

accounting for business decision making: measurement and operational decisions

accounting analysis i: the role of accounting as an information system

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