What is financial accounting, and why is it important?

Financial accounting is the process of recording, categorizing, and reporting the transactions of a business. In contrast to other fields in accounting such as personal accounting or managerial accounting, financial accounting is specifically concerned with the preparation of financial statements for public use as required by banks, government regulators, shareholders, and other stakeholders. These statements typically include a company’s income statement (also known as a profit and loss or P&L statement), balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. Accurate financial accounting plays a critically important role in financial management, as these statements collectively provide an agreed-upon framework for both internal and external parties to evaluate the financial health of a company. As such, professionals in this field must have a rigorous understanding of accounting terminology and concepts as established in the Generally Accepting Accounting Principles (GAAP) that are standard in the U.S. - and potentially the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which are increasingly used by multinational corporations.

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

Businesses of all kinds must produce financial statements in line with GAAP and IFRS methodologies, as required by taxation authorities as well as potential investors and lenders. Thus, accountants with the ability to organize and maintain financial records, rigorously apply financial accounting principles, and produce clear reports according to these standards are always in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , accountants and auditors earned a median annual salary of $71,550 as of May 2019. These jobs are expected to grow as fast as other jobs in the economy, since they are dependent on the growth of businesses requiring their services. And, while entry-level positions may require only a bachelor’s degree in accounting, job prospects will be best for those with Certified Public Accountant (CPA) recognition, a masters of science in accountancy, or a master’s in business administration (MBA) with an accounting concentration.

Can I learn about financial accounting through online courses on Coursera?

Absolutely. Coursera offers a wide range of courses and Specializations in business and finance topics, including financial accounting, from top-ranked schools such as the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia. You can even pursue a masters of science in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s prestigious Gies College of Business - a top-three university in the field. Regardless of whether you’re a beginner looking for introductory-level education or a mid-career professional looking to dive deeper into a specific topic or pursue your master’s degree, Coursera lets you learn remotely on a flexible schedule that fits with your existing work or family life. And, with a lower tuition than on-campus alternatives, you don’t need to be an accounting expert (yet) to know that learning online is a smart decision for your own finances.

Explorar>
Financial Accounting

Cursos de Financial Accounting

Explora los títulos y certificados 100 % en línea de Coursera

Master of Science in ManagementUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Master of Science in AccountingUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Master of Business Administration (iMBA)University of Illinois

Introduction to Financial Accounting
University of Pennsylvania
Curso
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 6239 revisiones
210k estudiantes
Mixed
Financial Accounting Fundamentals
University of Virginia
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 1342 revisiones
83k estudiantes
Beginner
Financial Management
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Especialización
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 3636 revisiones
94k estudiantes
Intermediate
Fundamentals of Accounting
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Especialización
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 1038 revisiones
45k estudiantes
Beginner
Financial Accounting: Foundations
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Curso
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 2531 revisiones
59k estudiantes
Mixed
Business Foundations
University of Pennsylvania
Especialización
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 17780 revisiones
540k estudiantes
Beginner
More Introduction to Financial Accounting
University of Pennsylvania
Curso
Calificado 4.9 de cinco estrellas. 405 revisiones
43k estudiantes
Mixed
Financial Markets
Yale University
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 11097 revisiones
630k estudiantes
Beginner
Accounting for Decision Making
University of Michigan
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 195 revisiones
13k estudiantes
Intermediate
Accounting: Principles of Financial Accounting
IESE Business School
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 1424 revisiones
46k estudiantes
Beginner
Finance for Non-Finance Professionals
Rice University
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 1617 revisiones
81k estudiantes
Beginner
Essentials of Corporate Finance
The University of Melbourne
Especialización
Calificado 4.6 de cinco estrellas. 1363 revisiones
59k estudiantes
Intermediate
Formal Financial Accounting
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 197 revisiones
5.6k estudiantes
Intermediate
Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination
West Virginia University
Curso
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 2571 revisiones
50k estudiantes
Mixed
Corporate Finance Essentials
IESE Business School
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 1871 revisiones
62k estudiantes
Mixed
Advanced Financial Reporting: Accounting for Business Combinations and Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Curso
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 38 revisiones
3.4k estudiantes
Advanced
Investment and Portfolio Management
Rice University
Especialización
Calificado 4.5 de cinco estrellas. 1399 revisiones
59k estudiantes
Beginner
Financial Accounting: Advanced Topics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Curso
Calificado 4.7 de cinco estrellas. 1089 revisiones
23k estudiantes
Mixed
Accounting Data Analytics with Python
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Curso
Calificado 3.9 de cinco estrellas. 15 revisiones
3.7k estudiantes
Intermediate
Accounting Analysis I: Measurement and Disclosure of Assets
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Curso
Calificado 4.8 de cinco estrellas. 88 revisiones
5.6k estudiantes
Intermediate

Searches related to financial accounting

financial accounting fundamentals

financial accounting: foundations

financial accounting: advanced topics

formal financial accounting

introduction to financial accounting

management and financial accounting: know your numbers 1

accounting: principles of financial accounting

more introduction to financial accounting

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular financial accounting courses

Introduction to Financial Accounting: University of Pennsylvania
Financial Accounting Fundamentals: University of Virginia
Financial Management: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Fundamentals of Accounting: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Financial Accounting: Foundations: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Business Foundations: University of Pennsylvania
More Introduction to Financial Accounting: University of Pennsylvania
Financial Markets: Yale University
Accounting for Decision Making: University of Michigan
Accounting: Principles of Financial Accounting: IESE Business School

Habilidades que puedes aprender en Finance

Inversión (23)

Mercado (economía) (20)

Existencias (18)

Estado Financiero (14)

Preguntas frecuentes sobre Financial Accounting

Financial accounting is the process of recording, categorizing, and reporting the transactions of a business. In contrast to other fields in accounting such as personal accounting or managerial accounting, financial accounting is specifically concerned with the preparation of financial statements for public use as required by banks, government regulators, shareholders, and other stakeholders. These statements typically include a company’s income statement (also known as a profit and loss or P&L statement), balance sheet, and statement of cash flows.
Accurate financial accounting plays a critically important role in financial management, as these statements collectively provide an agreed-upon framework for both internal and external parties to evaluate the financial health of a company. As such, professionals in this field must have a rigorous understanding of accounting terminology and concepts as established in the Generally Accepting Accounting Principles (GAAP) that are standard in the U.S. - and potentially the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which are increasingly used by multinational corporations.
Businesses of all kinds must produce financial statements in line with GAAP and IFRS methodologies, as required by taxation authorities as well as potential investors and lenders. Thus, accountants with the ability to organize and maintain financial records, rigorously apply financial accounting principles, and produce clear reports according to these standards are always in demand.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accountants and auditors earned a median annual salary of $71,550 as of May 2019. These jobs are expected to grow as fast as other jobs in the economy, since they are dependent on the growth of businesses requiring their services. And, while entry-level positions may require only a bachelor’s degree in accounting, job prospects will be best for those with Certified Public Accountant (CPA) recognition, a masters of science in accountancy, or a master’s in business administration (MBA) with an accounting concentration.
Absolutely. Coursera offers a wide range of courses and Specializations in business and finance topics, including financial accounting, from top-ranked schools such as the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia. You can even pursue a masters of science in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s prestigious Gies College of Business - a top-three university in the field.
Regardless of whether you’re a beginner looking for introductory-level education or a mid-career professional looking to dive deeper into a specific topic or pursue your master’s degree, Coursera lets you learn remotely on a flexible schedule that fits with your existing work or family life. And, with a lower tuition than on-campus alternatives, you don’t need to be an accounting expert (yet) to know that learning online is a smart decision for your own finances.

Otros temas para explorar

Ciencias de la Computación

668 cursos

Ciencia de Datos

425 cursos

Tecnología de información

Ciencias Físicas e Ingeniería

413 cursos

Ciencias sociales

401 cursos

Aprendizaje de un idioma

150 cursos

Qué tiene Coursera para ofrecer

Programa de aprendizaje

Descripción

proyecto guiado

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.

Curso

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.

Especialización

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.

Certificado profesional

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.

CERTIFICADO MASTERTRACK™

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.

Título

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 Financial Accounting

Explora los títulos y certificados 100 % en línea de Coursera

Mostrando 229 resultados totales para financial accounting