Accounting is the “language of business.” Being able to understand this language allows individuals both inside and outside of an organization to join the “conversation” about how the organization is performing and how it can improve future performance. Financial accounting focuses on the reports that managers generate to provide interested external parties a summary of the firm’s financial position and operations. Managerial accounting focuses on the information and the analytical tools and techniques that help managers and employees make the right business decisions. In this Specialization, you will learn the fundamentals of both of these purposes of accounting. More specifically, you will understand the financial statements that managers create, and be able to interpret and analyze these statements to assess the financial position of the organization. You will also identify and understand the nature, purpose, and importance of different types of decision-useful accounting information, and use analytical tools and techniques to use this information to make business decisions. Via the capstone, you will apply these fundamentals via the lens of a new business, creating a business plan, forecasts and budgets, and anticipated information needs for decisions made by you as owner and manager, your employees, and external parties such as future shareholders, creditors, and other constituents.
Programa especializado Fundamentals of Accounting
Accounting Basics for Managers and Entrepreneurs. Apply principles that underlie financial statements and facilitate business decisions and goals.
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Habilidades que obtendrás
Cómo funciona el programa especializado
Toma cursos
Un programa especializado de Coursera es un conjunto de cursos que te ayudan a dominar una aptitud. Para comenzar, inscríbete en el programa especializado directamente o échale un vistazo a sus cursos y elige uno con el que te gustaría comenzar. Al suscribirte a un curso que forme parte de un programa especializado, quedarás suscrito de manera automática al programa especializado completo. Puedes completar solo un curso: puedes pausar tu aprendizaje o cancelar tu suscripción en cualquier momento. Visita el panel principal del estudiante para realizar un seguimiento de tus inscripciones a cursos y tu progreso.
Proyecto práctico
Cada programa especializado incluye un proyecto práctico. Necesitarás completar correctamente el proyecto para completar el programa especializado y obtener tu certificado. Si el programa especializado incluye un curso separado para el proyecto práctico, necesitarás completar cada uno de los otros cursos antes de poder comenzarlo.
Obtén un certificado
Cuando completes todos los cursos y el proyecto práctico, obtendrás un Certificado que puedes compartir con posibles empleadores y tu red profesional.
Hay 5 cursos en este Programa Especializado
Understanding Financial Statements: Company Position
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of financial statements with an emphasis on the balance sheet. However, to understand accounting driven financial statements, it is important to recognize that accounting is less about counting and more about measuring. “What is it that is being measured?” Well, as the course unfolds, you will learn about the three measurement questions and how the balance sheet helps to answer the first two of these questions. By touring a real company and interviewing real business people, the course describes the basic content of financial statements in a simple yet relevant context. The goal of the course is to leave a lasting impression about what balance sheet consists of and what it reveals. The next course in the Fundamentals of Accounting Specialization completes the conversation by addressing the remaining measurement question. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: • Describe the purpose of a balance sheet. • Define the three components of a balance sheet. • Recognize and understand the meaning of several items typically presented on a balance sheet. • Explain the broader purpose of financial statements and the role of accounting in producing the financial statements. • Read and, to some extent, interpret real-world balance sheets. If you enjoy this business course and are interested in an MBA, consider applying to the iMBA, a flexible, fully-accredited online MBA at an incredibly competitive price offered by the University of Illinois. For more information, please see the Resource page in this course and onlinemba.illinois.edu.
Understanding Financial Statements: Company Performance
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of financial statements with an emphasis on the income statement. Building on the foundation formed in the first course, you will learn about the third of our three measurement questions and how the income statement helps to answer this final measurement question. Returning to the real business people introduced in the first course, this second course describes the basic content of income statement in a simple yet relevant context. The course ends by summarizing many of the lessons learned in both courses to leave you with a lasting impression about what financial statements are and how accounting can work for you. We all know that accounting is “the language of business”; let’s make learning this language engaging, and perhaps even fun! Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: • Describe the purpose of an income statement. • Define the basic components of an income statement. • Recognize and understand the meaning of several items typically presented on an income statement. • Explain the broader purpose of financial statements and the role of accounting in producing the financial statements. • Read and, to some extent, interpret real-world income statements. If you enjoy this business course and are interested in an MBA, consider applying to the iMBA, a flexible, fully-accredited online MBA at an incredibly competitive price offered by the University of Illinois. For more information, please see the Resource page in this course and onlinemba.illinois.edu.
Accounting for Business Decision Making: Measurement and Operational Decisions
Accounting information is the lifeblood of the organization as it facilitates and influences operational and strategic decisions intended to achieve organizational goals. Organizations benefit from three decision-oriented roles of accounting: measurement, control, and communication. This course provides an introduction to accounting’s measurement role inside of an organization and how accountants communicate information that helps managers and employees make operational decisions. In particular, you will learn how cost information is created and organized to help managers and employees conduct profitability analyses, develop and choose products, make pricing decisions, and make common business decisions. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: • Identify the nature, purpose, and importance of different types of decision-useful accounting information. • Create, organize, and communicate cost information to best suit common operational decisions. • Use accounting information to manage products, control costs, and leverage other drivers of operational success. If you enjoy this business course and are interested in an MBA, consider applying to the iMBA, a flexible, fully-accredited online MBA at an incredibly competitive price offered by the University of Illinois. For more information, please see the Resource page in this course and onlinemba.illinois.edu.
Accounting for Business Decision Making: Strategy Assessment and Control
Accounting information is the lifeblood of the organization, as it facilitates and influences operational and strategic decisions intended to achieve organizational goals. Organizations benefit from three decision-oriented roles of accounting: measurement, control, and communication. This course provides an introduction to accounting’s role in helping managers develop and implement, and improve the organization’s strategy. In particular, you will learn how non-financial and financial information is created, organized, and communicated to help managers make strategic decisions, as well as measure strategic success. This course also provides an introduction to accounting as a control function inside the organization, which helps influence the alignment of managers’ and employees’ decisions with organizational goals. You will learn about different types of controls, including process controls, budgets, and performance measurement and evaluation tools and techniques. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: • Create and communicate accounting information that facilitates strategic decisions. • Use accounting information to develop, implement, and improve organizational strategy. • Implement controls that align managers’ and employees’ decisions with organizational goals. • Measure and evaluate manager and employee performance to control and motivate operational and strategic decision-making. If you enjoy this business course and are interested in an MBA, consider applying to the iMBA, a flexible, fully-accredited online MBA at an incredibly competitive price offered by the University of Illinois. For more information, please see the Resource page in this course and onlinemba.illinois.edu.
Instructores
Kevin E. Jackson
Associate Professor of Accountancy and PwC Faculty Fellow
Gary Hecht, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Accountancy
Sharon P. Cox, Ph.D.
LecturerAcerca de Universidad de Illinois en Urbana-Champaign
Preguntas Frecuentes
¿Cuál es la política de reembolsos?
¿Puedo inscribirme en un solo curso?
¡Sí! Para empezar, haz clic en la tarjeta del curso que te interesa e inscríbete. Puedes inscribirte y completar el curso para obtener un certificado que puedes compartir o puedes acceder al curso como oyente para ver los materiales del curso de manera gratuita. Cuando cancelas la suscripción de un curso que forma parte de un programa especializado, se cancela automáticamente la suscripción de todo el programa especializado. Visita el panel del estudiante para realizar un seguimiento de tu progreso.
¿Hay ayuda económica disponible?
¿Puedo tomar este curso de manera gratuita?
¿Este curso es 100 % en línea? ¿Necesito asistir a alguna clase en persona?
Este curso es completamente en línea, de modo que no necesitas ir a un aula en persona. Puedes acceder a tus lecciones, lecturas y tareas en cualquier momento y cualquier lugar a través de Internet o tu dispositivo móvil.
¿Recibiré crédito universitario por completar el programa especializado?
Este programa especializado no otorga crédito universitario, pero algunas universidades pueden aceptar los Certificados del programa especializado para el crédito. Consulta con tu institución para obtener más información.
¿Cuánto tiempo se necesita para completar un programa especializado?
Time to completion can vary widely based on your schedule, most learners are able to complete the Specialization in 5-7 months.
What background knowledge is necessary?
No background knowledge is necessary for this Specialization.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
It is recommended that the courses in the Specialization be taken in the order outlined. Some courses do list other courses as prerequisites. In the Capstone Project, you will have the opportunity to synthesize your learning in all four courses and apply your combined skills in a final project.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
You will be able to understand the financial statements that managers create and provide to company stakeholders (including current and potential stockholders, creditors, regulatory agencies, etc.). You will also be able to identify and understand the nature, purpose, and importance of different types of decision-useful accounting information, and apply this information to common business decisions.
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