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.
Spécialisation 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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Compétences que vous acquerrez
Fonctionnement du Spécialisation
Suivez les cours
Une Spécialisation Coursera est une série de cours axés sur la maîtrise d'une compétence. Pour commencer, inscrivez-vous directement à la Spécialisation ou passez en revue ses cours et choisissez celui par lequel vous souhaitez commencer. Lorsque vous vous abonnez à un cours faisant partie d'une Spécialisation, vous êtes automatiquement abonné(e) à la Spécialisation complète. Il est possible de terminer seulement un cours : vous pouvez suspendre votre formation ou résilier votre abonnement à tout moment. Rendez-vous sur votre tableau de bord d'étudiant pour suivre vos inscriptions aux cours et vos progrès.
Projet pratique
Chaque Spécialisation inclut un projet pratique. Vous devez réussir le(s) projet(s) pour terminer la Spécialisation et obtenir votre Certificat. Si la Spécialisation inclut un cours dédié au projet pratique, vous devrez terminer tous les autres cours avant de pouvoir le commencer.
Obtenir un Certificat
Lorsque vous aurez terminé tous les cours et le projet pratique, vous obtiendrez un Certificat que vous pourrez partager avec des employeurs éventuels et votre réseau professionnel.
Cette Spécialisation compte 5 cours
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.
Enseignants
Kevin E. Jackson
Associate Professor of Accountancy and PwC Faculty Fellow
Gary Hecht, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Accountancy
Sharon P. Cox, Ph.D.
LecturerÀ propos de Université de l'Illinois à Urbana-Champaign
Foire Aux Questions
Quelle est la politique de remboursement ?
Puis-je m'inscrire à un seul cours ?
Oui ! Pour commencer, cliquez sur la carte du cours qui vous intéresse et inscrivez-vous. Vous pouvez vous inscrire et terminer le cours pour obtenir un Certificat partageable, ou vous pouvez accéder au cours en auditeur libre afin d'en visualiser gratuitement le contenu. Si vous vous abonnez à un cours faisant partie d'une Spécialisation, vous êtes automatiquement abonné(e) à la Spécialisation complète. Visitez votre tableau de bord d'étudiant(e) pour suivre vos progrès.
Une aide financière est-elle possible ?
Puis-je suivre le cours gratuitement ?
Ce cours est-il vraiment accessible en ligne à 100 % ? Dois-je assister à certaines activités en personne ?
Ce cours est entièrement en ligne : vous n'avez donc pas besoin de vous présenter physiquement dans une salle de classe. Vous pouvez accéder à vos vidéos de cours, lectures et devoirs en tout temps et en tout lieu, par l'intermédiaire du Web ou de votre appareil mobile.
Puis-je obtenir des crédits universitaires si je réussis la Spécialisation ?
Cette Spécialisation n'est pas associée à des crédits universitaires, mais certaines universités peuvent décider d'accepter des Certificats de Spécialisation pour des crédits. Vérifiez-le auprès de votre établissement pour en savoir plus.
Quelle est la durée nécessaire pour terminer la Spécialisation ?
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.
D'autres questions ? Visitez le Centre d'Aide pour les Etudiants.
