The Financial Reporting Specialization includes multiple projects and practice activities, including analyses of statements and cases, which will be peer-reviewed. In addition, the specialization includes one capstone course, which is comprised of a full case analysis of an actual company’s financial statements.
Financial Reporting & Financial Statement Analysis
Learn financial accounting essentials to create and analyze an organization’s financial statements.
About This Specialization
The Financial Reporting Specialization focuses on the role of financial accounting principles and processes in creating and reporting an organization’s financial statements. Learners who complete this specialization will be able to (1) use financial accounting principles to create and/or process an organization’s financial statements and (2) analyze financial statements to assess an organization’s financial position.
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5 courses
Follow the suggested order or choose your own.
Projects
Designed to help you practice and apply the skills you learn.
Certificates
Highlight your new skills on your resume or LinkedIn.
Projects Overview
Courses
- Intermediate Specialization.
- Some related experience required.
COURSE 1
Accounting Analysis I: The Role of Accounting as an Information System
Upcoming session: Aug 27 — Oct 30.- Commitment
- 8 weeks of study, 6-8 hours/week
- Subtitles
- English
About the Course
This course is the first course in a five-course Financial Reporting Specialization that covers the collection, processing, and communication of accounting information (via financial reports) about economic entities to interested parties (i.e., managers and external stakeholders such as stockholders and creditors). To gain the most relevant knowledge from these courses, learners should have taken a basic accounting course prior to this Specialization (which can be done through Coursera courses, such as any accounting course from the Fundamentals of Accounting Specialization: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/accounting-fundamentals). This Specialization focuses on accounting concepts, principles and theory with an emphasis on problems that arise in applying these concepts for external reporting purposes. Specific emphasis is placed on measurement of assets, liabilities, equities and income, as well as disclosure of additional information that may assist users understand the financial reports. After a brief introduction to the course, we will spend time understanding the overall financial accounting structure and standards as well as review the fundamental accounting process used to prepare the financial statements, which will establish a framework for the study of the concepts in the remaining courses in the Financial Reporting Specialization. In this course, we will begin our review of key information included in the Balance Sheet and Income Statement and their related financial disclosures. The Statement of Cash Flows will be introduced briefly with more discussion to follow in later courses of the Specialization. Also, we will provide a cursory review of key concepts involving time value of money as we will finish this course with focus on revenue recognition, including discussion of the new revenue standard. We will review the general approach for recognizing revenue, special issues affecting revenue recognition including long-term construction contracts. In addition, we will discuss and review common ratios used in profitability analysis. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, consistently ranked as one of the nation's top three accounting programs, now offers a master’s in accounting at a very affordable tuition rate and is completely online. The iMSA is a full Master of Accountancy program and students graduate with an MS that is highly recognized. Try an open course or two, then apply for admission into the credit-bearing version as you may be eligible to take credit-bearing courses during the application process. If you are missing any prerequisites for the full degree, you can complete Coursera courses to demonstrate readiness and strengthen your application for the iMSA. For more information on this exciting iMSA online program, refer to this link: https://www.coursera.org/university-programs/imsaCOURSE 2
Accounting Analysis I: Measurement and Disclosure of Assets
Upcoming session: Sep 11 — Nov 13.- Commitment
- 8 weeks of study, 6-8 hours/week
- Subtitles
- English
About the Course
**NOTE: You should complete the Accounting Analysis I: The Role of Accounting as an Information System course or be familiar with the concepts taught there before beginning this course.** This course is the second course in a five-course Financial Reporting Specialization that covers the collection, processing, and communication of accounting information (via financial reports) about economic entities to interested parties (i.e., managers and external stakeholders such as stockholders and creditors). To gain the most relevant knowledge from these courses, learners should have taken a basic accounting course prior to this Specialization (which can be done through Coursera courses, such as any accounting course from the Fundamentals of Accounting Specialization: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/accounting-fundamentals). This Specialization focuses on accounting concepts, principles and theory with an emphasis on problems that arise in applying these concepts for external reporting purposes. Specific emphasis is placed on measurement of assets, liabilities, equities and income, as well as disclosure of additional information that may assist users understand the financial reports. In this course, we will begin our review of key asset categories underlying the Balance Sheet concepts that were introduced in the previous course. We will begin our trek down the Balance Sheet by reviewing cash and receivables, which are normally the two assets listed first. We will continue our trek down the Balance Sheet by looking at inventory and long-Lived Assets, which are normally two of the largest asset values. We will review the measurement and reporting issues involving Inventories and the corresponding cost of goods sold expense in the Income Statement. In the latter half of this course we will conclude our review of key asset categories by looking at both tangible and intangible long-lived assets that are so vital to the production of goods and services. This will entail discussion of both acquisition and disposition of property, plant and equipment as well as cost allocation. Next, we will discuss possible impairment of these assets as well as the proper treatment of expenditures made after acquisition. Lastly, we will review how to identify and account for Investments. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, consistently ranked as one of the nation's top three accounting programs, now offers a master’s in accounting at a very affordable tuition rate and is completely online. The iMSA is a full Master of Accountancy program and students graduate with an MS that is highly recognized. Try an open course or two, then apply for admission into the credit-bearing version as you may be eligible to take credit-bearing courses during the application process. If you are missing any prerequisites for the full degree, you can complete Coursera courses to demonstrate readiness and strengthen your application for the iMSA. For more information on this exciting iMSA online program, refer to this link: https://www.coursera.org/university-programs/imsaCOURSE 3
Accounting Analysis II: Measurement and Disclosure of Liabilities
Starts February 2018- Commitment
- 8 weeks of study, 6-8 hours a week
- Subtitles
- English
About the Course
This course is the third course in the five-course Financial Reporting Specialization. This course begins with a discussion of current liabilities and contingencies and continues with long-term debt and bonds. The course next explores accounting model for leases, both lessees and lessors, and a discussion on deferred tax assets and liabilities. Participants will learn the latest accounting standards including the new accounting model for leases effective for public companies in 2019 and private companies in 2020.COURSE 4
Accounting Analysis II: Accounting for Liabilities and Equity
Starts April 2018- Commitment
- 8 weeks of study, 6-8 hours a week
- Subtitles
- English
About the Course
This course is the fourth course in a five-course Financial Reporting Specialization. This course focuses on the recognition, measurement and subsequent accounting for equity, pensions, share-based compensation and cash flows utilizing the FASB Accounting Standards Codification and other resources.COURSE 5
Accounting Analysis Capstone: Comprehensive Financial Statement Analysis
Starts June 2018- Commitment
- 3 weeks of study, 6-8 hours/week
- Subtitles
- English
About the Course
The Capstone is the culminating project in the Accounting Analysis Specialization. You will have the opportunity to combine the concepts and techniques obtained through all the courses in this specialization (Accounting Analysis I: The Role of Accounting as an Information System, Accounting Analysis I: Measurement and Disclosure of Assets, Accounting Analysis II: Measurement and Disclosure of Liabilities, and Accounting Analysis II: Accounting for Liabilities and Equity) and apply them to a real world accounting project. The Capstone project will be 3 weeks long. You must take the Capstone project class after taking all the other courses in this Specialization.
Creators
Gregory L. Davis, CPA, CMA, CFM, CCM
Lecturer of Accountancy
FAQs
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