Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate

Overview

Prepare to become an accounting professional by learning how to record, report, and analyze the financial transactions of organizations. In this three-course program, you’ll develop practical knowledge of financial and managerial accounting while building in-demand skills like critical thinking, communication, leadership, and decision-making.

Led by top-ranked faculty in the field, you’ll study the principles, concepts, and methods that govern professional accounting. You can also apply what you’ve learned to real-world problems through experiential learning opportunities. Get the job-ready skills needed to start an entry-level accounting or finance role in less than a year.

The courses in this certificate program can be applied toward the education requirements for the Uniform CPA Examination®, and are fully stackable toward the full [Master of Science in Accountancy](https://www.coursera.org/degrees/imsa) (iMSA), [Master of Business Administration](https://www.coursera.org/degrees/imba) (iMBA), and [Master of Science in Management](https://www.coursera.org/degrees/ms-management-illinois) (iMSM) degree programs at University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business.

Syllabus

Course 1: Accounting Analysis I (Required)
- This course 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 to understand the financial reports.

Course 2: Accounting Analysis II (Required)
- This course begins with a discussion of current liabilities and contingencies and continues with long-term debt and bonds. The course next explores the accounting model for leases, both lessees and lessors, and a discussion on deferred tax assets and liabilities.

Course 3: Accounting Measurement, Reporting, and Control
- This course provides a managerial perspective of the nature and role of accounting in organizational measurement, reporting and control processes.

Course 4: Managerial Accounting
- This course covers managerial accounting practices used inside organizations to facilitate and guide managers’ operational and strategic decisions.

Course 5: Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation
- This course examines the tools and techniques of financial statement analysis and company valuation from the perspective of investors and creditors; emphasizes theoretical and empirical properties of financial ratios as well as valuation methods used in practice.