When you enroll in this course, you'll also be asked to select a specific program.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 4 modules in this course
Financial Accounting, the language of business, is essential for anyone interacting with financial information. Whether you're a business owner, manager, or just starting your career, understanding financial statements is crucial. This course provides the fundamentals of financial accounting, empowering you to interpret financial statements like balance sheets and income statements for informed decision-making. You'll gain the conceptual base for further learning in accounting and finance. No prior experience is needed. Practice your skills using Microsoft Excel, a critical tool in finance and accounting. Understand the basics of accounting, improving your business and potentially unlocking free courses and certificate opportunities along the way.
Welcome! Before you start today's videos, please have a look at the syllabus. In this first module, I'll give you an overview of what accounting is all about and why it's important to have a basic proficiency in this "language." In addition, I'll introduce one of the most important financial reports - the balance sheet - and a practical real-world case so you can put theory into practice.
What's included
10 videos7 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
10 videos•Total 48 minutes
Introduction - Welcome to the Course•4 minutes
1. Accounting: The Language of Business•6 minutes
2. Practice Case: The Campus Bookstore I•7 minutes
3. Practice Case: The Campus Bookstore II•3 minutes
4. Accounting for our First Transactions•3 minutes
5. Accounting for More Transactions•5 minutes
6. Explaining the Balance Sheet•7 minutes
7. Defining an Asset•6 minutes
8. Defining a Liability•4 minutes
9. Recap•2 minutes
7 readings•Total 92 minutes
Course Overview & Syllabus•5 minutes
Reminder of Coursera's Honor Code•1 minute
Transactions Module 1•5 minutes
Get help and meet other learners. Join your Community!•5 minutes
About Module 1•1 minute
Required Reading Module 1: "The Balance Sheet"•30 minutes
Required Reading Module 1: "Introduction to Financial Accounting"•45 minutes
2 assignments•Total 50 minutes
Why Accounting? A Quick Business Check•20 minutes
Quiz Module 1 •30 minutes
The Income Statement
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
Now that you are familiar with the balance sheet, in this second module we'll learn how to account for a variety of transactions. In addition, I'll introduce you to another key financial report: the income statement.
What's included
11 videos4 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 49 minutes
1. Introduction to Module 2•1 minute
2. Recap of Module 1•2 minutes
3. Purchasing More Inventory•3 minutes
4. Sales and Cost of Goods Sold•7 minutes
5. Selling, General and Administrative Expenses•5 minutes
6. Some Collections and Payments of Cash•4 minutes
7. Depreciation and Amortization•8 minutes
8. Interest from Bank Loan and Taxes•4 minutes
9. Preparing the Balance Sheet•4 minutes
10. Introducing the Income Statement•7 minutes
11. Recap of Module 2 and Conclusions•4 minutes
4 readings•Total 44 minutes
About Module 2•1 minute
Transactions Module 2•3 minutes
Required Reading Module 2: "The Income Statement"•30 minutes
Required Reading Module 2: "Introduction to Financial Accounting"•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
What Affects the Income Statement?•30 minutes
Quiz Module 2•30 minutes
The Cash Flow Statement
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
Now that you have a good grasp of the balance sheet and income statement, I'll help you master how to recognize the transactions we went over in the second module. I'll also introduce a third financial report - the cash flow statement - and discuss liquidity.
What's included
14 videos3 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 67 minutes
1. Introduction to Module 3•2 minutes
2. Recap of Module 2•3 minutes
3. T-Accounts and Journal Entries•6 minutes
4. Setting up T-Accounts for the Campus Bookstore•3 minutes
5. Sales, Cost of Goods Sold, Collections from Customers and Payment to Suppliers•7 minutes
6. Other Operating Costs•4 minutes
7. Transactions with Non-Current Assets•8 minutes
8. Bank Loans and Interest•4 minutes
9. Taxes, Closing Entries and Payments of Dividends•6 minutes
10. Preparing the Balance Sheet•4 minutes
11. Preparing the Income Statement•5 minutes
12. Introducing the Cash Flow Statement I•7 minutes
13. Introducing the Cash Flow Statement II•4 minutes
14. Recap of Module 3 and Conclusions•3 minutes
3 readings•Total 60 minutes
About Module 3•10 minutes
Transactions Module 3•10 minutes
Required Reading Module 3: "The Statement of Cash Flows"•40 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Which Account Is Affected?•30 minutes
Quiz Module 3•30 minutes
Accrual Accounting
Module 4•5 hours to complete
Module details
By using accrual accounting we can measure performance when a financial transaction takes place, even if no cash has actually changed hands. In this final module, we'll discuss the difference between accrual and cash accounting and also read and interpret a real enterprise's financial statements.
What's included
11 videos6 readings3 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 67 minutes
1. Introduction to Module 4•2 minutes
2. Recap of Module 3•6 minutes
3. Accrual accounting vs. cash accounting•5 minutes
4. Measuring performance with accrual accounting•6 minutes
5. A few examples: prepaid insurance, accrued interest and advances from customers•7 minutes
6. Performance evolution of the Campus Bookstore I•8 minutes
7. Performance evolution of the Campus Bookstore II•7 minutes
8. Reading and interpreting real financial statements I•8 minutes
9. Reading and interpreting real financial statements II•4 minutes
10. Advanced topics you can explore on your own•7 minutes
11. Conclusions•6 minutes
6 readings•Total 60 minutes
About Module 4•10 minutes
Transactions Module 4•10 minutes
Quiz 4 Part I with Solutions•10 minutes
Quiz Module 4 Background Information for Reference•10 minutes
Prompt•10 minutes
Solutions•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Cash or Accrual?•30 minutes
Quiz Module 4 - Part 1•30 minutes
New Quiz•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Quiz Module 4 - Part 2•60 minutes
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructor
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
IESE Business School has been developing leaders since 1958 through management programs designed for every stage of your career. With a commitment to making a deep, positive, and lasting impact on people, businesses, and society, IESE offers top-ranked MBA and Executive Education programs that empower professionals to lead with purpose and excellence.
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Learner reviews
4.8
3,332 reviews
5 stars
85.18%
4 stars
12.59%
3 stars
1.16%
2 stars
0.20%
1 star
0.83%
Showing 3 of 3332
A
AS
5·
Reviewed on Oct 5, 2020
Its an Good course to know more about basic of Accounts, it will help u to learn more about basic and clear out issue regarding balance sheet. Income statement and financial statements.
S
SG
5·
Reviewed on Oct 13, 2020
Es un curso muy valioso para poder fomentar las bases del análisis contable sobre el funcionamiento en las empresas, tomo el curso desde Colombia y quedo muy satisfecho con el aprendizaje optenido.
B
BR
4·
Reviewed on Dec 18, 2020
Very interesting. Some of the points regarding definitions were lost - Prof Badia explained this so much better than reading but notes and slowing down the video was needed for me to recall these.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.