Accounting Analysis I The Role of Accounting as an Information System

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/degrees/imsa

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Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Course Orientation
Module 1: Financial Accounting Structure/Environment
You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course.
Week 2
Module 2: Review of Accounting Process
We will learn the primary focus of financial accounting and learn about General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and their key assumptions, as well as compare them to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Week 3
Module 3: Balance Sheet & Financial Disclosures
We will use the accounting equation to complete the processing cycle. We will also learn the basic types of month-end adjusting entries. More importantly, we will describe the four basic financial statements and how they relate to one another.
Week 4
Module 4: Income Statement and Accounting Changes
We will learn the nuances of the Balance Sheet as well as various forms of disclosures associated with financial statements, including the Auditors’ Report and MD&A. We will also review several key liquidity and financing ratios. Lastly, we will learn what’s included in the operating segment reporting and wrap up with a fun exercise on understanding your own personal Balance Sheet!
Week 5
Module 5: Time Value of Money, Ethics, & Other Financial Statements
We will learn the key components of the Income Statement (e.g., EPS) and its impact on shareholders’ equity. We will also distinguish income from continuing operations vs discontinued operations. Lastly, we will better understand the impact of various accounting changes.
Week 6
Module 6: Revenue Recognition
We will learn some of the key concepts related to time value of money. We will also discuss ethics and professionalism, as well as lessons learned from past accounting scandals. Finally, we will briefly review the Statement of Cash Flows (SCF) and Statement of Comprehensive Income (SOCI).
Week 7
Module 7: Revenue & Ratio Analysis
We will learn the key issues involving revenue recognition, including the five key steps. Next, we will determine when to recognize revenue, including involvement of multiple performance obligations and special issues related to steps 4 and 5. Lastly, we will discuss the presentation and disclosure requirements of revenue.
Week 8
Module 8: Course Wrap-Up & Case Study
We will understand the two methods of revenue recognition for long-term contracts. Next, we will introduce the concept of financial ratios and the various types of activity and profitability ratios. Lastly, we will discuss how the DuPont Framework analysis incorporates profitability, activity, and leverage ratios into the overall Return On Equity (ROE).

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

The course may not offer an audit option. 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. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

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.

Reviews

This is a bite size learning course. The case study will really test you on how did you understand the subject.

now i got up to date information about how financially reporting the business

This is a very good course and an eye opener to all updated IFRS. Keep the good work Cousera and I will continue learning.

All topics covered in this course were explained well and shown how to implement, highly recommended for beginners and individuals who would like to brush up on their accounting knowledge foundations