Financial Accounting | Harvard University

Financial statements can be intimidating, a seemingly inscrutable jumble of acronyms and jargon. Understanding the key concepts and principles of financial accounting, however, can illuminate financial statements and unlock critical insights into business performance and potential. This online course will demystify financial statements and teach you how managers, Wall Street analysts, and entrepreneurs use an understanding of accounting to drive strategic decision making.

You will learn the fundamentals of financial accounting from the ground up and apply your understanding of financial statements in a wide range of business settings. You will step into the shoes of an equity research analyst, a yoga studio owner, the leadership of one of the largest nonprofits in the United States, and other executives through the course’s multimedia case studies—and walk away confident in your understanding of financial statements.