This course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, will teach you the fundamentals of managerial accounting including how to navigate the financial and related information managers need to help them make decisions. You'll learn about cost behavior and cost allocation systems, how to conduct cost-volume-profit analysis, and how to determine if costs and benefits are relevant to your decisions.
Managerial Accounting Fundamentals
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8
(780 reviews)
Beginner level
Recommended experience
Flexible schedule
Approx. 13 hours
Learn at your own pace
97%
Most learners liked this course
What you'll learn
Different types of costs and how they are represented graphically
Cost-volume-profit analyses to answer questions around breaking even and generating profit
How to calculate and allocate overhead rates within both traditional and activity-based cost allocation systems
How to distinguish costs and benefits that are relevant from those that are irrelevant for a given management decision
Details to know
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Assessments
12 assignments
Taught in English
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 4 modules in this course
Welcome to the course -- we're glad you're here! During this first week, we'll distinguish managerial from financial accounting, including the financial and related information managers need to help them make decisions. We'll then move on to cost behavior including different types of costs, their classifications, and how these classifications help with decision-making. From there, we'll show how to use a scatterplot and the high-low method to estimate cost functions. Let's get started!
What's included
16 videos2 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt
Now that we've learned the fundamentals of cost behavior, we're ready to move on to discussing the relationships between cost structure, volume, price, and profit. We'll then see why these relationships matter as we conduct cost-volume-profit analyses to answer questions around breaking even and generating profit.
What's included
15 videos4 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt
After learning how to conduct cost-volume-profit analyses, we're ready to discuss cost allocation and the different types of systems we can use: traditional and activity-based. From there, we'll learn how to calculate overhead rates and allocate overhead within both types of systems.
What's included
14 videos1 reading3 assignments
In our final week, we'll discuss costs and benefits, and gain an understanding of those that are relevant for a given decision. We'll evaluate the financial impact of a given decision, then determine a reasonable course of action.
What's included
14 videos2 assignments
Instructor
Instructor ratings
4.9 (235 ratings)
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Finance
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
O.P. Jindal Global University
Duke University
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"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
Showing 3 of 780
4.8
780 reviews
- 5 stars
83.75%
- 4 stars
13.42%
- 3 stars
1.15%
- 2 stars
0.51%
- 1 star
1.15%
New to Finance? Start here.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
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.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, 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.
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.