What is management accounting?

Management accounting, also called managerial accounting is a branch of accounting that is used by company managers to analyze internal costs and budgets. Unlike financial accounting, it is not for use by people outside of the organization. At a fundamental level, management accounting is concerned with cost behaviors, cost systems, and cost analysis. It affects pricing, budgets, and other key internal decisions. Data presentation and data analysis are key parts of the work of a management accountant. Management accountants are comfortable with spreadsheets, and they are able to communicate with people inside the organization. Understanding management accounting is key to successful business management.

What are typical careers that use management accounting?

Management accounting is used by accountants and business analysts inside an organization. Corporate tax accountants also have an understanding of management accounting. People working in lower or middle management levels in an organization could benefit from an understanding of management accounting, as it will help them understand why and how decisions are being made. This will help them manage their objectives more effectively. Senior managers and executives need to understand management accounting because they are the folks who will be making key budget decisions and holding people accountable to them. Small business owners and other entrepreneurs should understand managerial accounting so that they have the information they need to grow their businesses.

How can online courses help me learn management accounting?

Online courses can help you learn management accounting as well as financial accounting and tax accounting. There are courses at all levels, from introductory courses for beginners to continuing education course for practitioners. Some classes look at practical matters, like Excel functions and spreadsheet design. Others go into theories of value chain management and approaches to accounting for decision making. Online courses include video lectures, readings, exams, class discussions, and projects. Some online courses in managerial accounting are Guided Projects to help people apply managerial accounting to a specific situation. Others lead to Professional Certificates or Specializations. Many courses stand alone and can help you extend your management accounting skills.

What are the benefits of taking an online Management Accounting course?

Online Management Accounting courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Management Accounting skills. Choose from a wide range of Management Accounting courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Management Accounting courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Management Accounting, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Management Accounting Courses - Learn Management Accounting Online

Explore the Management Accounting Course Catalog

Google Cloud
Networking in Google Cloud: Load Balancing - 日本語版
Skills you'll gain: Load Balancing, Hybrid Cloud Computing, Google Cloud Platform, Network Performance Management, Cloud Security, Cloud Services, Performance Tuning
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Google Cloud
Responsible AI for Developers: Privacy & Safety - 日本語版
Skills you'll gain: Information Privacy, Google Cloud Platform, Data Security, Personally Identifiable Information, Generative AI, Artificial Intelligence, Safety and Security, Machine Learning, Encryption, Identity and Access Management
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Google Cloud
Networking in Google Cloud: Load Balancing - Français
Skills you'll gain: Load Balancing, Google Cloud Platform, Network Performance Management, Hybrid Cloud Computing, Cloud Computing, Performance Tuning, Scalability, TCP/IP, Servers, Cloud Security, Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Google Cloud
Introduction to Data Engineering on Google Cloud - Français
Skills you'll gain: Extract, Transform, Load, Google Cloud Platform, Data Migration, Data Sharing, Metadata Management, Data Processing, Data Lakes, Data Import/Export, Data Infrastructure, Data Pipelines, Data Integration, Data Warehousing, Cloud Storage, Big Data, Data Storage, Data Transformation, SQL, Automation
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Georgetown University
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies
Skills you'll gain: Vulnerability Assessments, Operations Management, Data Storytelling, Business Strategy, Project Scoping, Competitive Intelligence, Survey Creation, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Social Justice, Business Ethics, Descriptive Statistics, Environment, Capital Budgeting, Market Opportunities, Storytelling, Marketing Planning, Leadership Studies, International Relations, Artificial Intelligence, Policy Development
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Certificado en Finanzas Corporativas
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Capital Markets, Accrual Accounting, Financial Analysis, Income Statement, Derivatives, Digital Transformation, Risk Management, Business Valuation, Balance Sheet, Financial Data, Financial Reporting, Investments, Corporate Strategy, Value Propositions, Securities (Finance), Investment Management, Corporate Finance, Technology Strategies
Credit offered
Mastertrack · 6 - 12 Months
Adobedx
Technology Concepts Powering Adobe Commerce
Skills you'll gain: Merchandising, Web Applications, Technology Solutions, Scalability, E-Commerce, Product Lifecycle Management, Application Frameworks, Application Development, Application Programming Interface (API)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Amazon Web Services
DevOps and AI on AWS: AIOps
Skills you'll gain: Amazon CloudWatch, DevOps, DevSecOps, Code Review, Amazon Web Services, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Continuous Integration, Application Performance Management, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Anomaly Detection, Secure Coding, Artificial Intelligence, Microservices, Information Technology Operations
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Dartmouth College
Digital Transformation Certificate
Skills you'll gain: Predictive Analytics, Digital Transformation, Product Design, Predictive Modeling, Product Development, Business Transformation, New Product Development, Organizational Change, Data Strategy, Advanced Analytics, Design Thinking, Analytics, Agile Methodology, User Experience Design, Usability, Business Analytics, Innovation, Prototyping, Forecasting, Data-Driven Decision-Making
University Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Amazon Web Services
DevOps and AI on AWS: CI/CD for Generative AI Applications
Skills you'll gain: Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Amazon CloudWatch, CI/CD, AWS CloudFormation, Application Deployment, Continuous Deployment, Amazon Web Services, Continuous Integration, DevOps, Cloud Management, Generative AI, Cloud Applications, System Monitoring, Application Performance Management, Automation, Release Management
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Universidad de los Andes
Maestría en Gerencia de la Ingeniería
Skills you'll gain: Technology Strategies, Engineering Management, Business Modeling, Project Management, Prototyping, Project Management Life Cycle, Project Management Institute (PMI) Methodology, Stakeholder Management, Feasibility Studies, Digital Transformation, Financial Statements, Product Management, Conflict Management, Systems Thinking, Product Lifecycle Management, Asset Management, Capital Expenditure, Project Risk Management, Crisis Management, Maintenance, Repair, and Facility Services
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of Pennsylvania
Money, Risk, and Ethics: The Psychology of Decision-Making
Skills you'll gain: Decision Making, Strategic Decision-Making, Complex Problem Solving, Behavioral Economics, Business Ethics, Psychology, Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks