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Certificate in Accounting and Finance for Non-Financial Managers (Online at your own pace)


Adult Enrichment / Business & Consumer -
Online Certificates and Courses 2025

Successful professionals in the workplace use financial information to aid effective decision making. The Certificate in Accounting and Finance for Non-Financial Managers explains financial concepts and accounting processes utilized in most businesses. It provides practical techniques that increase your effectiveness and career. Get a foundation to understand the seven steps in the accounting cycle, and use financial information in decision making. Analyze resource allocation, evaluate financial performance, and maximize cash flow. Learn how to assess and analyze business reports to make smart decisions about budgeting, setting goals, and assessing performance within your area of influence.

Courses:

  • Accounting and Finance for Non-Financial Managers
  • Cash is King
  • Financial Analysis and Planning for Non-Financial Managers

Courses are online and asynchronous, meaning students may login to the classroom anytime during the course session, day or night, 24/7. For more information, go to our Online Professional Development Certificates & Courses FAQ


Class Details:
Accounting & Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Unit 1: Introduction to finance
    The Vocabulary of Finance
    The Four Basic Elements of Finance
    The Basic Financial Statements
Unit 2: Introduction to accounting
    Basic Terminology
    The Purpose of Accounting
    The Accounting Cycle
    Preparing Financial Statements
Unit 3: Managing liabilities
    Overview of Liabilities
    The Liabilities of a Business
    Short-Term Liabilities
    Long-Term Liabilities
Unit 4: Financial planning
    Overview of Financial Planning
    The Importance of Financial Planning
    The Business Planning Process
Cash is King
Unit 1: Cash flow strategies
    Why cash is so important in business
    What are the cash-critical stages in business
    What internal sources of cash are possible
    What potential external sources of cash there are
Unit 2: Reporting and evaluating cash flow
    Review of the Cash Flow Statement
    Review of Projected Cash Flow Report
    What the Cash Cycle communicates
    What improvements can be made to shorten the cash cycle
    Calculating cash cycle
Unit 3: Projecting cash needs
    How much cash the business needs
    When cash injections are needed
    Which cash needs will internal sources be able to cover
    Which cash needs must be met through external sources
    Making comparisons with other businesses in the same industry
Unit 4: Funding requests
    What debt sources of cash are possible
    What are the potential equity sources of cash
    What requirements different funding sources have
    Making a pitch to investors
    Approaching potential lenders for financing
Financial Analysis & Planning
Unit 1: Financial strategies
    Your Role in Financial Decision Making
    Who is responsible for the financial decisions in your company?
    The Goal of Business
    Understand the Language of Finance
    Accounting as a Language
      Learn the Language
      Visual Activity – Accounting Process
      Accounting and Recordkeeping Systems
      Self Check – Account Categories
      Read the Story
        A Word about Financial Concepts
          Financial Concept: The Accounting Equation
          Financial Concept: The Matching Principle
            The Common Financial Statements
            Income Statement
            The Balance Sheet
            Statement of Cash Flows
            The Purpose of Financial Statements
Unit 2: Financial dashboard - introduction to financial gauges
    Understand Basic Financial Concepts
    Introduction
    The Story Statements Tell
    Financial Concept: The Accounting Equation
    Financial Concept: The Profit Matching Principle
    Financial Concept: The Fund Matching Principle
    Financial Concept: Cash Basis vs. Accrual Basis
    Financial Concept: Cash vs. Profits
    Financial Concept: Debt vs. Equity (Optimum Capital Structure)
    Financial Strategies
      Financial strategies stem from business goals
      Take a Look: Example Financial Strategies
      Financial Gauges
        Introduction to Financial Gauges
        Your Financial Gauges
        Profitability-based gauges
        Performance-based gauges
        Reading Your Financial Gauges
          The Story Financial Gauges Tell
          Research and Analysis
Unit 3: Financial Gauges - Profitability
    Profitability Gauges
    Ratio Analysis
    Financial Gauge: Net Profit Margin (or) The Bottom Line
    Financial Gauge: Gross Profit Margin
    Financial Gauge: Operating Margin
    Using Profitability Ratios
    The Components of Profitability
      The Origin of Profits
      Sales and Expenses
      Sales
        Sales Strategies
        Pricing Strategies
        Cost of Goods Sold and Cost of Sales
          Cost of Goods Sold
          Gross Profit Margin
          Gross Profit Analysis and Planning
          Evaluate Profitability of Product or Service Lines
          Expenses
            Budget vs. Actual Analysis
            Cost Management and Efficiency
Unit 4: Financial Gauges - Performance
    Making Money
    The Goal of Business
    Value Growth
    Company Resources
    Taking Advantage of Assets
      Tangible vs. Intangible Assets
      Cash
      Making the Most of Liabilities and Equity
        Liabilities
        Equity
        Performance Financial Gauges
          Financial Gauge: Current and Quick Ratio (Liquidity)
          Financial Gauge: Return on Assets
          Financial Gauge: Return on Equity
          Financial Gauge: Debt to Equity Ratio
          Financial Analysis and Planning Summary
            Downtown Publishing
            Financial Performance Analysis
            Summary
Instructor

Jodie Trana


Jodie Trana has had a career in business consulting and financial management. She then started a consulting and training organization offering educational consulting services to organizations such as the Kauffman Foundation, the largest foundation devoted to entrepreneurship. Jodie contributed the financial chapters for Kauffman’s textbooks and managed the curriculum design and facilitation process for their entrepreneurship educational programs. Her content specialties include accounting, financial analysis, business planning, cash flow analysis, and funding request analysis. Her background includes business and financial management in consulting, construction, non-profit, healthcare, and retail industries.

Sharon deFonteny


Sharon deFonteny has a degree in Business Education with a concentration in Accounting and spent many years in Corporate America working in Accounting and Finance. For the past 5 years, she has created and taught online Business courses for Bucks County Community College. Her experience in business, as well as experience in teaching, has allowed her to help people understand the Accounting and Finance process.

OE-21130a-ugc

  Sharon deFonteny , Jodie Trana


Online
Sun-Sat, Feb 3 - May 2
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM

Su
M
Tu
W
Th
F
Sa

Min Age   18 yr.

Price: $ 495 00
OE-21130b-ugc

  Sharon deFonteny , Jodie Trana


Online
Sun-Sat, Apr 7 - Jun 27
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM

Su
M
Tu
W
Th
F
Sa

Min Age   18 yr.

Price: $ 495 00
Registration begins  
Jan. 7th
OE-21130c-ugc

  Sharon deFonteny , Jodie Trana


Online
Sun-Sat, Jun 2 - Aug 29
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM

Su
M
Tu
W
Th
F
Sa

Min Age   18 yr.

Price: $ 495 00
Registration begins  
Jan. 7th
OE-21130d-ugc

  Sharon deFonteny , Jodie Trana


Online
Sun-Sat, Sep 2 - Nov 28
12:01 AM - 11:59 PM

Su
M
Tu
W
Th
F
Sa

Min Age   18 yr.

Price: $ 495 00
Registration begins  
Jan. 7th