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

Universidad de los Andes
Maestría en Inteligencia Analítica de Datos
Skills you'll gain: Systems Thinking, Network Analysis, Data Storytelling, Unsupervised Learning, Deep Learning, Data Visualization, Financial Statement Analysis, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Predictive Modeling, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Project Management Life Cycle, Strategic Decision-Making, Statistical Analysis, Marketing Analytics, Operations Research, Descriptive Analytics, Simulations, Pandas (Python Package), Natural Language Processing, Stakeholder Engagement
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Universidad de los Andes
Metodologías ágiles de desarrollo de software Certificado MasterTrack®
Skills you'll gain: Software Testing, Test Automation, User Story, Agile Project Management, Agile Software Development, Usability, Android Development, Security Requirements Analysis, Kotlin, Continuous Integration, Cloud Applications, Unit Testing, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Software Architecture, Acceptance Testing, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Authorization (Computing), Android Studio, Application Security, Platform As A Service (PaaS)
Credit offered
Mastertrack · 6 - 12 Months
O.P. Jindal Global University
M.A. in International Relations, Security, and Strategy
Skills you'll gain: Diplomacy, Intelligence Collection and Analysis, Surveys, Environmental Laws, Environment, Qualitative Research, Sampling (Statistics), R Programming, Political Sciences, Economic Development, International Relations, Cybersecurity, Immigration Law, Socioeconomics, Governance, Public Safety and National Security, Mitigation, Ancient History, Social Sciences, Conflict Management
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Magíster en Business Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Customer Analysis, Descriptive Analytics, Revenue Management, FinTech, Data Mining, Database Design, People Analytics, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Biostatistics, Predictive Analytics, Digital Transformation, Network Analysis, Cloud Security, Risk Analysis, Assertiveness, Bayesian Statistics, Web Scraping, Deep Learning, Governance, Dimensionality Reduction
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
O.P. Jindal Global University
M.A. Public Policy
Skills you'll gain: Econometrics, Surveys, Environmental Laws, Sampling (Statistics), Social Sciences, Public Policies, Political Sciences, Data Collection, Health Disparities, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Economic Development, Policy Analysis, Presentations, International Relations, Diplomacy, Economics, Complex Problem Solving, Immigration Law, Research Methodologies, Socioeconomics
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
HEC Paris
Trust Based Leadership University Certificate
Skills you'll gain:
University Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Indian School of Business
Certificate in Strategic Leadership
Skills you'll gain: Business Strategy, Crisis Management, Strategic Thinking, Strategic Leadership, Professional Development, Business Leadership, Growth Strategies, Business Modeling, Leadership Development, Leadership, Leadership and Management, Competitive Analysis, Stakeholder Communications, Executive Presence, Competitive Intelligence, Team Leadership, Strategic Decision-Making, Business Development, Value Propositions, Market Analysis
University Certificate · 6 - 12 Months
Indian Statistical Institute
Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Statistics
Skills you'll gain: Sampling (Statistics), Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Sample Size Determination, Statistical Machine Learning, NumPy, Spatial Data Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Probability, Database Management Systems, Economics, Statistical Modeling, Data Compilation, Statistical Methods, Dimensionality Reduction, Lifelong Learning, Regression Analysis, Statistics, Bayesian Statistics, Surveys, Market Data
Postgraduate Diploma · 6 - 12 Months
Status: Free Trial
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP)
ADP AIRS® Entry-Level Recruiter
Skills you'll gain:
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Universidad de los Andes
Principios de ingeniería de software automatizada y ágil Certificado MasterTrack®
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Software Testing, Test Automation, Version Control, Agile Project Management, Unified Modeling Language, Usability, Agile Software Development, Maintainability, Software Architecture, Git (Version Control System), Test Driven Development (TDD), Unit Testing, Acceptance Testing, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Continuous Integration, Regression Testing, Test Data, Software Design Patterns, Software Design
Credit offered
Mastertrack · 6 - 12 Months
IIT Guwahati
Bachelor of Science in Data Science & AI
Skills you'll gain: Package and Software Management, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Linear Algebra, Data Structures, Data Warehousing, Database Management, Database Theory, Writing, Algorithms, Java Programming, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Spreadsheet Software, Econometrics, R Programming, Text Mining, Artificial Intelligence, Data Visualization Software, C (Programming Language), Probability, Statistical Machine Learning
Earn a degree
Degree · 1 - 4 Years
University of London
Graduate Certificate in Computer Science
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction, Game Design, Full-Stack Web Development, React Native, Agile Software Development, Animations, Data Ethics, Git (Version Control System), Event-Driven Programming, Network Security, Web Applications, Data Science, Natural Language Processing, Unsupervised Learning, Combinatorics, Database Design, Web Development, Generative AI, Usability Testing
Credit offered
Graduate Certificate · 6 - 12 Months