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

Amazon Web Services
AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
Skills you'll gain: Amazon Web Services, Amazon CloudWatch, Public Cloud, AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), Cloud Services, Cloud Computing, Cloud Platforms, Cloud Infrastructure, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, Cloud Management, Cloud Security, Amazon S3, Cloud Computing Architecture, Continuous Monitoring, Scalability
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.9K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado System
Team Success through Cultural Awareness
Skills you'll gain: Intercultural Competence, Conflict Management, Teamwork, Diversity and Inclusion, Cultural Diversity, Cultural Sensitivity, Team Building, Personal Development, Team Leadership, Self-Awareness, Collaboration, Adaptability, Cultural Responsiveness, Active Listening, Empathy, Professional Development, Cognitive flexibility, Communication, Resilience, Leadership
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Illinois Tech
Strategy & Economic Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Product Lifecycle Management, Market Dynamics, Supply And Demand, Game Theory, Business Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Business Economics, Economics, Market Trend, Strategic Decision-Making, Global Marketing, Strategic Thinking, Price Negotiation, Innovation, Market Opportunities, Market Analysis, Value Propositions, New Product Development, Organizational Strategy, Cost Reduction
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
159 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IESE Business School
Claves de la Dirección de Empresas
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Marketing, People Management, Financial Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Income Statement, Financial Data, Balance Sheet, Product Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Strategy and Techniques, Working Capital, Financial Analysis, Team Management, Organizational Leadership, General Accounting, Team Building, Financial Management, Business, Strategic Decision-Making
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.4K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
University of Virginia
Coding with AI for MBAs
Skills you'll gain: Model View Controller, Debugging, JSON, Version Control, Responsive Web Design, Data Modeling, User Interface (UI), HTML and CSS, OpenAI, NoSQL, User Story, Test Case, ChatGPT, Application Deployment, Software Development Tools, Algorithms, Generative AI, Web Design and Development, Google Cloud Platform, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Packt
Learn Tableau and Ace the Tableau Desktop Specialist Exam
Skills you'll gain: Tableau Software, Dashboard, Data Visualization Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Presentation, Scatter Plots, Data Manipulation, Data Sharing, Data Analysis, Software Installation, Data Import/Export, Data Integration
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Coursera Instructor Network
Public Health Principles: Systems and Strategies
Skills you'll gain: Health Policy, Public Health, Public Health and Disease Prevention, Systems Thinking, Program Evaluation, Health Systems, Health Care Administration, Health Equity, Epidemiology, Policy Analysis, Community Health, Media and Communications, Emergency Response
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
Simplilearn
Generative AI Course for Marketing, Sales, and Campaigns
Skills you'll gain: Lead Generation, Upselling, Business Ethics, AI Personalization, Generative AI, Sales Strategy, Marketing Automation, Cross Selling, Marketing Strategies, Sales Prospecting, Sales, Email Marketing, Blogs, Customer Insights, Content Creation, Customer Engagement, Social Media Marketing, Customer Retention, Customer Relationship Management, Customer experience improvement
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Illinois Tech
Business & Technology
Skills you'll gain: Product Lifecycle Management, Design Thinking, Business Transformation, Business Communication, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Leadership, Organizational Change, Business Writing, Global Marketing, Business Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence, Business Modeling, Generative AI, Machine Learning, Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Market Opportunities, Market Analysis, Applied Machine Learning
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
65 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of California San Diego
Drug Discovery
Skills you'll gain: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmacology, Clinical Research, Bioinformatics, New Product Development, Medical Science and Research, Regulatory Affairs, Molecular Biology, Market Opportunities, Innovation, Chemistry
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
3.9K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google
Make the Sale: Build, Launch, and Manage E-commerce Stores
Skills you'll gain: Order Fulfillment, E-Commerce, Order Processing, Campaign Management, Digital Advertising, Google Ads, Retail Management, Customer Engagement, Marketing Strategies, Market Research, Web Analytics, Trend Analysis, Customer experience strategy (CX), Target Audience
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
The State University of New York
Data Analytics in Sports Law and Management
Skills you'll gain: Facility Management, Event Management, Legal Risk, Contract Management, Performance Analysis, Hospitality and Food Services, Facility Operations, Event Planning, Business Analytics, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Analytics, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Data Analysis, Scheduling, Labor Relations, Customer Engagement, Team Performance Management, Linear Algebra, Risk Management, Commercial Laws
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
32 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months