• For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • For Universities
  • For Governments
Coursera
  • Online Degrees
  • Careers
  • Log In
  • Join for Free
    Coursera
    • Browse
    • Basic Accounting

    Basic Accounting Courses Online

    Understand basic accounting principles for managing finances. Learn to prepare financial statements, manage accounts, and ensure compliance.

    Skip to search results

    Filter by

    Subject
    Required
     *

    Language
    Required
     *

    The language used throughout the course, in both instruction and assessments.

    Learning Product
    Required
     *

    Build job-relevant skills in under 2 hours with hands-on tutorials.
    Learn from top instructors with graded assignments, videos, and discussion forums.
    Learn a new tool or skill in an interactive, hands-on environment.
    Get in-depth knowledge of a subject by completing a series of courses and projects.
    Earn career credentials from industry leaders that demonstrate your expertise.
    Earn career credentials while taking courses that count towards your Master’s degree.
    Earn your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree online for a fraction of the cost of in-person learning.
    Earn a university-issued career credential in a flexible, interactive format.

    Level
    Required
     *

    Duration
    Required
     *

    Skills
    Required
     *

    Subtitles
    Required
     *

    Educator
    Required
     *

    Explore the Basic Accounting Course Catalog

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of California, Irvine

      Introduction to Financial Accounting: The Accounting Cycle

      Skills you'll gain: Ledgers (Accounting), Accounting Systems, Accounting, Month End Closing, Accounting Records, Bookkeeping, Financial Accounting, Financial Statements, General Accounting, General Ledger, Accrual Accounting, Standard Accounting Practices, Financial Reporting, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Revenue Recognition, Business Ethics, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Reconciliation, Transaction Processing

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      669 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: New
      New
      Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      E

      Emory University

      Mastering Business Essentials: Finance

      Skills you'll gain: Finance, Corporate Finance, Business Valuation, Return On Investment, Financial Planning, Capital Budgeting, Financial Analysis, Cash Flows, Investment Management, Financial Modeling, Investments, Risk Management, Accounting

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Python for Data Science, AI & Development

      Skills you'll gain: Jupyter, Python Programming, Data Structures, Web Scraping, Data Manipulation, Programming Principles, Pandas (Python Package), Computer Programming, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Restful API, NumPy, Application Programming Interface (API), Data Analysis, Data Import/Export, File Management

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      41K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      T

      Technical University of Munich (TUM)

      Cost Accounting

      Skills you'll gain: Cost Accounting, Management Accounting, Income Statement, Operating Cost, Cost Management, Inventory Accounting, Profit and Loss (P&L) Management, Gross Profit, Strategic Decision-Making, Accounting, Product Planning, Resource Allocation, Product Assortment, Depreciation, Financial Accounting, Production Process, Financial Statements, Price Negotiation, Capacity Management, Decision Making

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      261 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      Financial Reporting

      Skills you'll gain: Balance Sheet, Revenue Recognition, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting, Depreciation, Financial Statement Analysis, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Accounts Receivable, Accounting, Inventory Accounting, Income Statement, Financial Statements, Cash Management, Accrual Accounting, Tax Management, Cash Flows, Fixed Asset, Asset Management, International Financial Reporting Standards, Standard Accounting Practices

      Build toward a degree

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      897 reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      A

      Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP)

      ADP Entry-Level Payroll Specialist

      Skills you'll gain: Payroll, Payroll Processing, Payroll Systems, Payroll Administration, Payroll Tax, Payroll Reporting, Compensation Strategy, Tax Management, Data Entry, Employee Onboarding, Labor Compliance, Labor Law, Human Resource Strategy, Compensation Management, Compensation and Benefits, Non-Profit Accounting, Tax Compliance, Human Resources, Benefits Administration, Specialized Accounting

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      454 reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Introduction to Corporate Finance

      Skills you'll gain: Return On Investment, Capital Budgeting, Financial Modeling, Financial Analysis, Financial Planning, Corporate Finance, Business Valuation, Financial Management, Asset Management, Cash Flows, Risk Analysis, Cash Flow Forecasting, Working Capital

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      6.2K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      Financial Accounting: Foundations

      Skills you'll gain: Revenue Recognition, Financial Statements, Accrual Accounting, Financial Accounting, Bookkeeping, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Accounts Receivable, Inventory Accounting, Cash Flows

      Build toward a degree

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      4.6K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      Intuit

      Assets in Accounting

      Skills you'll gain: Inventory Accounting, Inventory Control, Depreciation, Fixed Asset, Property Accounting, Financial Accounting, Asset Management, Accounting, Financial Statements, Lease Contracts, Accounting Records, Bookkeeping, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Capital Expenditure, Operating Expense

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.2K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • U

      University of Virginia

      Managerial Accounting Fundamentals

      Skills you'll gain: Management Accounting, Cost Accounting, Accounting, Cost Benefit Analysis, Cost Management, Financial Accounting, Financial Data, Financial Analysis, Decision Making, Data Visualization

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      809 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Crash Course on Python

      Skills you'll gain: Programming Principles, Python Programming, Computer Programming, Computational Thinking, Algorithms, Problem Management, Data Structures, Integrated Development Environments, Debugging, Development Environment

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      39K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      R

      Rice University

      Business Finance and Data Analysis Fundamentals

      Skills you'll gain: Capital Budgeting, Cash Flows, Financial Statements, Microsoft Excel, Descriptive Statistics, Financial Accounting, Business Analytics, Box Plots, Probability Distribution, Financial Analysis, Finance, Data Visualization, Probability, Statistics, Business Valuation, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Mathematics, Accounting, Return On Investment, General Accounting

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.8K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    Basic Accounting learners also search

    Accounting
    Financial Accounting
    Beginner Accounting
    Advanced Accounting
    Forensic Accounting
    Managerial Accounting
    Accounting And Bookkeeping
    Cost Accounting
    1234…295

    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular basic accounting courses

    • Introduction to Financial Accounting: The Accounting Cycle: University of California, Irvine
    • Mastering Business Essentials: Finance: Emory University
    • Python for Data Science, AI & Development: IBM
    • Cost Accounting: Technical University of Munich (TUM)
    • Financial Reporting: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    • ADP Entry-Level Payroll Specialist: Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP)
    • Introduction to Corporate Finance: University of Pennsylvania
    • Financial Accounting: Foundations: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    • Assets in Accounting: Intuit
    • Managerial Accounting Fundamentals: University of Virginia

    Frequently Asked Questions about Basic Accounting

    For those looking to develop a fundamental understanding of accounting, Coursera offers a range of free online courses. The Stanford Introduction to Statistics provides an overview of statistical analysis, while the Principles of Private Equity focuses on private market investing. Finally, Unlocking Market Power provides knowledge on how to identify and exploit key levers of market power.‎

    For those looking to build an understanding of basic accounting principles and practices, these courses provide an excellent starting point: Financial Accounting from Polimi, Financial Accounting from UVA Darden, Basics of Cost Accounting and Product Costing, Accounting Fundamentals Specialization, and Liabilities and Equity in Accounting. All courses are self-paced and offer flexible learning; and each helps to build a sound foundation in basic accounting principles.‎

    If you're looking for an advanced yet basic accounting course, Coursera has a wide range of options. From Accounting Information System and Asset Measurement and Disclosure to Accounts Payable and Receivable Management and Financial Management and Accounting Data Analytics you are sure to find something that fits your needs.‎

    Basic accounting is the everyday financial transactions that a business undertakes. The basic accounting functions of a business involve keeping track of the money that comes into and goes out of the business and its bank accounts. It’s one of the most crucial regular functions of any business, and it includes recording transactions and analyzing cash flow, revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities. As the business owner or employee who handles the basic accounting tasks, you’ll deal with bank statements and balance sheets, and you’ll report relevant transactions to tax authorities and government regulatory agencies. You may also prepare reports for stockholders or corporate boards.‎

    Basic accounting is vital to the success of businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Owners, investors, executives, and stockholders need to know how successful a business is, and understanding how well a company is performing financially makes business decisions clearer and easier. Tracking income and expenses provides you with insight into how much money your company has at any given moment. Proper accounting helps you to know how much to pay in taxes and whether your company is successful and profitable. Skills in basic accounting also prevent you from making mistakes that can cost the business money. Nonprofits need to be able to report accurate finances to key decision-makers, create and track funding streams, and ensure they maintain their nonprofit status. Government agencies need to be good stewards of taxpayers' money and be accountable for spending.‎

    With basic accounting skills, you can find career opportunities in bookkeeping, accounts payable, and auditing positions. Small businesses often hire employees who can balance all of the company’s finances. Larger corporations everywhere need professionals to keep track of various facets of the accounting process, so you can find jobs handling specific tasks, such as keeping up with the income that comes into a business or paying its bills. Look for opportunities to prepare taxes or handle tax compliance for one or more companies or organizations. There are also jobs that allow you to audit a company’s finances or solve financial mysteries as a forensic accountant.‎

    When you take online courses about basic accounting, you’ll have the chance to pick up the skills and knowledge needed to manage the financial transactions of a business or organization. Learn the foundational concepts and applications of business accounting with survey courses that show you the basics, and when you’re ready to dive deeper, unearth knowledge in more specialized topics like compliance with tax law, how information technology relates to accounting, or data analytics.‎

    Online Basic Accounting courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Basic Accounting skills. With a wide range of Basic Accounting classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Basic Accounting career skills.‎

    When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Basic 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.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

    Other topics to explore

    Arts and Humanities
    338 courses
    Business
    1095 courses
    Computer Science
    668 courses
    Data Science
    425 courses
    Information Technology
    145 courses
    Health
    471 courses
    Math and Logic
    70 courses
    Personal Development
    137 courses
    Physical Science and Engineering
    413 courses
    Social Sciences
    401 courses
    Language Learning
    150 courses

    Coursera Footer

    Technical Skills

    • ChatGPT
    • Coding
    • Computer Science
    • Cybersecurity
    • DevOps
    • Ethical Hacking
    • Generative AI
    • Java Programming
    • Python
    • Web Development

    Analytical Skills

    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Big Data
    • Business Analysis
    • Data Analytics
    • Data Science
    • Financial Modeling
    • Machine Learning
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Microsoft Power BI
    • SQL

    Business Skills

    • Accounting
    • Digital Marketing
    • E-commerce
    • Finance
    • Google
    • Graphic Design
    • IBM
    • Marketing
    • Project Management
    • Social Media Marketing

    Career Resources

    • Essential IT Certifications
    • High-Income Skills to Learn
    • How to Get a PMP Certification
    • How to Learn Artificial Intelligence
    • Popular Cybersecurity Certifications
    • Popular Data Analytics Certifications
    • What Does a Data Analyst Do?
    • Career Development Resources
    • Career Aptitude Test
    • Share your Coursera Learning Story

    Coursera

    • About
    • What We Offer
    • Leadership
    • Careers
    • Catalog
    • Coursera Plus
    • Professional Certificates
    • MasterTrack® Certificates
    • Degrees
    • For Enterprise
    • For Government
    • For Campus
    • Become a Partner
    • Social Impact
    • Free Courses
    • ECTS Credit Recommendations

    Community

    • Learners
    • Partners
    • Beta Testers
    • Blog
    • The Coursera Podcast
    • Tech Blog
    • Teaching Center

    More

    • Press
    • Investors
    • Terms
    • Privacy
    • Help
    • Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Articles
    • Directory
    • Affiliates
    • Modern Slavery Statement
    • Manage Cookie Preferences
    Learn Anywhere
    Download on the App Store
    Get it on Google Play
    Logo of Certified B Corporation
    © 2025 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved.
    • Coursera Facebook
    • Coursera Linkedin
    • Coursera Twitter
    • Coursera YouTube
    • Coursera Instagram
    • Coursera TikTok