Fundamentals of Finance
Undergraduate Certificate Online Program

Introduction to Accounting reviews the basic approach to accounting with an emphasis on recording, measuring and communicating the accounting data of business. Basic accounting concepts will be explored, including the effects of transactions on financial statements, payroll accounting, accounting for professional and merchandising operations and state and federal income tax deductions.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify and define commonly used accounting terms and key principles, and examine the role of accounting in business.
• Demonstrate an understanding of accounting practices, systems, and processes in a variety of organizational settings.
• Demonstrate an understanding of best practices in cost analysis, pricing, and financial statements.
• Examine accounting processes including budgeting, establishing standard costs, and accounting for fixed assets.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to accounting.

Principles of Economics demonstrates the relevance of economics through real-world business examples. The first part of the course presents microeconomic analysis such as consumer behavior, market structure, firm strategy, and corporate governance. The latter part of the course provides a comprehensive coverage of macroeconomic models, theory and policy issues including GDP, payroll employment, long-run growth, and business cycles.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify and define the study of economics including commonly used terms and key principles.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basics of economics including microeconomic and macroeconomic foundations.
• Discuss the economic analysis, the function of the stock market, measuring GDP, market structure, and firm strategy.
• Analyze long-run economic growth, short-run economic fluctuations, and the importance of economic trends on the local, national, and global levels.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to economics.

Introduction to Financial Management introduces students to the elementary principles and motives of financial management and covers basic fundamental principles of short-term financing, time value of money, risk, value, and cost. Students will be able to understand the interrelationships underlying the various data and techniques in which financial decisions are based, analyze financial data, and apply basic concepts to make confident financial decisions in their respective business futures.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define financial management, key terms, theories, and its importance to business.
• Demonstrate an understanding of financial management processes including valuation of financial assets and capital budgeting.
• Analyze capital structure and dividend policy related to the field of financial management.
• Demonstrate an understanding of financial management policies related to liquidity management and international business.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to financial management.

International Business reviews the key concepts of international trade and the way it affects the nature of global economic activity. Concepts such as globalization, cultural and political environments, world financial environments, and global strategies are all explored to help students gain a global perspective and to be confident and familiar with international business operations.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Explain the value of international business and assess why it is important.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the world financial environment, and identify the major forces driving globalization.
• Understand the role of comparative environmental frameworks in international business.
• Illustrate the major theories and institutions relating to international business.
• Analyze the management of international operations including marketing and human resource management.
• Demonstrate proficiency with academic writing related to international business.