Today’s unpredictable and fast-changing business world requires executives from every level to have a solid understanding of core finance and accounting principles to make impactful business decisions. Practical financial decision-making is critical to an organization’s ability to combat competition, make strategic growth decisions, and create shareholder value.

In this program, taught by Chicago Booth professor Haresh Sapra, you’ll discover key concepts such as interpreting balance and income statements, cash flow principles, asset and liability analysis, and risk and forecasting tools—all to make more impactful financial decisions. You’ll acquire the tools to quantitatively evaluate choices and how these choices affect your firm’s incentives and resources.

By attending, you will:

• Build up your financial decision-making by learning core finance and accounting principles.
• Learn how to evaluate and identify red flags in financial statements and balance sheets.
• Discover how the relationship between profit and cash flow is crucial to the health of an organization.
• Learn how to gain insight into an organization’s efficiency and profitability by using tools such as ratios and liability analysis.
• Acquire the tools to financially forecast for proper business planning.
• Strengthen your finance and accounting terminology to better communicate across your organization.

An interactive, collaborative learning experience

This program is highly collaborative, featuring discussion forums and live interactions with faculty. You will utilize the case study method and various tools that you can immediately apply in your work environment.

Live-Online Sessions

Unlike other business schools' online programs, this program features two live-online sessions to deepen your learning and help apply what you've learned immediately. In each session, you'll learn directly from Professor Sapra and hold discussions with peers. You'll also have an opportunity to ask questions and get real-time feedback and collaboration.

Tailored Guidance

Format

Online with two live-online sessions

Language

This program is offered in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Program duration

This program is designed for mid- senior managers from across an organization, within a wide-range of industries, who do not have formal training in finance and accounting and wish to develop or update their knowledge of core finance and accounting principles.

This program will also benefit those in professions such as consultants, scientists, engineers, healthcare, small- medium size business owners, and other professionals who want to increase their financial acumen to make better business decisions.

Introduction to Accounting and the Accounting Process

• Become familiar with accounting, the language of business
• Prepare basic financial statements
• Understand how to apply the formula for the Statement of Cash Flows

The Profit & Loss Statement

• Understand the five concrete steps involved in applying the revenue recognition principle
• Become familiar with inventory accounting and the key issues related to accounting
• Be able to record discontinued operations under both U.S. GAAP and IFRS standards, and to understand corporate taxes

Asset Analysis

• Distinguish between tangible and intangible assets
• Understand the concepts of depreciation and amortization
• Become familiar with the general rules for asset impairment.

Introduction to Valuation

• Understand the concepts of Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
• Calculate the Free Cash Flow (FCF), the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC), and the Appropriate Discount Rate
• Articulate on other valuation methods, such as Market Multiples and Comparable Transactions

Live-Online Sessions with Professor Sapra

Session 1: Expenditures: Expenses or Assets?
You'll explore the impact of capitalizing expenses vs.immediate expensing, and discuss the results of a case study.

Session 2: Financial Statement Shenanigans
You'll learn how to identify earnings, cash flow, and acquisition manipulation. You'll also explore the implications of using pro forma (Non-GAAP) financial measures.

It is always a good feeling to get to the finish line! I had a great time and definitely learned a lot. I first took this course mainly because, coming from an Engineering background, I had never had an academic perspective on accounting and finance. I felt this was an appropriate moment to explore that -- and the idea of an online Chicago Booth Finance Course just fit me like a glove!...From the comfort of my home, I was able to learn and practice a lot, and also validated several ideas and concepts learned "on the street" over the years.

—Ricardo Wilke

I thoroughly enjoyed this course and know that I learned a ton…I like how the course focused around information that is publicly made available through financial statements in annual reports. The exercises we all went through are easily applicable to any company I might work with in the future to better understand the state of their business at the highest levels.

—Vince Ippolito

This course was fantastic...I do not have a formal background in Accounting and Finance, but these are a big part of what I do each day and I need to be better as I progress through my career. Additionally, I wanted to challenge myself by taking a course like this from a top tier business school. In fact, that was of utmost importance to me — go with the best and challenge yourself…I feel way more confident going forward now that I've gone through these last 6 weeks.

—Evan Laskaris, Vice President Operations at RXO

I really enjoyed this class, and found that it challenged me to think in new ways about my company and the way we account for various aspects of our business.

—Devin Mogler

The reason for me to take this course was my future possible participation on our Board. I have wanted to learn more about accounting and how to interpret financial reporting for some time now…Without a doubt, I feel like the course has better prepared me to review and analyze our company’s financials and make recommendations for future acquisitions or strategy to enhance our financial performance.

—Terry Trofholz