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Accounting Certificate

LEARN BUSINESS SKILLS YOUR CAREER NEEDS. ON YOUR SCHEDULE.

Accounting Certificate

Build practical skills that you can use immediately. Designed for working professionals, the University of Findlay’s Business and Professional Development Institute offers the Graduate Accounting Certificate to enhance employability and workplace readiness.

Overview

In just 12 credit hours, you’ll build practical accounting and financial management skills that help you better understand organizational performance, evaluate financial information, and support sound business decisions. This learning experience is designed for professionals who want to strengthen their financial knowledge and become more confident using accounting information to guide planning, performance, and organizational decision-making.

Enhanced Professional Credibility
Add a recognized academic credential from the University of Findlay to your resume and LinkedIn profile while developing knowledge in financial management, managerial accounting, financial planning and controls, and internal auditing. These skills demonstrate your ability to understand the financial side of an organization and contribute to informed business decisions.

Expanded Career Opportunities
Financial and accounting knowledge is valuable well beyond traditional accounting roles. Strengthen your preparation for opportunities in management, finance, operations, budgeting, auditing, administration, and other positions where understanding organizational performance and financial information is essential.

Practical Skills, Starting Day One
Every course is designed to help you connect accounting and financial concepts to real organizational decisions. You’ll develop skills for interpreting financial information, evaluating performance, supporting planning and budgeting, strengthening internal controls, and identifying financial and operational risks.

  • Designed for full-time professionals
  • Earn course credit towards a MBA degree
  • 8-week courses
  • Available online or in-person

Why a certificate? To advance your career options.

Working professionals are increasingly expected to understand the financial impact of the decisions they make. Whether managing a department, evaluating performance, developing budgets, or helping an organization plan for the future, the ability to interpret financial information and understand accounting principles can strengthen both decision-making and leadership effectiveness. Professionals who build financial knowledge position themselves to contribute more strategically and communicate more effectively across areas of an organization.

The Accounting Certificate teaches you the accounting and financial management skills professionals use to understand performance, support planning, evaluate risk, and make informed business decisions.

By strengthening your knowledge of financial management, managerial accounting, financial planning and controls, and internal auditing, you can become better prepared to interpret financial information, evaluate organizational performance, support effective controls, and contribute confidently to strategic and operational decisions.

Program Details

Applications are open. Spots in these programs fill quickly. Don't wait until the next performance review to wish you had started sooner.

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Certificate Course Requirements

Finance Management
MBA 618: This course provides extensive coverage of corporate finance theory and its applicability for the corporate financial managers. It delves deeper into issues related to corporate financial decision-making in the areas of investment, financing and working capital management. The issues are examined at theoretical, analytical and applied levels. Topics include an overview of financial management, the financial system, risk and return analysis, capital asset pricing models and portfolio theory, cost of capital, capital budgeting, capital structure decisions, the theory and practice of dividend policy, financing strategies, working capital management and corporate restructuring and bankruptcy.

MBA 670: This course prepares managers to utilize financial and managerial accounting information for decision making. It addresses the role of accounting within the operations of the firm and variations among accounting systems by industry. Students will develop an understanding of product and service costing, budgeting, differential analysis, standard costs and variances, capital budgeting and cost-volume-profit relationships.

MBA 676: This course prepares students to understand complicated issues facing managers and accountants. The research subject will vary depending on the accounting issues facing managers. Additionally, this course is designed to build competency for students considering part one of the CMA exam. Exam like conditions including multiple choice questions, essays and business simulations are included. Course work exposes students to relevant professional skills and topics in budget planning and preparation, cost management, cost accumulation systems and allocation techniques. Additional topics include standard costing, variance analysis, responsibility accounting, internal controls and business ethics.

MBA 682: This course provides students with a study of the professional standards and techniques used in internal auditing, the types of audits conducted and the responsibility of the internal audit function. Course work addresses the internal auditor’s relationship to risk assessment, adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls, information systems controls and security measures, and ethical considerations for management accounting and professionals.

Accounting Certificate Skills

Accounting Operations

Financial Analysis

Managerial Accounting

Budgeting & Forecasting

Internal Auditing

Risk & Performance Evaluation

Our business depends on the performance of each individual. Learning new skills is essential to our team's success.
John Doe
COO

FAQ's

How long does the Accounting Certificate take to complete?

The program is four courses, 8 weeks each. It is designed to be completed by working professionals without disrupting your career. The flexible online and in-person format lets you move at a pace that works around your schedule.

Do I need a business background to enroll?

This certificate is built for professionals who want to enhance their skills in the industry. An earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required for admission into the graduate-level certificate program.

Will this certificate help me get a promotion or a new job?

Yes, and that's exactly what it's designed for. You'll build credentials that signal initiative to employers, gain practical skills that you can apply immediately, and add a recognized University of Findlay credential to your resume.

Can I apply these credits toward a degree later?

Absolutely. The Accounting Certificate credits apply to an MBA degree at the University of Findlay. You can start with the certificate and build toward a full master's degree on your own timeline.

How much does the program cost and can my employer pay for it?

Tuition details are available through the University of Findlay admissions office. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement or professional development funding — this program's short commitment and clear workplace ROI make it a strong candidate for employer sponsorship. Contact lindsay.fees@findlay.edu for specifics.

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