A new session of each course opens each month, allowing you to enroll whenever your busy schedule permits!
How does it work? Once a session starts, two lessons will be released each week, for the six-week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends.
Keep in mind that the interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes 2 weeks after each lesson is released, so you’re encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The Final Exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the Final Exam has been released, you will have 2 weeks plus 10 days to complete the Final and finish any remaining lessons in your course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.
Week One
Lesson 01 - Business Finance Basics
Wednesday
In this first lesson, you will learn the difference between financial knowledge and business acumen in a way that's easy to understand. You will also be introduced to a few basic financial strategies and explore what business finance can do for you, your company, and your personal finances.
Lesson 02 - The Business Model and Financial Flow
Friday
To gain a strong foundation in business finance, you'll need to understand the basic business model, its components, and how they fit into the larger organization. In this lesson, you will see how finances flow through the business and begin to master basic financial terminology. Afterwards, you will be able to apply what you've learned to your personal household and finances.
Week Two
Lesson 03 - Financial Terminology and Concepts
Wednesday
Do you know what ROI refers to? What's a Sales Forecast, and why is it so important? In this lesson, you will learn these terms and many more. You will also gain an understanding of financial forces, which provide a foundation for developing financial strategies and driving profit.
Lesson 04 - Financial Statements
Friday
Financial statements can be one of the most mysterious parts of business finance. As you will see, however, all you need is to make sense of the three basic financial statements. With this lesson under your belt, you will be ready to take on the next crucial step: recording and tracking the annual finances on these statements.
Week Three
Lesson 05 - The Income Statement
Wednesday
In this lesson, you will gain a broader understanding of the first of the financial statements you will be considering: the Income Statement. You will visit the hypothetical company Bouncy Balls Incorporated (BBI) and examine its annual statement to comprehend what all these numbers mean.
Lesson 06 - The Balance Sheet
Friday
Still working with the fictitious company BBI, you will explore what information is included in the Balance Sheet. You will continue your work to determine BBI's financial position and see where changes in business strategy may be needed.
Week Four
Lesson 07 - The Statement of Cash Flows
Wednesday
You will finish your introduction to the basic financial statements as you review the Statement of Cash Flows. You will see how financial personnel use this statement as you continue your tour of BBI. As you work through the Statement of Cash Flows, you will start to put all the information together to improve your understanding of BBI's financial position.
Lesson 08 - Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A)
Friday
In this lesson, you will listen in at a roundtable meeting of executives at BBI as they discuss the company's financial statements. The meeting offers a great opportunity for you to get an insider's look into how executives develop the Management's Discussion & Analysis (MD&A).
Week Five
Lesson 09 - Business and Financial Strategy—The Process
Wednesday
Now you are going to put all of the financial knowledge you've gained during this course to work as you consider some strategies for improving BBI's financial condition. You will explore how executives bring their financial knowledge in line with business needs to make solid business decisions that will have a positive impact on the company financials.
Lesson 10 - Cutting Expenses to Boost the Bottom Line
Friday
In this lesson, you will tackle a key issue in business: cost cutting. Expenses are such a huge part of business. Here, you will see how to use your new knowledge of financial reporting and your business acumen skills to develop strategies that have a positive impact on a company's bottom line.
Week Six
Lesson 11 - Inventory and Cash Strategies
Wednesday
Continuing your exploration of financial strategy, you will use the decision-making process to examine the inventory situation at BBI and develop strategies to increase supply and production efficiencies. You will also see how to develop strategies to improve the BBI cash position so that more things can be done to increase the bottom line.
Lesson 12 - SWOT Analysis and Strategy Implementation
Friday
Now that you've gone through various strategies to increase sales, decrease expenses, and better manage company assets, it's time to see how to complete an overall strategic analysis of an organization. This lesson focuses on using an analytical process called SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) to develop strategies to move your business and your personal financial life in a positive direction.