Course Description
This course is a practical introduction to financial and accounting concepts that will equip you to make decisions based on financial information as a leader of organization. The course will teach you to interpret and apply financial information for short, medium and long-term decisions. The course is practical, using case studies to explore the financial information of different types of real organizations. Assessments throughout the course allow you the opportunity to apply what you learn to decisions you face in your organization.
Course Outline
Topics and concepts you will study in the course include the following:
- Using Financial Information for Decision-Making
- Introduction to Financial Statements
- What Financial Statements Tell You About an Organization
- Introduction to Budgeting
- Building a Useful and User-Friendly Budget
- Using a Budget for Daily Decision-Making
- Ratios for Financial Decision-Making
- Developing Analytical Tools for Financial Decision-Making
What You Will Learn
- You will learn to NOT be afraid of financial information and financial processes.
- You will learn to understand the story that financial information tells about an organization.
- You will learn how to use key financial information to guide your decision-making as an organizational leader.
Microcredential
This course provides learners with the opportunity to earn a microcredential. A microcredential is evidence of a skill or competency that is employment related. Dalhousie microcredentials are developed in collaboration with employers, industries, and/or organizations that relate to the content. A microcredential can be displayed on social media pages, digital resumes, personal webpages, and in email signatures. To earn the microcredential in this course, learners will need to successfully complete a competency-based assessment.
To learn more about microcredentials and how they can enhance your learning portfolio, watch this 30-second YouTube video (video opens in a new window).
Notes
The Faculty of OLCD recommends an intermediate level of English language proficiency for the most effective learning and participation in our online and face-to-face courses. A list of minimum recommended scores on some common English tests can be found on our website. If you have questions about your English language proficiency and ability to succeed in this course, please contact openlearning@dal.ca.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Recommended For
This course is recommended for:
- Aspiring, new and current leaders or managers who need to understand and use financial information to make decisions in their organizations.
- Current leaders or managers who are not comfortable discussing and interpreting their organization’s financial information.
- Current leaders or managers who would like a refresher on how to use their organization’s financial information for decision-making.
The course requires a minimum commitment of three hours a week over twelve weeks.
Applies Towards the Following Certificates
- Associate Certificate in Local Government : Required (II)
- Certificate in Finance and Risk Management : Required
- Certificate in Police Leadership : Elective
Craig Drover has extensive experience in the public and private sectors and is currently the Director of Corporate Services for a provincial government agency in Newfoundland and Labrador. He is a part-time instructor in the Business Management faculty at the College of the North Atlantic in St. John's. He holds an MBA from Memorial University and is also a Chartered Professional Accountant.