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  2. Graduate Certificates

Accounting Graduate Certificate

Learn how to compile, analyze, and prepare critical financial information for a range of business initiatives. Through this professional graduate certificate, you develop basic knowledge in accounting for application in a range of industries and professions.

This certificate will no longer be awarded after summer 2021. For questions, email graduate_certificates@extension.harvard.edu.

Key learning outcomes

  • Knowledge of generally accepted principles that govern an entity’s financial accounting system.
  • Understanding of accounting principles required to make informed managerial decisions, such as cost terminology, cost behavior, cost systems, activity-based costing, budgeting, cost-volume-profit analysis, cost estimating, variance analysis, and responsibility accounting.
  • Ability to evaluate the financial performance of an organization and understand and communicate important information to employees, lenders, and shareholders.

Getting started

No application is required. You simply register for courses during our fall, spring, or summer registration periods. 

Earning the certificate

To meet the requirements for the certificate, you must:

  • Complete four certificate courses for graduate credit.
  • Earn at least a B grade in each course.
  • Complete the courses within three years.

Learn more about pursuing a certificate and the process of requesting your certificate.

Certificate Courses

The professional graduate certificate in Accounting requires four courses:

  • MGMT E-1000 Financial Accounting Principles or ECON S-1900 Financial Accounting (choose one course)
  • Electives (choose any three courses from select group)

We recommend that you begin this certificate with MGMT E-1000 Financial Accounting Principles or ECON S-1900 Financial Accounting.

Find Certificate Courses

Related Degrees

If you’re also considering a master’s degree, select certificate courses can be counted toward a related degree field of study.

Finance Degree Program

Gain a solid foundation in the principles of finance, becoming well informed of topics critical to financial planning, implementation, measurement, and investment.

Learn more about Finance Degree Program

Management Degree Program

Gain a solid grounding in management theory and practice through foundational subjects, including economics, accounting, finance, strategy, marketing, organizational behavior, and management.

Learn more about Management Degree Program

Related Certificates

Principles of Finance Certificate

Develop financial competency to help with business decisions

Learn more about Principles of Finance Certificate

Corporate Finance Certificate

Develop skills for financial analysis and decision making.

Learn more about Corporate Finance Certificate

 

Registration

Summer 2021 registration opens March 1. Fall 2021 registration opens in July. Start planning now by browsing the course catalog: 

Find a Course  

Have a question?

Our Enrollment Services team can answer questions about our certificates.

Get Information

Certificate at a Glance

Required Courses

4

Number of courses for this certificate.

Start browsing courses

Average Cost

$11,600

Cost of completing the certificate courses, at current tuition rates.

Time Investment

1.5

Number of years, on average, it takes to complete this certificate. You may take up to three years.

Learn more about requirements

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