I Have a Degree (it's 57 years old) but I want to

[BevoSwag 272]

understand Accounting and be able to read financial statements.  I'm aware of on line aids like Investopedia, etc. but what I would really like to do is take online accounting courses from 101 through the most complicated without trying to obtain a degree.  From what I have seen most places want your online work to be directed to obtaining a degree.

Does anyone know where why I can just log in and begin taking accounting courses and not other electives?

 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

3 minutes ago, BevoSwag said:

understand Accounting and be able to read financial statements.  I'm aware of on line aids like Investopedia, etc. but what I would really like to do is take online accounting courses from 101 through the most complicated without trying to obtain a degree.  From what I have seen most places want your online work to be directed to obtaining a degree.

Does anyone know where why I can just log in and begin taking accounting courses and not other electives?

 

You should talk to these folks.

[SDG 3335]

I’ve used iTunesU & Coursera which are great for things like accounting and finance. There’s also khan academy or other MOOCs like edX or MITs open courseware. If you want to learn something there are options available.   

[52-80 19377]

17 minutes ago, BevoSwag said:

understand Accounting and be able to read financial statements.  I'm aware of on line aids like Investopedia, etc. but what I would really like to do is take online accounting courses from 101 through the most complicated without trying to obtain a degree.  From what I have seen most places want your online work to be directed to obtaining a degree.

Does anyone know where why I can just log in and begin taking accounting courses and not other electives?

 

Accounting 101 itself is pretty lame.  If you want to understand accounting in context of reading statements to valuate companies and markets, check out videos from Aswath Damodaran on YouTube and his website on NYU.  He breaks it out into pretty straight forward terms

[TwiceHorn 32029]

23 minutes ago, BevoSwag said:

understand Accounting and be able to read financial statements.  I'm aware of on line aids like Investopedia, etc. but what I would really like to do is take online accounting courses from 101 through the most complicated without trying to obtain a degree.  From what I have seen most places want your online work to be directed to obtaining a degree.

Does anyone know where why I can just log in and begin taking accounting courses and not other electives?

 

Rather than accounting, you may want to focus on "reading financial statements" or financial statement analysis.

My Mom made me take accounting at community college, which seemed wise and I did it.  But the minutiae of debit-credit double-entry accounting is not necessary to analyze financial statements.  It's kind of interesting in its own right, but also tedious as hell.  This coming from an engineer and lawyer.  I know tedium.

Edited May 14, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Cheeseweasel 26439]

6 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

But the minutiae of debit-credit double-entry accounting is not necessary to analyze financial statements.  It's kind of interesting in its own right, but also tedious as hell. 

This. I've reviewed Balance Sheets and Income Statements every month for 25 years and my accounting skills suck (I blame my Engineering background).

One thing about BS/IS that helps--you need to understand the business, otherwise it's just data. Comparative analysis is where it's at. 

I would suggest that OP go down the YouTube wormhole on reading financial statements before taking any classes. And feel free to hit us up for specific questions.

 

[Celery Man 21079]

a lot has changed with accounting since you were in school - they actually invented math, written language, and the concept of money

[freyguy 4366]

but 1+1 is still never equal to 2.

[Apep 645]

You can take the basic accounting courses online through most JuCos. You have a nominal degree or certificate program, but you just take whatever (as long as you have the prereqs) and no one cares. The only problem with this route is that you may be forced to take financial one semester and then managerial the next. Then you can take fun classes like financial statement analysis. Or you may be lucky and get a place with a combined intro to accounting course.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10768]

This sounds like what you are looking for:

https://online-learning.harvard.edu/course/financial-accounting?delta=0

[Cheeseweasel 26439]

32 minutes ago, freyguy said:

but 1+1 is still never equal to 2.

I want this guy doing my taxes.

[tx 3 putt 78577]

YouTube 

[UTPhil2006 3922]

[Upgrayedd 5864]

Debits go on the left  Credits go on the right.

[NeverMarryAStripper 22259]

I learned debits to the window and credits to the door

[HornOnTheBayou 9061]

I can’t believe what a bunch of nerds we are. We’re looking up money laundering in a dictionary.

[Bevo&Pevo 5512]

you'll need to upgrade the ol' abacus.

[RDCanecutter 26862]

On 5/14/2020 at 10:26 AM, BevoSwag said:

understand Accounting and be able to read financial statements.  I'm aware of on line aids like Investopedia, etc. but what I would really like to do is take online accounting courses from 101 through the most complicated without trying to obtain a degree.  From what I have seen most places want your online work to be directed to obtaining a degree.

Does anyone know where why I can just log in and begin taking accounting courses and not other electives?

 

I bet if you show up at a school and rattle a dollar, they will find a way to help you "continue your lifelong quest for knowledge," or whatever the buzzwords are that they say in those NPR announcer voices.

Maybe rattle two dollars.

[Bevo 13840]

I watched The Accountant which has given me a pretty good idea of what accountants do.

[dirtonia 271]

Check out the UT Extension program https://extension.utexas.edu.

They prolly have a lot of the Business Foundations program on there.

[ButtFumble 5253]

I thought you were going to say some bull shit about wanting another degree "just to learn" and I was going to suggest www.seeking.com as a cheaper and faster alternative to what you were really looking for