2026-2027

Corporate Accounting and Financial Management, Undergraduate Certificate

Department of Economics, Finance, and Accounting

The W. A. Franke College of Business

This certificate is available only to Business majors in The W. A. Franke College of Business. While much financial management takes place in departmental or small business settings, the field of corporate financial management requires a more integrative perspective, including the ability to forecast financials, prepare strategies for guiding the corporate "ship" through rocky waters, and raise capital to fund growth opportunities. With five upper-division courses, students will gain an understanding of corporate theory, learn to apply theory and methodologies to real-world situations, and improve their spreadsheet modeling and communication skills.

  • To receive an undergraduate certificate at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
     

    Federal financial aid is not available for some certificates if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program). See the "Details" tab for additional information.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 15
Major GPA 2.0
Highest Mathematics Required MAT 121
Additional Admission Requirements Required

Purpose Statement

The Certificate in Corporate Accounting and Financial Management (available to Franke College of Business students only) provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to understand and navigate the world of corporate accounting and finance. With a focus on advanced managerial, corporate financial, and accounting management, as well as corporate investment strategy, students will gain an understanding of long-term corporate growth strategies and assets, including capital investment decisions, performance measurement systems, strategic cost management, operating leases, and investments in securities.

This certificate builds on the foundational knowledge of accounting, finance, and financial statement analysis to focus on managing assets and strategizing for growth and improving profitability. The curriculum is designed to ensure that students have a strong substantive understanding of the role of managerial costing, operations, investment, and asset management in the financial health and strength of a company. With an intensive, application-based course in corporate finance cases, students learn theory and analyze how that theory applies in real-life situations and how the application, or misapplication, of theory has impacted real corporations. This certificate can be used as preparation to take professional exams such as the Certified Management Accountant (CMA), which covers, in two parts, Strategic Financial Management and Reporting, and Performance and Analytics.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Identify, define, describe, and forecast the components of financial statements.
  • Prepare financial statements.
  • Use strategic cost management to make decisions to improve profitability.
  • Develop a balanced scorecard to track performance.
  • Develop cost management and pricing in an international organization.
  • Develop performance measurement and management control systems
  • Explain agency costs and internal conflicts among corporate stakeholders.
  • Analyze alternative financing tools such as hybrid instruments and leases.
  • Valuate assets with embedded flexibilities.
  • Assess debt policy and payout policy.
  • Estimate cash flows for capital budgeting projects and apply capital budgeting techniques to cash flow forecasts.
  • Analyze conflicts and moral hazard issues between shareholders and management to align interests through incentives, governance, and corporate policies.
  • Identify and explain the causes of risk, how to measure and price risk, and how to assess the effects of risk in managerial decision making.
  • Communicate effectively in written and oral formats for a variety of purposes, situations, and audiences. Additionally, learners will communicate effectively as both individuals and as part of a group presentation.
  • Demonstrate team collaboration skills to achieve a common objective within a diverse workforce, including productively contributing to team activities and goals, and effectively interacting/engaging with others based on individual differences and group dynamics.

Additional Admission Requirements

  • Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

    • This certificate is available only for those students with the Business Professional Program milestone.
Certificate Requirements

  • This certificate may only be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program. This certificate is not available as a stand-alone certificate.

Additional Information

  • The FCB does not accept upper-division transfer credits from programs not accredited by the AACSB (such as the University of Phoenix or the Bachelor of Business Administration program at NAU).

    You must complete 50 percent, or 9 units, of certificate coursework that are not used in your major, minor, or other certificates, and you must complete at least 60 percent of certificate coursework at Northern Arizona University.

  • Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.