• University of Leeds
  • ICAEW logo

The Importance of Money in Business

Understand the role that money plays in business success and increase your career prospects with this free online course.

18,455 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    4 hours

All organisations - whether multinationals, small and medium-sized enterprises, or not-for-profits - need money to be sustainable, and achieve their vision and objectives.

This award-winning free online course gives you the opportunity to delve into the exciting world of business, and gain the skills that are required by employers for a successful career in accountancy, finance and business.

Learn from the real life experiences of business professionals

Over four weeks, you will get insights from business professionals and entrepreneurs at leading global brands including adidas, PwC, FitFlop, Cobra Beer, Ryecroft Glenton, ICAEW, Save the Children, Wow Company, Tea Huggers, Tesco, M&S and NHS.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • demonstrate your commercial awareness to employers;
  • have confidence in dealing with financial matters;
  • appreciate the impact of cash flow on a business;
  • and understand the strategies used for growing a business.

Gain the business, finance and accounting skills needed to succeed

Led by Professor Peter Moizer, Dean of the Leeds University Business School, the course will show you a creative and innovative approach to developing the business, finance and accounting skills needed to succeed.

Content will be delivered through videos, animations, interviews, hints and tips, quizzes and discussions with other learners around the world.

The course will enable you to map your skills and gain evidence of your experience, to create a comprehensive record of learning and develop your CV.

You will also be able to buy a Statement of Participation, or sit an optional examination to achieve a Statement of Attainment, to enhance your career prospects.

What business professionals say

“Go into it, open your eyes, gain an understanding, absorb information and then you will be more educated and more informed as to the opportunities that are out there.” - Judith, adidas.

You can find out more about this course in two posts on the FutureLearn blog: Peter Moizer discusses why managing your company’s finances is key, while Alice Shepherd talks about the lasting impact of money problems in business.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 3 seconds Money is so important for the smooth running of a business. Without money, we can’t pay for our stock. We wouldn’t be able to rent our stores. We wouldn’t even be able to pay our staff and pay my salary. So it’s very important. A business is only going to be successful if it provides a product that people want. Ultimately, you need to have something that a consumer desires. When we decided to set up the business, we actually sat down with just a few blank pieces of paper and said, right, what do we want to be famous for? On this course, we’re going to introduce you to the people who manage money within a wide variety of businesses.

Skip to 0 minutes and 35 seconds Through their unique insights, you will gain the knowledge you need to help you understand how to develop the key skills for a career in business. A basic understanding of finance can help people in their wider jobs, the wider professions. It’s something that will continually help you build throughout your life. The course is aimed at anyone who has an interest in business, whether that’s someone who’s already working in a non-financial role. It could also be somebody who is thinking about a career in finance and wants to know a little bit more about what that might involve. If you haven’t had any previous exposure to accountancy and finance in the world of business, it’s a really, really good introduction.

Skip to 1 minute and 14 seconds People that really are committed to their continued learning and development are the type of people that we want to bring into our business. The benefits for someone doing this course would be, it would develop their broader skill set, which makes them more commercially aware, to help further their career. The reason we at the Business School at the University of Leeds are partnered with ICAEW is because we both share a passion for improving the knowledge of how businesses work in the real world. One of the things that ICAEW wants to do is spread the word about accountancy and help people have a better understanding about all the issues around finance, around business.

Skip to 1 minute and 47 seconds And so what we’re doing with this course is making sure that we are sharing that information, helping people be more aware that money matters, but that actually making decisions that add value matters even more. So whether you’re looking for a career in finance, taking the next step in education, or are interested in how a business works, this course has been designed for you. So join us as we discover the importance of money in business.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

Who is the course for?

No previous knowledge or experience of accountancy, finance or business is required, just an interest in the role of money in business success.

So, whether you are a student at school or college; an undergraduate at university; or working and wanting to develop your career, this course is for you.

Who will you learn with?

Professor Moizer has been the Dean of Leeds University Business School since 2008. He was a Council member of the ICAEW and is a strategic advisor to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (€22 billion)

I am a Senior Teaching Fellow in Accounting and Finance at Leeds University Business School. I am an ICAEW chartered accountant with experience in the 'Big 4'.

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

ICAEW

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control

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