Updated in May 2025.

This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. This course offers a thorough exploration of IT governance principles and their application in information systems auditing. You will begin with the foundational aspects of governance, including the policies, controls, and best practices that support effective enterprise IT management. Understanding the role of business intelligence, strategic planning, and organizational structures will be crucial for those looking to align IT initiatives with broader business goals. Detailed discussions on IT standards, policies, and procedures will provide the clarity needed to differentiate and implement these essential governance components effectively. As you progress, the course delves into risk management and maturity models, which are critical for conducting comprehensive risk-based audits. You will explore various risk analysis methodologies and learn how to apply frameworks like ISACA’s Capability Maturity Model Integration to assess the maturity of controls and policies within an organization. Key concepts such as roles, responsibilities, and the segregation of duties will be covered to ensure a holistic understanding of governance structures and their impact on risk management and audit quality. In the final modules, the course focuses on resource management, cloud governance, and quality assurance. You will gain insights into managing IT resources, handling organizational change, and adhering to industry standards and regulations. Additionally, you will learn how to assess third-party services, govern cloud environments, and implement performance monitoring frameworks like COBIT and ITIL. By the end of the course, you will be equipped with the expertise to perform high-quality IS audits and contribute significantly to your organization’s IT governance and compliance strategies. This course is designed for IT professionals, auditors, and governance specialists seeking to deepen their knowledge in IT governance and prepare for the CISA certification exam. A basic understanding of information systems and governance principles is recommended, though no prior CISA experience is necessary.