Certificate
Colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate certificates. These academic certificates are different from professional certifications, which are offered by professional associations to accountants who are already practicing in the field.
Undergraduate Certificates
An undergraduate certificate in forensic accounting is an introduction to the issues and practices of forensic accounting. It is suitable for anyone with an interest in this field. Some students are new to forensic accounting. Others are professionals in related fields, such as auditors, business owners, attorneys, risk managers, loss prevention specialists and law enforcement professionals.
Graduate Certificates
A graduate certificate in forensic accounting, known at some schools as forensic accounting and fraud examination, is designed to meet the needs of professionals. The goal is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to detect and prevent fraud. Graduate certificates require a bachelors degree for admission to the program. Some graduate certificate programs are intended for accountants seeking specialized education in forensic accounting, and require students to hold a bachelors degree in accounting. Other certificate programs are open to other professionals such as attorneys involved with financial cases.
What are the different types of certificates that I can earn in forensic accounting?
Undergraduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting
An undergraduate certificate in forensic accounting is a general introduction to the issues and practice of forensic accounting. This option is appropriate for anyone with an interest in this field.
Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting
A graduate certificate in forensic accounting or fraud examination is an in-depth examination of forensic accounting. This option is appropriate for an accountant or a professional who has a bachelors degree in a related field.
How long will I have to study to earn my certificate in forensic accounting?
Undergraduate Certificates
An undergraduate certificate in forensic accounting typically requires 12 credit hours of study, which can be completed in 9 months.
Graduate Certificates
A graduate certificate in forensic accounting typically takes 12 to 15 credit hours, and can be completed in 9 months.
What types of courses will I take while studying for my certificate in forensic accounting?
Undergraduate Certificates
To earn an undergraduate certificate in forensic accounting, you will take courses that introduce you to the daily tasks that forensic accountants commonly perform. You will take courses in the principles of fraud examination, fraud prevention and detection, litigation support and computer forensics.
Graduate Certificates
While pursuing a graduate certificate in forensic accounting, you can look forward to courses in subjects such as criminology and legal issues, fraud data analysis, fraud investigation, computer forensics and calculating damages.
What types of jobs can I hope to secure with a certificate in forensic accounting?
Neither an undergraduate nor a graduate certificate by itself will qualify you for jobs in forensic accounting. Accountants with bachelors degrees in general accounting may pursue these academic certificates to gain knowledge and skills specific to forensic accounting, fulfill requirements for professional certifications or meet the educational requirements to become licensed as Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).
What should I consider when deciding on a school to earn my certificate in forensic accounting?
When you are looking for a school to pursue your certificate in forensic accounting, consider the licensing requirements for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in your state. You do not have to earn a CPA license to become a forensic accountant, but most forensic accountants are licensed CPAs. A CPA license is very different from an academic certificate. You must be licensed as a CPA to legally perform some accounting tasks. Also, the CPA license indicates that the person who holds it has met strict professional requirements.
If you plan to become a forensic accountant, you will want to know if your academic certificate can be used to meet the education requirement to become licensed as a CPA in your state. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) provides this information for most states, or you can check with the Board of Accountancy for the state that you plan to work in.
You may also want to consider whether the school is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). There is no accreditation specifically for undergraduate or graduate certificates, but AACSB accreditation indicates that the school meets commonly accepted standards for business schools.
What are the requirements for admission to a certificate program in forensic accounting?
Undergraduate Certificates
There are no special requirements for undergraduate certificates in forensic accounting.
Graduate Certificates
Some graduate certificates in forensic accounting require a bachelors degree in accounting. Other graduate certificates are open to students with any kind of bachelors degree. Some certificates are open to both kinds of student, with additional coursework in basic accounting required for any student who does not have an accounting degree.
What about getting an online certificate in forensic accounting?
An online forensic accounting certificate is a fine way to get an introduction to forensic accounting or to gain professional skills. If you plan to use an online forensic accounting certificate to meet the education requirements for licensing as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), make sure that the online forensic accounting school is accepted by the Board of Accountancy in the state where you plan to work. Most Boards will accept an online forensic accounting school if it has regional or national accreditation. You can check a school’s accreditation status in the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. For information about individual states’ CPA licensing requirements, you can review information from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Bachelors Degree
A bachelors degree is the minimum educational requirement for a forensic accountant. With a bachelors degree, you may qualify for a junior-level accounting position. A bachelors degree will also qualify you to continue your education with a graduate certificate or a masters degree.
What are the different types of bachelors degrees that I can earn in forensic accounting?
The only type of bachelors degree available in this field is the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Forensic Accounting. The BS degree has a science and math focus, which is appropriate for accounting. This degree provides a strong foundation for a professional forensic accountant.
How long will I have to study to earn my bachelors degree in forensic accounting?
A bachelors degree in forensic accounting can be completed in 4 years and requires 120 credit hours.
What types of courses will I take while studying for my bachelors degree in forensic accounting?
As a bachelors degree student in forensic accounting, you will take general courses and specialized courses. The generalized courses include accounting fundamentals, accounting principles, accounting information systems and common accounting subjects such as spreadsheets, payroll and taxes. You will also study more specialized subjects such as fraud examination, legal elements of fraud, interviewing techniques, criminology and ethics. Forensic accounting majors also study statistics, business communication and databases. In addition, you will take the general education courses that are required of all bachelors degree students in your school, such as English composition, mathematics and history.
What types of jobs can I hope to secure with a bachelors degree in forensic accounting?
A bachelors degree in forensic accounting will qualify you for a position as a junior-level accountant at a forensic accounting firm, public accounting firm or a government agency. However, if you only have a bachelors degree and no graduate-level education, you may find it hard to compete with applicants who have additional education and possibly a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license. Many accountants obtain masters degrees to meet the educational requirements of the CPA license.
What should I consider when deciding on a school to earn my bachelors degree in forensic accounting?
In deciding on a bachelors degree program in forensic accounting, consider the licensing requirements for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in your state. You do not have to become a CPA to work as a forensic accountant, but most forensic accountants do obtain CPA licenses, and it is a desirable credential to have. You will want to make sure that your bachelors degree will apply to the CPA requirements in your state. Each state has different requirements. You can check with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) or with the Board of Accountancy for the state that you plan to work in.
You should also look for a school and program accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB accredits accounting degree programs, as well as institutions. An AACSB accredited accounting degree program meets commonly accepted standards.
What about getting an online bachelors degree in forensic accounting?
Several schools offer an online forensic accounting bachelors degree. In most respects, the subject matter of forensic accounting lends itself well to online coursework. A disadvantage to pursuing your forensic accounting degree online is that forensic accountants need to interview people for their investigations and to give expert testimony in legal proceedings. An online forensic accounting program will not give you the same kind of training in these types of oral communication as a program at a traditional brick-and-mortar school would.
Masters Degree
There are 2 types of masters degrees that are commonly pursued by people who want to become forensic accountants. The master of science (MS) degree, sometimes called the master of accountancy (MAcc), is a good option for people who are primarily interested in pursuing careers as forensic accountants. Masters degrees in forensic accounting can be earned by students who have bachelors degrees in general accounting.
The second type of degree that students can earn in this field is a masters degree in business administration (MBA). An MBA is a more general business management degree for people who would like to work as forensic accountants in addition to pursuing a career in management, or are interested in holding different roles within a company during their careers. Some schools offer an MBA in forensic accounting for students with previous coursework in accounting. Other schools offer a concentration in forensic accounting as an option for any MBA student.
What are the different types of masters degrees that I can earn in forensic accounting?
Master of Science or Master of Accountancy MSMAcc
The MS degree in forensic accounting is a specialized degree that trains students to work as forensic accountants. A masters degree also satisfies the education requirements for CPA licensing. Some schools call this degree a MAcc.
Master of Business Administration MBA
An MBA is a general business degree that trains students for top-level management positions. An MBA in forensic accounting provides education in both forensic accounting and general management practices.
How long will I have to study to earn my masters degree in forensic accounting?
An MS or MAcc in forensic accounting takes 1 year or 36 credit hours to complete for students with bachelors degrees in accounting. For students with a non-accounting background, some schools offer a 2-year masters program requiring 60 credit hours.
An MBA in forensic accounting requires a range from 36 to 57 credit hours and takes 1 to 2 years to complete for students who are enrolled full time.
What types of courses will I take while studying for my masters degree in forensic accounting?
Students who are enrolled in MS or MAcc programs for forensic accounting will take courses in introductory forensic accounting, legal procedure and professional ethics, fraud investigation, financial statement analysis, corporate governance and computer investigations. They may also take courses in business valuation, litigation support and internal auditing.
Students pursuing an MBA in forensic accounting will take mainly general business courses in managerial accounting, economic analysis, organizational behavior, marketing and management. They will also take more specialized courses in forensic accounting, auditing, legal aspects of fraud and computer forensics for accountants.
What types of jobs can I hope to secure with a masters degree in forensic accounting?
A masters degree in forensic accounting will qualify you for most jobs as a forensic accountant. An MS or MAcc degree will also prepare you to apply for licensing by the state as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). An MBA degree may also allow you to apply to become a CPA, but this depends on the degree program and the licensing requirements of the state where you intend to work. Accountants are required by law to be licensed CPAs in order to perform certain tasks. Holding a CPA is also an indicator that an accountant has met tough standards.
What should I consider when deciding on a school to earn my masters degree in forensic accounting?
Most MS or MAcc degrees will meet the requirements to apply for a CPA license. But check the requirements of your state to make sure that your investment will be worthwhile. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) has information about licensing requirements in most states. You can also find out by contacting the Board of Accountancy in your state.
You should also consider whether a school or degree program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). An AACSB accredited accounting degree program meets commonly accepted standards.
What are the requirements for admission to a masters degree program in forensic accounting?
To apply to an MS or MAcc program in forensic accounting, you need a bachelors degree. Most MS or MAcc programs require a bachelors degree in accounting, though a degree in forensic accounting is not required. If you have a bachelors degree in a non-accounting subject, there are some MS or MAcc programs that offer a 2-year option for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting.
To apply to an MBA program in forensic accounting, you need a bachelors degree. MBA programs do not require applicants to have bachelors degrees in any particular field, but many programs do require a few years of work experience.
What about getting an online masters degree in forensic accounting?
Some schools offer a forensic accounting masters degree online. This can be a fine option, especially for a busy professional who is already working as an accountant. The main disadvantage to an online forensic accounting masters degree is that education in forensic accounting includes interviewing techniques for fraud investigations and in public speaking for courtroom testimony. An online forensic accounting program will not provide you with these important communication skills nearly as well as a program at a traditional brick-and-mortar school would. If you are working as an accountant while attending your forensic accounting school online, you may be able to learn these skills on the job. Or you may supplement your online degree with continuing professional education.
