What Courses are Typical in a Forensic Accounting Degree Program?

In addition to a variety of general accounting classes, typical courses in a forensic accounting degree program include several courses related specifically to the area of forensic accounting. Required courses may vary a bit from one educational facility to the next, but there are some courses that are common to most forensic accounting programs, and five of them are described briefly in the following sections.

Principles of Auditing

One course that is typical in forensic accounting degree programs is Principles of Auditing. This is a basic auditing course that examines ethical standards required in auditing and the various auditing procedures commonly used today. Other topics that are covered in this course include audit programs and design, testing methods, communicating audit results, and evaluating internal organizational controls necessary to maintain compliance and minimize risk.

Auditing in Forensic Accounting

Another essential course that is typical in forensic accounting programs is Auditing in Forensic Accounting. This course builds upon the knowledge and skills that students acquire in the basic Principles of Auditing course. It also helps prepare students for certification offered by the National Association of Forensic Accountants. During this course, students will examine such topics as detecting, investigating, documenting, and preventing accounting fraud, stock fraud, embezzlement, and employee theft.

Detection and Prevention of Fraudulent Financial Statements

Detection and Prevention of Fraudulent Financial Statements is a typical forensic accounting course that delves deeper into forensic processes necessary to detect and prevent financial fraud. Areas of study in this course include the various types of fraud, how fraud impacts financial documents, common fraud schemes, assessing risks of financial statement fraud, and best procedures to detect, review, and investigate suspected financial statement fraud.

Investigating with Computers

Investigating with Computers teaches students how to use computers to investigate financial crimes and how to investigate computer-related financial crimes. There are many topics covered in this forensic accounting degree course including how technology aids modern financial crimes, locating digital evidence, working with financial data, legal aspects of computer crimes, and presenting investigative findings. Many schools also require students to review case examples of computer-related financial crimes and determine proper procedures for conducting an investigation.

Interview Techniques and the Legal Aspects of Fraud

Just as in many other forensic-related careers, forensic accountants may be tasked to interview individuals when investigating possible fraud cases. Interview Techniques and the Legal Aspects of Fraud is a forensic accounting degree course that prepares students for these interviews. During the course, students will explore effective interviewing methods, principles of interviewing, and the legal aspects pertaining to interviewing persons suspected of fraud, identifying fraud, and prosecuting persons involved in financial fraud.

Students who are interested in becoming forensic accountants will need to complete a variety of accounting and forensic-related courses to earn their degrees. While some of the forensic-related courses required for degree completion may vary somewhat from one school to the next, five of the typical courses in a forensic accounting degree program are described within the sections above.

What Courses are Typical in a Forensic Accounting Degree Program?