Forensic Accounting (Distance Learning) (Taught)

Overview
Are you an accountant looking to build on your existing skills, and excited about a potential career in forensic accounting? If you're keen to develop your knowledge and interested in applying your skills in civil, corporate and criminal litigation procedures, then our MSc Forensic Accounting degree course is for you.

On this course, you'll unpack the core areas of forensic accounting, including dispute and litigation support, expert witnessing, fraud examination and regulatory investigations. You'll learn to apply your expert skills in business valuation, assessment of economic damages, proceeds of crime and fraud.

The course is also available through distance learning over 2 years (starting in September), 30 months (starting in September or January), or full-time over 1 year (on campus) or part-time over 30 months (starting in September).

Once you graduate, you'll have all the tools you need for a rewarding career in forensic accounting within law firms, enforcement agencies and accountancy practices.

Accredited by:
We're a member of the Anti-Fraud Education Partnership with the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

What you'll experience
On this course, you'll:

• Investigate real-life case studies and learn the processes involved in compiling your own case, like gathering and presenting evidence and preparing expert reports

• Study exciting topics including corporate integrity and management control, fraud and forensic analysis, cybercrime, and interviewing and testimony

• Participate in webchats to discuss your work with expert staff and researchers, lecturers and other students. You'll also be supported by a personal tutor throughout the course of your studies (distance learning only)

• Complete a research project of your choice, to demonstrate your subject knowledge, analytical abilities and problem-solving skills

• Have the chance to use the University’s Bloomberg terminals to monitor and analyse company financial information

• Have 24/7 access to our library’s extensive electronic resources, including online ejournals and newspapers

Careers and opportunities
The MSc Forensic Accounting degree course will help you sharpen your accounting skills for use in civil, criminal and corporate litigation, and you'll learn the processes and procedures needed to investigate financial crime and regulatory compliance cases.

What can you do with a Forensic Accounting degree?
When you graduate, you'll be well placed for a career in dispute and litigation support, fraud examination, or forensic accounting and regulatory investigations.

Your degree can open doors to roles with:

• financial regulatory authorities

• law firms

• accountancy practices

• law enforcement agencies

We'll provide you with as much support as possible in finding employment through close industrial contacts, careers events, recruitment fairs and individual advice.

Modules

Year 1

Core modules in this year include:

• Corporate Governance and Ethics
• Expert Witnessing and Dispute Resolution
• Financial Analysis
• Financial Crime and the Law
• Fraud Examination and Forensic Investigations
• MSc Forensic Accounting Dissertation
• Statistics and Data Modelling I
• Valuations and the Expert Report
• Data Analysis and Visualisation
• Database Design and Implementation

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry.

Work experience and career planning

We'll help you to identify internships, voluntary roles and opportunities that will complement your studies.

When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your skills to work in forensic accounting.

After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.

Learning support

As well as support by faculty teaching staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).

ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:

• academic writing
• note taking
• time management
• critical thinking
• presentation skills
• referencing
• working in groups
• revision, memory and exam techniques

Teaching

Teaching on this course includes:

• lectures
• seminars
• computer-based workshops
• case studies

You'll be assessed in ways that reflect individual topics. You'll get feedback that's varied and constructive, to help build personal management and employability skills that you'll need in your career.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business