Master’s Degree Programs in Forensic Accounting

The temptation to “fix” a company’s accounting books may be alluring, particularly in a time of economic unrest or while a company is on the road to recovery. After all, who would really be able to tell if a few cents went missing here and there?

Unfortunately for would-be racketeers, there are professionals trained to detect fraudulent changes in accounting. Forensic accountants protect fraud detection, financial statement sheets, and auditing and assurance for small businesses and large corporations. Many master’s degree programs in forensic accounting are available to give financial crime fighters the knowledge and training they need to pursue this analytical and growing career.

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024) does not track data specific to forensic accounting, the growth rate for accountants overall is expected to be 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, with a reported median salary of $79,880 for accountants and auditors (BLS 2024). Please see our Forensic Accountant Salary & Career Outlook for more detailed information.

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), forensic accountants with a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential can expect to earn 17 percent more than their non-certified colleagues. In addition, the BLS estimates that 91,400 new positions will be created in the coming decade, working in all industries where accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services are provided (BLS 2024).

For those who want to balance budgets and bring justice to white-collar crimes, becoming a forensic accountant offers an opportunity to specialize in the growing field of accounting. Read on to learn more about master’s degree programs in forensic accounting.

Prerequisites for a Master’s in Forensic Accounting

Admission requirements for students seeking master’s in forensic accounting degrees will vary by program and school. For example, at the School of Business at the University at Albany, a State University of New York (SUNY), an undergraduate degree in accounting is required for master’s degree applicants. Interested applicants who have not earned this degree must have a minimum of 24 undergraduate credits in accounting.

By comparison, the prerequisites are different for master’s degree applicants at the West Virginia University (WVU), where applicants need an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.9 or higher), a statement of purpose, and a current resume. In addition, applicants must also verify they have completed prerequisite courses in the principles of accounting, intermediate accounting, accounting systems, and auditing theory.

Other schools may only require completing a bachelor’s degree, although undergraduate accounting coursework will indeed offer a learning advantage. Many other requirements may be necessary for admission to a master’s degree program, including letters of recommendation, completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the GMAT, a standard GPA, often a minimum of 3.0, and even an interview.

Common Courses in Master’s Programs in Forensic Accounting

Many master’s in forensic accounting programs will be from 30 to 36 credits in length. Some may be fast-tracked and completed in one year, while others may allow students to work at their own pace.

In general, the master of forensic accounting, often referred to as an MFAcc or MFA, enables students to learn more about aspects of the field, such as criminology, legal issues, professional ethics, and various data-analysis methodologies. Students may also learn about cyber forensics, internal auditing, and risk management. Case studies and role management may be part of some learning, and some courses may even be offered as part of a master of science (MS) in forensic accounting program.

Master’s-level courses often include:

• Fraud examination: detection and deterrence
• Principles of forensic accounting
• Topics in audit and assurance services
• Economic analysis
• Digital forensics
• Financial statement analysis

Students in a master’s in forensic accounting program may also be allowed to complete the extra coursework needed to apply for certified public accountant (CPA) licensure. This is true of the masters in forensic accounting programs at the University at Albany and the Old Westbury, State University of New York.

Additionally, many of these programs prioritize flexibility for students, offering them online learning or the ability to take classes in the evening. For example, at the College of Brockport, classes in its forensics accounting masters start after 5 pm so that students have the chance to work or complete internships during the day. Students can also complete their degree in either one or two years at the school, depending upon their part-time or full-time enrollment.

Finally, students can take up to nine credits, or three courses, on a non-matriculated basis, meaning they don’t even have to be admitted into the program.

Hybrid and Online Degrees in Forensic Accounting

To offer students even more options, master’s in forensic accounting programs are being made available through web-based learning, which may be wholly online or available through hybrid learning that provides a mixture of campus-based and online classes. Below is a list of schools offering some of these online options for masters in forensic accounting.

New England College

New England College offers an online master of science program in forensic accounting that teaches traditional accounting theory and investigative and auditing skills and tactics. Through this program’s interdisciplinary approach, students will develop knowledge and understanding of investigative techniques, forensic accounting, and the proper preparation and reporting process for litigation.

Preparing students to obtain in-demand CFE and CPA certifications, this fully online program prepares graduates for roles such as forensic accountants, fraud examiners, auditors, fraud investigators, forensic analysts, or fraud investigators.

Made up of 40 credits, the program includes courses such as cost accounting; federal taxation; accounting for mergers and acquisitions; international accounting; internal audit and risk management; business crime and ethical behavior; fraud risk management and interrogation; and litigation services, the role of the accountant as an expert.

• Location: Henniker, NH
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two years

Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, is yet another school that has an executive online master’s program in accounting with a concentration in forensic accounting that students can complete in two years. This program is offered by the College of Business which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Graduates from this program have a solid background in fraud investigation and prevention, dispute resolution, and expert testimony.

This 30—to 36-credit program includes courses such as advanced digital forensics in forensic accounting, advanced auditing theory and practice, forensic accounting, fraud, and taxation, interviewing for forensic accountants and auditors, accounting fraud examination concepts, conduct and procedures, forensic accounting and the legal environment, and accounting fraud examination conduct and procedures.

• Location: Boca Raton, FL
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 32 months

Utica University

Utica University offers an online master of science program in forensic accounting where graduates will be provided with in-depth knowledge of how to combine forensic accounting, analysis, and auditing with investigative technologies and techniques helping them become top candidates for future positions.

In addition to preparing students for CPA licensure, the program also prepares them for two additional financial forensic certifications: the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

While many students who enter this program have a bachelor’s degree in accounting, the university also welcomes students who hold undergraduate degrees in other areas.

This 30-credit program includes courses such as forensic accounting, accounting theory and practice, advanced auditing, quantitative analysis for management, financial investigations, fraud management and technology, essential topics and emerging trends in cybercrime investigations, computer forensics and investigation methods, and legal concepts of criminal fraud.

Graduates can take up roles such as forensic accounting managers, fraud investigators, financial forensic analysts, senior forensic consultants, internal audit directors, anti-money laundering specialists, and operational risk consultants.

• Location: Utica, NY
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two years

West Virginia University

West Virginia University’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics offers an online master of science program in forensic and fraud examination that leads the way in developing the national curriculum for forensic and fraud accounting programs on behalf of the National Institute of Justice (Department of Justice).

Moreover, the program has emphasis options in management; business data analytics; business cybersecurity technically-focused; and business cybersecurity management/compliance. Courses in this 30-credit program include accounting for forensic and fraud investigators; fraud investigation; fraud data analysis; fraud: criminology/legal issues; advanced fraud investigation; forensic and fraud examination advanced analytical techniques; and private company valuation.

Students in this program will be able to put their investigative skills to the test in the program’s capstone experiences. They will work on cases involving money laundering, basic fraud, organized crime, financial statement fraud, terrorism financing, and Litigation support.

Graduates will be ready to take up roles such as fraud examiners or investigators, forensic science technicians, criminal investigators or special agents, quality control analysts, or private detectives.

• Location: Morgantown, WV
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two years

Carlow University

Carlow University offers an online master of science program in forensic accounting & fraud investigation. Students through this program will be able to advance their auditing and accounting skills, as well as gain the ability to conduct external and internal fraud investigations, evaluate risk, write external and internal procedures and policies, use technology tools for data analysis of financial statements and evidence, and examine financial statements. Additionally, the program’s optional cyber threat research and analytics track prepares learners to investigate and evaluate digital financial threats.

This 30-credit program includes courses on white-collar crime, elements of money laundering, fraud prevention and ethics, psychological dimensions of financial and cyber crimes, legal elements of fraud, audit procedures for detecting fraud, technology tools for fraud examiners, and comprehensive fraud investigation. A residency is available through the NCFTA MOU, which can be completed online or in person.

In addition, Carlow has anti-fraud educational partnerships with the National Cyber Forensics Training Alliance (NCFTA) and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). After graduation, students will be prepared to sit for the CFE exam and qualify for the 150 hours required to take the CPA exam.

• Location: Pittsburgh, PA
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Expected Time to Completion: 14 months

Stevenson University

Stevenson University offers an online master of science program in forensic accounting, preparing students for careers in fraud prevention and investigative accounting. Through this fully online program, accounting professionals will be able to evaluate financial evidence, assess the adequacy of internal control structures, effectively communicate their findings, analyses, and conclusions during legal proceedings, and assess fraud risk.

The program, which comprises 30 credits, includes courses such as foundations of justice, litigation theory and practice, forensic research and writing, forensic information technology, fraud: accounting, investigation and analysis: auditing, investigation and analysis: tax, and white-collar crimes.

• Location: Owings Mills, MD
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two years

Murray State University

Murray State University’s Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business offers an online master of business administration program with a concentration in forensic accounting where students will be able to enhance their ability to identify financial misrepresentation and detect fraud.

Students in this AACSB-accredited program will learn how to identify fraudulent transactions and read financial statements through advanced accounting knowledge and specialized forensic expertise. In addition, the program’s career-relevant coursework will prepare graduates to sit for the CPA Exam and fulfill required education hours.

The program, which is made up of 30 credits, includes courses such as introduction to business analytics, marketing planning and application, forensic accounting and fraud examination, business valuation, legal environment for fraud management professionals, and fraud analytics.

• Location: Murray, KY
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 18 months

There is no shortage of hybrid and online master’s degree programs focused on forensic accounting. Working students can choose from general accounting degree programs with a forensic accounting concentration or pursue a master’s degree that focuses entirely on the field of forensic accounting. The schools mentioned above are fully accredited at the institutional level, and some hold programmatic accreditation.

To learn more, please visit our online forensic accounting programs page.