A.S. Forensic Accounting Program Information
Available online at Franklin University .
Forensic accounting is the specialty practice area of accountancy describing work that results from actual or anticipated disputes or litigation. Forensic accountants - sometimes called forensic auditors or investigative auditors - are often called to provide expert testimony at trial. Graduates with majors in Forensic Accounting are prepared for employment or promotion in public accounting, private industry or government. They also have the requisite educational background to seek professional certification (e.g., Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Internal Auditor). These designations are achieved following successful passage of rigorous examinations, and in the case of the Certified Public Accountant certification, additional study beyond that required for the Bachelor of Science degree. Preparatory courses are available, and often beneficial, to the graduate seeking such certifications. Qualified students are encouraged to gain additional training and work experience through internships with certified public accounting firms, private industry and government. All Forensic Accounting students take a two-course sequence in intermediate accounting. The intermediate courses and a four-course sequence in fraud examination provide the conceptual framework for the major. Members of the University's Forensic Accounting faculty are active in the accounting professions. Instructors have extensive professional accounting experience and most work or have worked in government or private industry, or at top firms.
Demonstrate technical accounting skills in intermediate-level accounting topics/concepts.
Demonstrate the ability to research and analyze specific intermediate-level accounting issues.
Demonstrate oral and written communication skills.
Demonstrate the ability to research and analyze fraudulent activities in an organization and recommend needed internal control measures.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| ACCT 310 | I, R | I, R | ||
| ACCT 320 | R, A | R, A | ||
| ACCT 341 | I | I | ||
| ACCT 342 | R | R | ||
| ACCT 343 | R | R | ||
| ACCT 344 | R, A | R, A |
Curriculum & Course Descriptions
In this course, students acquire the writing competencies necessary for completing analytical and argumentative papers supported by secondary research. A variety of assignments, beginning with personal reflections, build upon one another, as students develop ideas that respond to, critique, and synthesize the positions of others. Students systematize and organize knowledge in ways that will help them in all their courses. The course also emphasizes the elements of critical reading, effective writing style, appropriate grammar and mechanics, clarity of language, and logical and cohesive development. It culminates in submission of an extended, documented research paper.
This course introduces you to statistics with applications to various areas. The course covers both descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics included are: sampling techniques, data types, experiments; measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, graphical displays of data, basic probability concepts, binomial and normal probability distributions, sampling distributions and Central Limit Theorem; confidence intervals, hypothesis tests of a mean, or a proportion for one or two populations, and linear regression.
Choose either MATH 140 Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning or MATH 150 Fundamental Algebra as the prerequisite. Course can count as a University Elective.
An introduction to economic theory involving the basic underlying causes and principles of the operation of an economic system. Emphasis is placed on studying the economy as a whole. Issues of inflation, unemployment, taxation, business cycles and growth are discussed in the context of the global economic system.
2 credits from the following types of courses:
Choose from the Anthropology, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology disciplines.
6 credits from the following types of courses:
Two courses from the Science discipline. One course must have a lab component.
The goal of this course is to help you improve as a critical, logical thinker. You will be introduced to the art of formulating and assessing arguments according to the standards of logical thinking and critical analysis. You will discover how to apply these valuable skills to your studies and everyday life, learning how to overcome obstacles to critical thinking, and how to avoid being deceived by means of misleading reasoning.
4 credits from the following types of courses:
Choose from the Art, English Literature, Fine Arts, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Religion or Theater disciplines.
This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferrable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for time management, goal setting, reading comprehension, and advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments.
This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments. The assignments and activities in the course are created to closely simulate teamwork found in the workplace.
By using applied critical and creative thinking, students in this course will develop a set of communication skills that will enhance their personal and professional relationships and endeavors. This course will focus on skill development in key areas such as self, perception, listening, verbal messages, conversations, relationships, conflict management, persuasion, and presentation skills.
This basic public-speaking course intends to improve the student's ability to think critically and to communicate orally. Theory and practice are provided in various speaking situations. Each student is required to speak before an audience, but class work also involves reading, gathering and organizing information, writing, and listening.
This course focuses on using spreadsheets to solve business problems.
3 credits from the following types of courses:
Any General Education course at the 100 or 200 level.
This course is an introduction to accounting, emphasizing how general-purpose financial statements communicate information about the business corporation's performance and position for users external to management. Approximately one third of the course emphasizes how the accountant processes and presents the information and includes exposure to recording transactions, adjusting balances and preparing financial statements for service and merchandise firms according to established rules and procedures. The balance of the course examines major elements of the statements such as cash, receivables, inventory, long-lived assets, depreciation, time value of money, payroll, bonds, and other liabilities and stocks. Concepts of this course are applied to ACCT 225 (Managerial Accounting). Students are advised to avoid any time lapse between these two courses.
The study of management accounting for internal reporting and decision-making. The course introduces a business-management approach to the development and use of accounting information. Major topics include cost behavior, cost analysis, profit planning and control measures. Accounting for decentralized operations, capital budgeting decisions, and ethical challenges in managerial accounting are also covered.
This course explores the basic concepts and processes of management. Students will explore the functional roles and processes of planning, leading, organizing, and controlling comprising the manager role. Students develop skills related to the manager function that are required in today's competitive environment.
Intermediate Accounting I is the first of two in-depth financial accounting courses. Theory, the conceptual framework, development of generally accepted accounting principles, and applications are stressed. Topics include the income statement, statement of cash flows and, the balance sheet, specifically the asset accounts.
This course is the second of two in-depth financial accounting courses. Theory, concepts, and applications are stressed. Topics include time value of money, current and non-current liabilities, leases, deferred taxes, retirement benefits, stockholders' equity, earnings per share, accounting changes and errors, and the statement of cash flows.
The majority of the course is focused on detecting the most common types of occupational fraud, determining how each type of fraud is committed, and implementing prevention strategies. This course provides an overview of the behavioral research associated with occupational fraud and the methodology of fraud examination (i.e., obtaining documentary evidence, interviewing witnesses and potential suspects, writing investigative reports, testifying to findings, and forensic document examination).
At least 4 credits from the following courses:
This course starts with an overview of key legislation and guidelines associated with corporate governance. This includes analyzing the components of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations? (COSO) internal control framework, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 99, and the role of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). However, the primary focus of the course is on identifying, documenting, analyzing, and testing internal controls in an organization as part of an effective fraud prevention program.
This course provides an overview of techniques and strategies used in interviewing and interrogation of witnesses and suspects. In addition, it explores the legal issues associated with fraud investigations and the criminal and civil legal systems under which perpetrators are judged.
Data analytics is changing the face of business and will play an increasing role in decision-making and financial statement audits. In this course, students will learn the process used in data analytics. Students will also gain hands-on practice in using data analytics to provide information for decision-making. The course provides an overview of different tools used in Data Analytics.
Forensic accounting and fraud examination require the engagement of many skills. The focus of this course is to acquire experience in one of the most important skills?communication. You will learn and review some of the other skills such as interviewing and investigation. You will then practice methods of communication employed in various situations that you could encounter in your career, including written and verbal communication.
All students are required to pass College Writing (ENG 120), and either Basic Learning Strategies (PF 121) or Learning Strategies (PF 321) prior to enrolling in any course at the 200 level or above. Students who enroll at Franklin with 30 or fewer hours of transfer credit are required to pass PF 121 Basic Learning Strategies in place of PF 321 Learning Strategies. Interpersonal Communication (COMM 150) or Speech Communication (SPCH 100) must be taken prior to enrolling in any course at the 300 level or above. Students must also meet the University algebra competency requirement.