Forensic Accounting Degree Online BS in Accounting Concentration

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

As part of our mission to make higher education more accessible, we’re committed to keeping our tuition rates low. In fact, we haven’t raised our online tuition rates, some of the lowest in the nation, since 2012.

Prior coursework could also help you save time and money. SNHU’s transfer policy allows you to transfer up to 90 credits toward your bachelor's degree and 45 credits for an associate degree from your previous institutions—that means you could save up to 75% off the cost of tuition. You could also save time and money by getting college credit for previous work experience, or by taking advantage of military discounts and employer tuition assistance if available to you.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 100,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• U.S. News & World Report named SNHU the 2021 Most Innovative University in the North and one of the nation's "Best Regional Universities"
• Awarded the 21st Century Distance Learning Award for Excellence in Online Technology by The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 300,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

96.5% of students would recommend SNHU (according to a 2019 survey of 9,200+ online students). Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

• Completed free undergraduate application
• Prior transcripts, which we can retrieve at no cost to you
• Test scores are not required as part of your application

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 6 (8-week) undergraduate terms.

If you’re ready to apply, follow these simple steps to get the process going:

• Complete a free undergraduate application
• Submit any additional documents required
• Work with an admission counselor to explore financial options and walk through the application process

If you have questions or need help filling out your application, call 1.888.387.0861 or email enroll@snhu.edu.

Notes: 

• Laptop or desktop?  Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility. 

• Note:  Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10. 

• Office 365 Pro Plus is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for Microsoft 365 plans for business, education and government. 

• Antivirus software: Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers. 

If you want to become a forensic accountant, a strong foundation of accounting education is key. Accounting jobs typically require at least a bachelor’s degree. Some jobs may require a master’s degree or certification.²

Forensic accountants often investigate fraud in complicated financial transactions. These include mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies and contract disputes. Forensic accountants also help catch white-collar criminals and bring them to justice.

Earning a forensic accounting degree online can give you the skills you need to get started in this exciting field.

In SNHU’s online forensic accounting degree concentration, you’ll explore the auditing process and learn how to detect, document and prevent fraud. You’ll also learn key investigative techniques. These include interviewing skills, data analysis and cyber crime prevention.

You can apply your coursework to real-world learning opportunities, such as an internship, to gain key career skills and help prepare you for future success.

You may need additional credentials beyond a bachelor's degree, depending on the forensic accounting job you want.

If you're interested in a career in fraud examination, you might want to consider becoming a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). A forensic accounting degree at SNHU can help prepare you to sit for the CFE exam. This, in turn, could help specialize your experience and differentiate you to future employers.

If, on the other hand, you’re in a position in which you’ll need to file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, you’ll need to become a Certified Public Accountant. CPAs are licensed by their state accounting board and typically must have completed 150 hours of college coursework and pass a CPA exam.³ Licensing requirements to sit for the CPA exam vary from state to state, so it’s important to review your state specific requirements.

If you want to enhance your knowledge and advance your forensic accounting career, a forensic accounting master’s degree can help. At SNHU, you can pursue a MS in Accounting online with a concentration in forensic accounting.

A master’s degree program online, or on campus, can give you the advanced accounting knowledge and professional business skills you need to advance a forensic accounting career.

It depends. At some colleges and universities, forensic accounting may be a major. At others, it may be the topic of a course within a traditional accounting degree program.

At SNHU, forensic accounting is offered as a degree concentration. With a concentration, you get the foundation of a traditional accounting degree with a focus on forensic accounting and fraud examination.

In the forensic accounting degree concentration, you’ll complete 12 credits of forensic accounting courses. These courses will dive deep into the detection and investigation of financial crime.

You’ll explore the detection, documentation and prevention of accounting frauds, stock frauds and employee theft and embezzlement. You’ll also examine types of fraud and how to assess the risks of financial fraud.

You can also gain key investigative skills you can apply to a forensic accounting or auditing career. You'll explore interviewing skills to aid the investigation of fraud. And you’ll explore how to use data analysis and technology to investigate cyber crime. You can also learn how to present digital evidence during a fraud investigation.

After graduating, you’ll be prepared to take on forensic accounting roles in accounting firms, insurance companies, law offices and government agencies.

Want to take your career even further? You could also continue your education in SNHU’s accounting master’s degree program with a forensic accounting concentration, or even an Accounting. A master's degree could help open up opportunities to the career you want.

To become a forensic accountant, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. Earning an online forensic accounting degree could be a strong place to start.

In SNHU’s forensic accounting degree concentration, you’ll be taught the basics of how to become a forensic accountant. You’ll learn key accounting practices and gain a deeper understanding of the standards used to evaluate them. You’ll also explore how to review and analyze financial statements for evidence of wrongdoing. With this training, you can be ready to spot the symptoms of fraud.

You can also gain a strong foundation of traditional accounting education. Courses will focus on cost accounting, advanced accounting techniques, federal taxation and business law.

An online forensic accounting degree can prepare you for reputable industry credentials, such as Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). Becoming a CFE can help you stand out to employers, as it denotes proven expertise in fraud prevention, detection and deterrence. CFEs are credentialed by the national Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

It depends on where you work, your job and your level of education. Jobs for forensic accountants can be found in a variety of industries, including accounting firms, government agencies and law offices. And starting salaries can vary.

BLS does not have salary data specific to forensic accountants. But in 2020, accountants earned a median salary of $73,560.² The lowest paid 10% earned less than $45,220 and the highest paid 10% earned more than $128,680.²

Accountants working in finance and insurance earned the highest median income in 2020, at $78,600.² Accountants working in government agencies had the lowest median income at $72,260.²

Your earning potential can also be impacted by your education. Workers with a master’s degree, for example, typically earn about 18% more each week than bachelor’s degree holders.²

Looking for a rewarding career that brings together the world of accounting with criminal justice? A job in forensic accounting could be right for you.

Employment of accountants and auditors is projected to grow 7% from 2020 to 2030.² Jobs for financial examiners are projected to grow 18% in the same time period.²

Technological advances are also expected to impact the field, as cyber crimes evolve and become more common.¹ With a degree in forensic accounting, you’ll gain a strong understanding of how technology affects the role of accounting. You’ll be prepared to use technology to monitor and detect fraud and financial crimes.

"My proudest accomplishment since starting this program is the fact that every day, in small ways, I can make a meaningful and positive impact in the world around me," said Sean Ball '14 '17G '19MBA. "We are the ones who hold people accountable for taking advantage of others. That has been a rewarding experience that is hard for me to express in words."

SNHU’s forensic accounting degree can give you specialized knowledge you can apply to an accounting job right away. Or, you could use your bachelor's degree learning to advance your education – and your career – with an accounting master’s degree.

¹PWC, Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey, on the internet, at: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/advisory/forensics/economic-crime-survey.html (viewed Dec. 10, 2021)

²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm (viewed Dec. 10, 2021)
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/financial-examiners.htm (viewed Dec. 10, 2021)
• https://www.bls.gov/emp/chart-unemployment-earnings-education.htm (viewed Dec. 10, 2021)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

³Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, The CFE Credential, on the internet, at: https://www.acfe.com/cfe-credential.aspx (viewed Dec. 10, 2021)