Forensic Accounting Certificate Online Graduate Certification Courses

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Prior coursework and work experience could also help you save time and money. SNHU’s transfer policy allows you to transfer up to 12 credits from your previous institution. You could also earn college credit for previous work experience.

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

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
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• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

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.

93.6% of online students would recommend SNHU (according to a 2022 survey with 17,000+ respondents). 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.

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Forensic accounting is a specialized form of accounting that typically revolves around financial disputes or fraud. These accountants investigate and audit accounts and records to help others either come to an agreement or be brought to trial.

A few areas in which forensic accountants can help people or organizations include:

• Bribery and/or corruption
• Business losses and/or bankruptcy
• Counterintelligence and/or terrorism
• Customer fraud
• Family/marital disputes
• Hidden or misappropriated assets
• Insurance claims
• Money laundering
• Tax fraud

Earning a forensic accounting certificate as a complement to your bachelor's degree in accounting can give you an enviable skill set.

"This is a good certificate for someone already working in accounting, with a bachelor's in accounting, and wants to move into a forensic accounting and fraud examination position," said Mona Stephens, accounting faculty lead at Southern New Hampshire University.

She said that forensic accountants may be asked to:

• Trace funds and identify assets for recovery
• Conduct analysis of financial data
• Prepare reports from financial findings
• Prepare data for litigation and testify as needed

You'll also need to be on the watch for both internal and external perpetrators. In a 2020 survey, they were both about an equal risk to a company.²

You can become a Certified Forensic Accountant through the American Board of Forensic Accounting.⁴

So, how can you earn this certification?

• Apply for ABFA membership, and share your accounting education and experience.
• Take the review program.
• Pass the certification exam, which includes sections on cyber, fraud, litigation, practice/theory and valuations.

You may also consider earning the Certified Fraud Examiner credential through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.³

And how can you become a CFE?

• Join ACFE, and share your education, affiliations and experience.
• Study and prepare with provided resources.
• Apply to take the exam.
• Pass the certification exam, which includes sections on financial transactions/fraud schemes, fraud prevention/deterrence, investigation and law.

SNHU's online forensic accounting courses could help put you in a position to do well on the exams and get the certifications that employers like to see on a resume.

The best forensic accounting certification is the one that gives you both the skills you need and the recognition from employers.

Many would argue that the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential is the one that organizations look for in a forensic accountant. Administered by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), it's considered the world's largest anti-fraud organization.

The ACFE notes that CFEs are different because they have a "unique set of skills that are not found in any other career field or discipline; they combine knowledge of complex financial transactions with an understanding of methods, law and how to resolve allegations of fraud."³

The organization reports that to become a CFE, you must meet high educational, professional and ethical standards – and that's because the certification is considered one of the most marketable credentials out there today.³

In 2021 the median annual salary for accountants and auditors was $77,250 – well above the wages for all workers.¹ But forensic accountants may be able to earn quite a bit more.

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the median annual salary for forensic accountants in 2017-18 was $82,938.⁴

However, that salary has the potential to increase with certification. And when you earn an online forensic accounting certificate at Southern New Hampshire University, you become better prepared to sit for the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) exam.

According to ACFE, these credentialed CFEs earned a median salary of $104,500 in 2017-18 – a substantial jump in pay.⁴

Certified or not, you should find that your paycheck as an accountant is both professionally and personally rewarding.

Whether you choose to become a CA (Chartered Accountant) or a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), you definitely gain the respect of organizations and clients, who know the recognition comes with hard work.

The certifications are different, and you need to have a good understanding of what each is before pursuing such ambitious goals.

A CPA is a U.S. credential that is overseen by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) that allows you to provide accounting services to members of the public. Once you become a CPA, you must keep up your licensure through continuing professional education.⁵ Licensure requirements vary by state.

A CA is the title used by many other countries as an equivalent to our country's CPA designation. Some countries – like Canada, Ireland, Mexico and others – have an agreement with the U.S. that allows CAs in those countries to take an equivalency exam to become a CPA here.⁵

If you plan on practicing accounting in the U.S., it would seem to make most sense to sit for the CPA exam. If you are a citizen of another country, you may find it harder to pass an exam for another country's accounting and financial laws.

¹Bureau 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 Nov. 8, 2022). Cited projections may not reflect local or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

²PwC, Fighting fraud: A never-ending battle – PwC's Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey, 2020 [PDF], on the internet, at https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/forensics/gecs-2020/pdf/global-economic-crime-and-fraud-survey-2020.pdf (viewed Oct. 12, 2020)

³Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, on the internet, at:

• https://www.acfe.com/cfe-membership.aspx (viewed Oct. 8, 2020)
• https://www.acfe.com/career-path-forensic-accountant.aspx (viewed Oct. 8, 2020)
• https://www.acfe.com/become-cfe-qualifications.aspx (viewed Oct. 8, 2020)

⁴American Board of Forensic Accounting, Steps to Certification, on the internet, at http://abfa.us/steps/ (viewed Oct. 12, 2020)

⁵Accounting Institute for Success, CPA vs. CA (Chartered Accountant): Which is Better for Your Career, Salary, and Wallet?, on the internet, at https://www.ais-cpa.com/cpa-vs-ca/ (viewed Oct. 12, 2020)