B.S. in Fraud and Financial Crime Investigation: Financial Investigation Concentration
Discover, Document, and Prevent Financial Crimes
Accounting-Focused Curriculum
Transfer Up to 90 Credits
Prepare for In-Demand Careers
Learn More Today
Complete the form to learn more about this program.
- Duration 4 years
- Cost per Credit $450
- Credit Hours 120
Program Benefits
- 100% online instruction
- Gain the tools to detect and prevent financial crimes
- Prepare for ACFE certification and membership
- 6 start dates per year
Investigators Needed
An Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) report estimates that organizations worldwide lose 5 percent of their revenue to fraud annually, translating to losses of $3.5 trillion.1 You will gain the skills and knowledge you need to counter this wave of financial crime with Utica University’s online Bachelor of Science in Fraud and Financial Crime with a concentration in Financial Investigation.
Through this online program, you’ll learn that fraud prevention goes beyond accounting knowledge. To be a successful investigator, you also need persistence, concentration, interviewing and interrogation skills, and an understanding of what makes financial patterns suspicious.
Combining these skills with an in-depth comprehension of accounting helps to develop an impactful financial investigator who can get results. With Utica University’s 100-percent-online program, you’ll learn how to discover, document, and prepare evidence of fraud and other economic crimes and help companies around the world reverse costly wrong-doing.
Career Outlook
In the wake of the late 2000s global financial crisis, the U.S. government created the 2009 Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (FERA), providing increased funding, new job opportunities, and more stringent legislation to help combat the types of financial crime that caused the crisis.
Unfortunately, fraud hasn’t ceased since FERA’s founding. The 2017–2018 Global Fraud & Risk Report from Kroll found 84 percent of surveyed executives reported their company had suffered at least one instance of fraud in the past year, up from 82 percent in 2016.2
To combat these losses, companies need financial investigators who can analyze records and spot evidence of financial crime. The average salary for this role is $68,400 and can range as high as $157,046,3 depending on your geographic location, years of experience, and more.
CAREER SPOTLIGHT: STAFF AUDITOR
$61,706/year
As a staff auditor,4 you’d ensure quality financial standards are upheld across your company. You’d perform audits across your business and work with a team to administer cost analyses and risk control in every department, including operations, finance, and sales. You would also analyze and interpret financial data and report your findings to senior management.
CAREER SPOTLIGHT: FRAUD FINANCIAL REPORTING ANALYST
$87,475/year
As a fraud financial reporting analyst,5 you’d prepare financial reports and statements either monthly or quarterly. You would also review expenses and budgets, ensuring data is correct and without suspicious behavior, and prepare income and balance statements and filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as reports to stockholders, partners, and government agencies.
Other titles you may qualify for:
- Internal Financial and Operations Auditor
- BSA / AML Analyst
“Anyone who has compliance and fraud in their resume right now is extremely marketable. Obtaining my undergraduate degree here at Utica College [now known as Utica University] gave me something very unique to put on my resume.”– TRACY WEBB, UTICA GRADUATE
Curriculum: Hardcore Accounting Knowledge
In addition to crucial investigative skills, this concentration offers intensive coursework in accounting, including modern techniques in crime investigation. You will learn to analyze data, trace illicit funds, conduct due diligence, and evaluate the extent of damage to an organization as a result of financial fraud.
Additionally, coursework in corporate finance provides an overview of typical financial operations to train you to spot and flag suspicious activity that can lead to economic crimes.
Course Spotlight: ACC 406 Forensic Accounting and Fraud Auditing
Integrate accounting, auditing, and fraud investigative skills and examine resolutions for accounting “irregularities.” You’ll explore auditing case studies to analyze documents and internal controls, trace funds, examine business interruption losses and preservation, and prepare evidence.
Explore CoursesCourse Spotlight: FIN 333 – Corporate Finance
Examine the general principles of business finance, including pertinent phases of government regulation and the effects of general business conditions on financial plans and operations. You will gain an understanding of methods for raising fixed capital, various types of securities, administration of income, expansion, and financial difficulties.
More Options for Your Degree
Frequently Asked Questions
Advancing your life and career with an online fraud and financial crime investigation degree comes with lots of questions, and we want to ensure your search for answers is effortless. If you have a question we haven’t covered, call (866) 295-3106 to speak with an enrollment counselor.
Study as a full-time student to complete this online program in 2-4 years. Utica University also allows you to transfer up to 90 credits to this program, helping you graduate even faster. To review the curriculum details, visit our courses page.
Utica University does not generally offer scholarships for the online B.S. in Fraud and Financial Crime Investigation program. However, non-traditional students can pursue numerous third-party scholarships. You can also consider these financing options:
- Complete the FAFSA® to determine your financial aid eligibility. Utica University’s FAFSA® code is 002883.
- Apply for a Sallie Mae loan.
- If you’re a military veteran, a member of the reserves, or currently serving in the U.S. military, you and any dependents are eligible for several financial assistance options. Utica University also offers a 10-percent tuition discount for you and your spouse.
To explore these options, call 1-866-295-3106 or request more information.
U.S. News & World Report named Utica University (formerly Utica College) a Top 200 Regional University in 2020. Additionally, our programs have been recognized by numerous organizations, including the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, SR Education Group, BestDegreePrograms.org, and TheBestSchools.org.
Click here to learn how you can apply in four simple steps. If you would like assistance from a Utica University enrollment counselor, call 1-866-295-3106 or email uticaonline@utica.edu.
Yes. Select a Financial Investigation or Fraud Prevention and Detection concentration to prepare for an in-demand criminal investigation field. Plus, choose from various electives to tailor the program for your professional goals. Visit the courses page to explore curriculum details for this program.
Once you earn this degree, you will have the skills to counter fraud in banking, government, healthcare, and many other industries. Career opportunities include these positions:
- Financial examiner, a position with a median annual salary of $81,430 in 2020 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Fraud investigator, a position with an average annual salary of $62,465 according to PayScale
- Forensic accountant, a position with an average annual salary of $71,464 according to PayScale
To explore additional job opportunities that you can pursue after completing this online program, visit our careers page.
Sources and Disclaimer
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. (2018). ACFE Report Estimates Organizations Worldwide Lose 5 Percent of Revenues to Fraud [Press release]. Retrieved November 29, 2018, from https://www.acfe.com/about-the-acfe/newsroom-for-media/press-releases/press-release-detail?s=ACFE-Estimates-Organizations-Lose-5-percent-to-Fraud.
- Kroll Global Fraud & Risk Report – Forging New Paths in Times of Uncertainty (10th Annual ed., pp. 4-20, Rep.). (2017/2018). New York City, NY: Kroll. PDF downloaded from https://www.kroll.com/en/insights/publications/global-fraud-and-risk-report-2018
- Average Financial Investigator Salary. (2018). Retrieved November 29, 2018, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Financial_Investigator/Salary
- Average Staff Auditor Salary. (2018). Retrieved November 29, 2018, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Staff_Auditor/Salary
- Average Financial Reporting Analyst Salary. (2018). Retrieved November 29, 2018, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Financial_Reporting_Analyst/Salary