West Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics has an established, international reputation for its Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination program. The program has taken another giant step with the approval of a Masters-level curriculum by the WVU Board of Governors on May 1.

The Master of Science in Forensic and Fraud Examination (M.S. FFE) program reflects the needs of the accounting and enforcement communities, as well as convenience for those interested in obtaining the degree. M.S. FFE is a 30-hour, 10-course online program, with six of the courses devoted to forensic and fraud examination, skills and abilities development and four courses parallel to those in B&E’s nationally ranked online MBA program, designed to develop the broader skills of the well-rounded business professional.

“We developed this new degree program to answer the call from the forensic accounting and fraud communities for professionals with high-quality academic training,” said Provost Joyce McConnell. “West Virginia University is committed to meeting the needs of this emerging industry and building on our established reputation and success in the field.”

The 12-month program includes two two-day residencies on the main campus in Morgantown and are designed to provide experiential learning, face time with faculty, and networking opportunities with peers and leading professionals from the practice community. The program can also be delivered to accommodate half-time enrollment and completion over a two-year period. The mission of the program is to prepare students for careers in the industry who are specifically interested in forensic accounting and litigation support, fraud examinations and forensic investigations.

Embedded in the coursework is the exam prep course for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, making students eligible and qualified to sit for the certified fraud examiners exam.

“The development of this program demonstrates our commitment to provide educational offerings that reflect the needs of the global workforce,” said Jose ‘Zito’ Sartarelli, B&E Milan Puskar Dean. “Our reputation in the area of forensics allows us to offer this important program, a program grounded in the practical expertise of the educators in the classroom. This is an emerging industry that has grown in response to a marked jump in financial crimes around the world.”

A report by the ACFE projected that in 2013, worldwide fraud approached $3.7 trillion, or as much as 5 percent of the productive economy.

In late 2014, B&E conducted its first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in partnership with ACFE, a five-week course in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination. More than 21,500 people worldwide registered for that course, which will be offered again this summer.

For more information on the WVU College of Business and Economics, visit be.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

pg/05/04/15

CONTACT: Patrick Gregg, WVU College of Business and Economics
304.293.5131, Patrick.Gregg@mail.wvu.edu

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