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Forensic Accounting/ Forensic Accounting (Applied) MSc

Understand and critically evaluate the nature of, and motivations behind, fraud and financial crime – all while enhancing your skills and knowledge in accounting, finance and business - to develop your career prospects in forensic accounting roles with organisations worldwide.

Overview

Discover the compelling field of forensic accounting. This course covers fraud, financial crime and data analysis procedures – invaluable insight used by professionals in the search for criminal activity in both public and private sector organisations. It will prepare you to conduct fraud investigation and give expert testimony and litigation support for public and private sector organisations.

Learn about accounting scandals and incidences of fraud, and find out how they can be detected, prevented and deterred, with study of the legal environment in which forensic accounting operates. Discover digital forensics, including how to investigate digital artefacts, and find out how recent corporate failures in the UK, Italy and USA have led to conversations about the role of corporate governance and corporate social responsibilities.

Forensic Accounting (Applied) MSc

You have the option to study this course one year full-time or two years full-time. The opportunity to study over two years will enable you to source, with the help of our dedicated careers team DMU Works and our expert academics, a three-month work experience in the field.  Students have taken up placements in areas such as forensic accounting or counter fraud roles and projects, gaining invaluable real-world experience and an edge in the competitive field.

Key features

  • The course offers exemption from the Institute of Certified Forensic Accountants' examinations and, for students who have the required three years' practical experience, serves as a direct entry route to the Certified Professional Forensic Accountant certification.
  • All key staff are members of the Institute of Certified Forensic Accountants (ICFA) and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. This is an endorsement of the high-quality teaching we provide, and further emphasises the alignment of the work of the department within the profession.
  • Specialise in forensic accounting. This course is an opportunity for accountants, auditors, allied professionals and other practitioners seeking theoretical depth and practical insights into fraud investigation and litigation support.
  • The two-year option offers the chance to engage in a three-month internship, to apply your knowledge in real-world situations.

“This course has equipped me with relevant tools to explore various forensic accounting issues around the globe. Additionally, I have gained in-depth investigative and analytic skills in conducting fraud and criminal investigations through the study of a combination of relevant modules. The skills developed by studying Forensic Accounting MSc at DMU is unmatched and I would recommend to anyone who aspires to be top notch in this field.” - Patrick Yeboah Kwaye, Forensic Accounting MSc.   

Scholarships

DMU offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International student scholarships

Find out about available international scholarships or visit our fees and funding page for more information.


More courses like this:

International Finance and Investment MSc
International Banking and Finance MSc
Accounting and Finance MSc

  • UK
  • EU/International

Programme codes

Forensic Accounting: N40072 (one year full-time course)

Forensic Accounting Applied: N40074 (two year full-time course)

Duration

Forensic Accounting N40072: one year full-time

Forensic Accounting Applied N40074: two years full-time

Start date: September 2023

Fees and funding

2023/24 tuition fees for UK students: £9750

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Programme codes

Forensic Accounting: N40072
(one year full-time course)

Forensic Accounting Applied: N40074 (two year full-time course)

Duration

Forensic Accounting N40072: one year full-time

Forensic Accounting Applied N40074: two years full-time

Start date: September 2023

Fees and funding

2023/24 tuition fees for EU and international students: £16,300

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

Entry criteria

Applicants will normally hold an undergraduate degree in a business, law, accounting, finance, banking or economics-related subject with a minimum pass of 2:2, equivalent overseas qualification, or an equivalent professional qualification. 

Applicants with legal background as well as anyone who has worked in an investigative or counter fraud roles such as police officers, tax personnel’s or managers will be considered on individual basis.

Mature students

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

 

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessment

Accreditations

 
  • Fraud Examination and Investigation
  • Financial Crime and Law
  • Research Methods
  • Governance and Social Responsibility
  • Risk Management Part 1
  • Assurance and Risk
  • Business Analytics
  • Strategic and Financial Decision Making

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Modules include formal lectures, tutorials, workshops and interactive sessions.

Teaching contact hours

This is a full-time course so you should be prepared to devote approximately 38 hours a week to your studies. You will typically have up to 14 hours contact hours of teaching most weeks for semester 1 and 2. Teaching is through a mix of lecturers, tutorials, seminars and lab sessions and the breakdown of these activities is shown in each module description.

In addition each module provides a 2 hour surgery each week available for individual consultation with the lecturer. You may also have some scheduled meetings with your programme leader, personal tutor, and/or careers throughout the year to discuss your academic progress and personal development.

Self-directed study: In order to prepare for, and assimilate, the work in lectures and seminars you will be expected to make regular use of our on-line resources, participate in classroom discussions including on our virtual learning environment (VLE) and engage in personal study, revision and reflection for approximately 24 hours per work during semester 1 and 2.

In semester 3, you will undertake independent research for your dissertation (or In-company project), and again should typically allow around 38 hours per week for this. You will be allocated a dedicated academic supervisor to support you, who you will be able to contact on a regular basis.

Please note: assessments for this course will now be online.

Forensic Accounting (Applied) MSc

In Year 2, you will undertake a three-month internship as well as an independent research for your dissertation and again should typically allow around 38 hours per week for this. You will be allocated a dedicated academic supervisor to support you, who you will be able to contact on a regular basis.

Accreditations

The course offers exemption from the Institute of Certified Forensic Accountants' (Canada-USA), examinations and, for students who have the required three years' practical experience, serves as a direct entry route to the Certified Professional Forensic Accountant certification. This programme also qualifies successful students for the CIMA Masters Gateway accelerated entry route.

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

Hugh Aston Building

You will have access to our purpose-built Hugh Aston Building, equipped with lecture theatres and classrooms, break-out spaces for group work, quiet study zones for individual work and IT labs. Wherever possible, students will be given home access to specialist software.

You’ll also have access to the building’s new £5.5 million extension called The Yard, which provides more than 22,000 square metres of extra space. This is designed to facilitate your learning experience with large and airy breakout spaces, a new Student Advice Centre, and a balcony on the top floor. The Yard also features more comfortable classrooms and self-study spaces, allowing you to carry out independent study as well as group work.

Library services

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Learning Zone, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

Learning zones

Our Learning Zones and The Greenhouse also provide space for group or individual work and study.

There are 1,600 study places across all library locations, more than 700 computer stations, laptops to borrow, free wi-fi and desktop power outlets.

You can also book rooms with plasma screens, laptops and DVD facilities for group work and presentations, secure an individual study room with adjustable lighting or make use of our assistive technology.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
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Placements

A three-month working opportunity in forensic accounting and/or counter fraud work-based roles/projects to enhance your skills and gain valuable experience. 

In addition, we also advertise every year the Government Counter Fraud Internship roles and former and current students have been successful. They have been posted to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Fraud Team both in London and Manchester through the Cabinet Office.

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DMU Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

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Graduate careers

The Department of Accounting and Finance has a strong work-related bias, offering professional, postgraduate and undergraduate courses.

You will develop an advanced understanding of accounting and finance issues for the private and public sectors, both nationally and internationally, enhancing your career prospects with key financial skills sought after by many organisations.

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