MSc Forensic Accounting
Attendance
Full-time, Part-time
Full-time – one year
Part-time – two years
Starts September
At a glance
About this course
Forensic study is increasingly popular in universities and a forensic approach is often used in the workplace. This course gives you accounting skills and knowledge related to forensic investigation and dispute resolution.
You gain an understanding of the legal issues in a forensic context. A third of your study involves improving your knowledge of the legal system. Accounting is always studied in a legal context.
This course gives you a specialist insight into the forensic analysis of financial accounts. Your module choices allow you to tailor your study to areas of interest. The total risk management module includes the design and management of financial information to help reduce the possibility of financial fraud.
The financial regulations and supervision module choice gives you an insight into the legal framework and working practices around accounting in financial institutions and markets. These possible option modules are supported by core modules such as electronic crime. You look at how new media can be exploited in financial fraud and how such actions can be traced.
You also do a dissertation, an extended piece of research which you design and carry out under the direction of an academic tutor.
There are four other forensic courses available. They are all designed to meet a wide range of individual needs and expectations. Each course complements your degree study or previous work experience.
Associated careers
Our forensic courses allow you to find work as a specialist in your named area. You can find careers in accounting related-professions providing advice and guidance with reference to how accounts may be manipulated. You can specialise in detecting financial fraud through forensic investigation.
You can also use the course to help your career development if you are in the police, legal and penal professions.
Course content
Core modules
Legal methodology
This module provides the necessary grounding to study law effectively. It teaches the core skills required with emphasis placed on research and legal reasoning. You examine the court system and legal professions and we introduce the Human Rights Act of 1998.
Criminal litigation
Criminal litigation is essentially the steps required to take a criminal case to trial. This module includes examining the initial stages of an investigation, covering police powers, criminal procedure rules, pre-trial hearings.
Law of evidence
This follows on from the criminal litigation module and progresses the investigative process from the initial court hearings through to the completion of the trial. It addresses subjects including the rules and principles of expert testimony, the burden of proof and the rules governing advocacy and trials.
Forensic accounting
This module introduces the nature and extent of financial crime and financial dispute resolution. You learn to identify situational, systems and security weaknesses in organisations and learn to design and recommend measures to minimise the associated risks.
Electronic crime
You examine the major business related software applications used in the fight against electronic crime. You also learn how to identify the major types of commonly encountered electronic crime and how to use computer security to control these situations.
Methods of enquiry: research and consultancy in finance
You evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of research methods and identify the appropriate methods related to specific research objectives.
Research project
This module allows you to demonstrate researcher skills at masters level. You produce a persuasively argued piece of writing that demonstrates knowledge and skills, researcher competence and the ability to work independently.
Optional modules
One from • corporate governance and ethics • financial analysis • financial regulation and supervision • total risk management
Assessment
Coursework and examinations. Coursework includes essays, short projects, group presentation and conference debates.
Entry requirements
• normally students must have an undergraduate degree in a relevant field. If you don’t have a degree you may be considered if you have at least five years’ professional experience.
• you need two appropriate references
• if English is not your first language you typically need an IELTS 6.5 score with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.5 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
• places are limited but there is no discrimination against any group or individual on the grounds of ethnic origin, nationality, gender, disability, marital status, sexuality, political or religious belief
• international applicants, and applicants with disabilities are particularly welcomed onto the programme. For all applicants a good level of English is essential and it is important that international applicants have the level of English required to cope with the demands of the course. If you are concerned, you can attend the TESOL centre’s pre-session induction course. This may be recommended or required.
• we may ask you for an interview before admissions are finalised. International students may be interviewed by telephone or e-mail.
Fees
Home and EU students
2013/14 academic year
Full-time – typically £5,355
Part-time – typically £1,785 for year one and £3,570 for year two
International students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,980 for the course
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 for the course
How to apply
To apply online for this course select the start date below
Or you can complete an application form