Accounting Major, BBA - Forensic Accounting Concentration

The Forensic Accounting Concentration provides specialized training in the field of fraud examination and prevention. Students will take specialized courses in forensic accounting which will give them the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career as a forensic accountant.

Forensic accounting is one of the fast growing sectors in the accounting profession. Forensic accountants specialize in investigation, litigation, prevention, and reporting of financial fraud. Their functions include, but are not limited to, preventing white-collar crime, tracking terrorist funding, exposing tax evasion, keeping a company compliant with laws, and discovering purposeful misrepresentation of financial statements and other securities fraud.

Successful completion of the program will prepare students to pursue exciting opportunities in the field of forensic accounting. Students will also have the educational foundation to seek professional certifications including the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Students interested in pursuing CPA licensure will be required to take additional college level courses in order to satisfy the 150-credit hour requirement for CPA licensure in New York State and most other states.

A Note on CPA Exam Requirements

Students who plan to take the CPA exam should be aware of the specific educational requirements for the state in which they intend to sit for the exam.  Visit the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy website (NASBA) for specific requirements in each state.  The state of New York currently requires 120 hours of college level education and at least one course covering each of the following (see website NASBA/NYS):

·         Financial accounting, at the upper division and beyond introductory level,

·         Cost or management accounting,

·         Taxation,

·         Audit and attestation, at the upper division.

The courses required for BBA Accounting program with appropriate elective courses in auditing (ACC 461), taxation, and business law will satisfy the requirements to take the CPA exam in New York. 

The CPA licensure however requires a total of 150 hours (33 in accounting) of education, in addition to passing the exam and gaining practice experiences.  The requirements for BBA Accounting program do not satisfy all requirements for CPA licensure.  Students can earn additional credits by joining one of the graduate programs at Pace (e.g., MS Accounting, MBA Accounting, or MS Accounting Data Analytics and Technologies) to satisfy CPA licensure requirements in education.

Students who are interested in completing all 150 credits of CPA licensure requirements in one step can consider the following programs:

·         BBA Public Accounting 

·         Combined BBA/MBA Public Accounting 

·         Combined BBA Public Accounting/MS Financial Management

·         BBA Public Accounting/MS Taxation 

Major Completion Summary

University Core Requirements (53 Credits)

See complete University Core requirements.

Includes several of the major-required courses listed below:

Major Requirements  (67 Credits)

Open Electives (8 Credits)

Total Credit Hours: 128