Murray State University Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting: Our 2027 Review

At nine credits, as few as 8 to 10 months and $5,454 in total tuition with fees included, this is a compact way into forensic accounting. Courses are asynchronous, so you can keep working, and you'll get a free accounting prerequisite built in. It also doubles as an alternative admission pathway into Murray State's Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Forensic Accounting.

Murray State University, a public university in Murray, Kentucky, offers the Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting fully online. You'll take three required courses of three credits each, in seven-week terms. The university's Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business has been continuously accredited by AACSB since 1981.

You can apply with an undergraduate degree and a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, or while you're enrolled in a graduate program. If you already hold a graduate degree, you may apply too. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

The college holds AACSB accreditation and has since 1981. Murray State says the certificate helps you prepare to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. You'll see these careers listed: budget analyst, revenue agent, tax examiner, internal revenue agent and financial fraud analyst.

Where this degree can lead: Forensic Accounting Jobs, Certified Fraud Examiner Certification.

• You work full time and want to study on your own schedule, since the coursework is asynchronous.
• You're a current graduate student who wants to add a forensic accounting credential.
• You hold a graduate degree in another field, since you're welcome to apply.
• You're weighing the Murray State MBA later, because the certificate offers you an alternative admission pathway to it.
• You're new to accounting, since you get a free prerequisite course to take alongside the core.
• You're drawn to roles Murray State lists, such as budget analyst, revenue agent, tax examiner and financial fraud analyst.

Three courses carry the certificate, and all three are about fraud. The first, Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination, is an introduction with an emphasis on examining fraud. You'll look at why and how it happens inside organizations, how to detect and deter it, and how to investigate an allegation.

The second, Legal Environment for Fraud Management Professionals, gives you an overview of the legal side of fraud, including the court system, types of fraud and the role of expert witnesses. The third, Fraud Analytics, trains you on the latest auditing tools and software programs. You'll also weigh how practical, efficient and effective a data analytics approach is at spotting fraud.

Murray State says dedicated faculty build your ability to audit advanced accounting systems, examine fiscal misconduct and analyze suspicious activity in financial statements. A free, zero-credit accounting prerequisite is included, and you can complete it at the same time as your core coursework.

Courses the School Names

• Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination
• Legal Environment for Fraud Management Professionals

Standout Features

• Can serve as an alternative admission pathway to the MBA in Forensic Accounting
• Includes a free prerequisite course in accounting
• Total tuition of $5,454 for the 9-credit certificate

Murray State lists $606 per credit hour, or $1,818 per course, with $5,454 as the total tuition for your certificate. You'll pay by the course, the tuition includes fees, and the accounting prerequisite is free. Murray State notes that rates are set annually, so ask admissions to confirm the current figures.

9 credits at $606 a credit comes to $5,454 in tuition, before fees.

The certificate is 100 percent online and asynchronous, so you can work full time while you study on your schedule. Courses run seven weeks in an accelerated format designed for working professionals, and Murray State offers multiple start points each year. The school says you can finish in as few as 8 to 10 months.

Faculty provide personal attention, advisement and support. You also get access to the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Development, which offers workshops, training and consulting.

• How do the certificate credits count if I move on to the forensic accounting MBA?
• Which accounting prerequisite course is included, and how long does it take?
• What does the application timeline look like for the next seven-week term?
• How does the certificate help me prepare for the CPA exam in my state?
• Which auditing tools and software do we use in Fraud Analytics?
• Can I pause between terms and pick the program back up?

A public university in Murray, Kentucky, whose Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business has been continuously accredited by AACSB International since 1981.

• Best Forensic Accounting Programs Rank 1 of 17, graduate certificate
• Best Graduate Certificates Rank 1 of 17, graduate certificate
• Cheapest Programs Rank 2 of 7, graduate certificate
• Accelerated Programs Rank 1 of 3, graduate certificate
• For Working Adults Rank 1 of 4, graduate certificate
• Public Universities Rank 1 of 9, graduate certificate

• Master of Public Administration with a Concentration in Forensic Accounting

  MPA, Master's

  Fully Online $471.50 per credit Score 97.9

• Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Forensic Accounting

  MBA, Master's

  Fully Online $606 per credit Score 97.0

• West Virginia University

  Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination

  West Virginia $1,063 per credit Score 95.3

• Northeastern University

  Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting

  Massachusetts Score 94.5

• Montclair State University

  Forensic Accounting Graduate Certificate

  New Jersey Score 86.5

• University of Massachusetts-Amherst

  Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting

  Massachusetts $850 per credit Score 86.5