- Lawyers who possess a working knowledge of the techniques used in financial investigations are better equipped to litigate cases accurately and in the interest of justice.
- The forensics studies- financial investigations minor pairs nicely with criminology, law, and society, finance, accounting, or economics.
- Other forensics minors available are: forensics- cybersecurity and forensics- natural science.
- Students who pair this minor with their major or continue onto further education will be more equipped or more marketable for careers as consultants, government employees, expert witnesses, lawyers.
Forensic Studies - Financial Investigations
- Minor
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The Intersection of Cybersecurity and Criminal Justice
The goal of this minor is to provide students with a broad-based understanding of the application of forensic methods to financial activities in order to analyze evidence for the purpose of criminal justice. While financial investigation forensics delves into examining financial records for fraud, theft, money laundering, and other offenses, the forensic studies financial investigation minor is not meant to provide students with all of the skills necessary to perform the job of a forensic financial investigator. Rather, the goal is to provide students with a working understanding of the integration of forensic studies with criminal law so that the students may, if they wish, pursue those specializations in other undergraduate or future graduate study.
Undergraduate Programs
Highlights
Curriculum
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Requirements
Requirements for a Minor in Forensic Studies -Financial Investigations (18 Credits):
Choose two of the following CLS courses:
- CLS 227 Criminal Law and Process 3
- CLS 320 White Collar Crime 3
- CLS 376 Federal Criminal Law 3
- The following four Business Administration courses:**
- BA 200*** Intermediate Accounting I 3
- BA 201 Intermediate Accounting II 3
- BA 405 Auditing 3
- BA 406 Forensic Auditing 3
* Accounting majors must take all three CLS courses listed. CLS majors must take 320 and 376 and choose one other course from CLS electives to count toward the CLS major.
** Students must choose between an accounting minor or a Forensic Studies – Financial Investigations minor. They cannot have both appear on their transcript
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Key Courses
White Collar Crime: This course explores crimes committed by corporations and white-collar offenders, examining how these crimes are defined, who commits them, and who is affected by them. Students will analyze the moral, ethical, legal, and social conditions that allow corporate and white-collar crime to occur, as well as how institutions and society respond. The course also addresses key procedural and policy issues involved in investigating and prosecuting these offenses, including legal privilege, the role of the grand jury and other pretrial processes, evidentiary challenges, litigation strategies, and the range of possible sanctions and penalties.
Forensic Auditing explores how fraud occurs within organizations and how it can be detected and prevented. With companies losing an estimated 5–7% of annual revenue to fraud, the course focuses on identifying key red flags and applying effective risk management techniques. Students learn core forensic auditing concepts through case studies involving financial reporting, accounts payable, payroll, and IT systems. Major fraud cases—such as Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, and LeNature—are examined to highlight early warning signs and patterns. Emphasis is placed on developing professional skepticism and a critical, questioning mindset essential to forensic practice.