Economic Crime

Online Bachelor of Science in Economic Crime Investigation

Learn to gather, analyze, and preserve evidence of economic crime

Economic crimes – Economic Crime Investigation Professional are non-violent illegal acts committed for economic gain or to cause economic harm. Typically, economic crimes involve some form of deception of the victim. A major form of economic crime addressed in the program is financial crime. Financial crime entails falsification of financial information in the course of a financial transaction, including mortgage fraud, bogus stock trades designed to inflate profit or hide losses, and Ponzi schemes. Other major types of economic crime covered in the B.S. in Economic Crime Investigation include - financial institution fraud (counterfeiting, forgery, credit/debit card fraud, loan fraud), money laundering, identity theft, computer fraud, insurance fraud, public corruption, health care fraud, consumer fraud, gaming fraud, environmental fraud and investment fraud.

Recent economic events in the United States –such as the Bernard Madoff investment fraud scandal and the subprime mortgage debacle—have only highlighted the need for more stringent oversight and scrutiny in the business and financial arenas and have driven demand for qualified fraud investigators in both the public and private sectors.

The online bachelor's degree in Economic Crime Investigation from Utica College will prepare you for a career in the growing field of economic and financial crime investigation by teaching skills and techniques for gathering, analyzing, and preserving evidence of economic and financial misdeeds. The only online academic program of its kind in the nation, it draws from a variety of disciplines—including criminal justice, mathematics, economics, ethics, and sociology—to create a holistic approach to the study of economic crime.

The program offers two concentrations in distinct areas of economic crime investigation.

  • :: The Financial Investigation concentration teaches students forensic accounting skills to pinpoint and document potential financial misdeeds. Coursework in the concentration includes accounting concepts and procedures, data analysis, methods of detecting fraud and tracing illicit funds, the steps of due diligence, and damage assessment.
  • :: Students in the Fraud Prevention and Detection concentration learn to identify potential deception as well as areas of potential vulnerability to fraud and economic crime. Topics include investigation and interviewing techniques, the use of technology in detecting and preventing crime, government and legal regulations, and how to recognize suspicious behavior patterns.

Utica College's online economic crime investigation degree program was developed in conjunction with the Board of Advisors of the college's Economic Crime Institute, a research and educational institution on the leading edge of the study of financial crime for more than 20 years. Instructors in the online economic degree program are highly regarded, top-level industry professionals in the field.

Economic Crime Investigation Curriculum

The curriculum includes a solid grounding in accounting, and other forensic techniques that help investigators uncover evidence of financial crime; relevant governmental policies and laws that apply to financial institutions and commercial entities; and the hands-on application of technology to combat economic crime.

Coursework provides a comprehensive view of the criminal justice system and how it relates to economic crime across public and private sectors as well as the growing field of cybercrime. Since much corporate information today is stored digitally, students also receive training in data mining and extraction technologies used for the collection, analyzing, and preserving of digital evidence.

The curriculum for each concentration allows students to dig deeper into specific areas of economic crime investigation with more in-depth coursework in subjects such as accounting, corporate finance, payment systems, privacy, and new technologies that detect and prevent fraud.

The comprehensive curriculum in our Bachelors in Economic Crime Investigation program will prepare students to take the CFE exam presented by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the premier certification for anti-fraud professionals around the world.

View the online BS in Economic Crime Investigation curriculum.

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For more information about the Online Bachelor of Science in Economic Crime Investigation, Request More Information or call (866) 295-3106 to speak with a Program Manager.

Our suite of programs in Economic Crime and Justice Studies is formally recognized by the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) and we are an academic member of the organization.