Georgia Southern University’s School of Accountancy will host a one-week seminar on the Essentials of Fraud and Forensic Accounting  that will help prepare prospective graduate students for advanced studies in fraud examination and forensic accounting starting Aug. 3.

“This event is a stepping stone to earning a Master of Accounting degree with a concentration in forensic accounting,” said Don Berecz, program director and director of the Center of Forensic Studies in Accounting and Business. Berecz, a retired FBI agent, notes the seminar replaces as many as five prerequisite courses, which can save participants months of study and expense.

“The need for forensic accountants, especially in this age of white collar crime and international data theft, is very strong,” he added. “The seminar is designed to open the field to many highly-qualified people – even those without undergraduate degrees in accounting.”   

The Essentials of Fraud and Forensic Accounting seminar is also open to accountants, attorneys and law enforcement professionals seeking continuing professional education (CPE) credit. Registrants may earn up to 36 hours of CPE credit for the entire seminar, with the option to register for single or multiple two-hour blocks of instruction.

Faculty members with decades of experience fighting and researching fraud and forensic accounting will introduce participants to core subjects as well as legal issues, the largest and most common fraud schemes, white collar crime, and effective interview and interrogation techniques.

Participants will earn a certificate and fulfill the prerequisites for entry into the Georgia Southern School of Accountancy Forensic Accounting Master’s program. Organizers expect some participants will go on to earn their Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE) designation.

The event will be held on the campus of Georgia Southern at the College of Business Administration in Statesboro. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day. The accounting firm of Porter Keadle Moore is sponsoring the event. The deadline to register is July 20. For more information, pricing and registration visit http://GeorgiaSouthern.edu/coba/soa/effa or contact Berecz at (912) 478-0259 or [email protected].