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Risk and Financial Advisory, Master of Science

Department of Accountancy
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Overview

The Master of Science (MS) in Risk and Financial Advisory prepares students who have career interests in internal audit, information technology audit, and business consulting and advisory. Risk and Financial Advisory professionals assist their clients in managing strategic, financial, operational, technological, compliance, and reputational risk to maximize their stakeholder value. The curriculum develops students from a multi-disciplinary approach to provide assurance and insight to organizations on meeting their mission statement, business objectives, and strategies.

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The Institute of Internal Auditors defines internal auditing as “an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes.”

The internal audit program is endorsed by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) as a “Center for Internal Auditing Excellence” in their Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAEP) program.  St. John’s is one of only six schools in the United States and nine schools worldwide at this Center level.  Moreover, we are the only University with this recognition in the New York Metropolitan area and the entire Northeast. 

The curriculum has been developed through a collaborative process involving faculty and other stakeholders, including the Advisory Board (consisting of senior industry executives from Fortune 500 companies and Advisory firms), the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), and the New York Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors (NYIIA).

Curriculum

The Master of Science in Risk and Financial Advisory is a 30-credit program:

I. Required Professional Curriculum (9 Credits)

 

AIS 628 Internal Auditing

 

AIS 624 Information Technology Auditing

 

AIS 660 Fraud Examination I

II. Required Practical/Experiential Learning Course (Select 1 course (3 Credits))

 

AIS 685 Advanced Internal Auditing

 

ACC 605 Internship in Advisory, Assurance, and Attest Services

III. Electives (Select 5 Courses (15 Credits))

 

ACC 605 Internship in Advisory, Assurance, and Attest Services (If ACC 605 Internship in Advisory, Assurance, and Attest Services was not selected as the Required Practical/Experiential Learning Course.)

 

ACC 626 Forensic Accounting Principles

 

AIS 661 Fraud Examination II

 

AIS 662 Accounting Information: Governance and Audit

 

AIS 663 Accounting Information: Systems Development and Operations

 

AIS 664 Accounting Information: Cyber-Security I

 

AIS 665 Accounting Information: Cyber Security II

 

AIS 666 Accounting Information: IT Risk and Controls

 

AIS 667 Accounting Information: Enterprise Resource Planning

 

AIS 668 Accounting Information: Analytics and Forensics

 

AIS 684 Sustainability Reporting Attestation

 

AIS 685 Advanced Internal Auditing (If AIS 685 Advanced Internal Auditing was not selected as the Required Practical/Experiential Learning Course.)

 AIS 686 Developing and Managing an Internal Audit Function
 

AIS 690 Accounting Information: Case Studies

 

ERM 602 Operational Risk Management

 

ERM 603 Culture, Leadership, and Governance Risk

 

ERM 705 Strategic Risk Analysis and Tools

 

IV. Required Capstone Course (3 Credits)

AIS 625 Accounting Ethics and Professionalism

Admissions

Application Requirements
All applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or the international equivalent prior to enrollment at the graduate level. In addition to the application form and non-refundable application fee candidates should submit the following:

  • Statement of professional goals and resume which can be uploaded as part of the  application for admission
  • Official transcripts from all undergraduate, graduate and professional schools attended. International Applicants to programs in Accounting and Taxation must have a Graduate Admissions evaluation completed by AEQUO.
  • Official GMAT or GRE scores, taken within the last five years*
  • Two letters of recommendation, obtained from professional or academic references
  • Official TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for applicants whose native language is not English

*MS applicants may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE waiver with a cumulative 3.25 GPA or higher.  To be considered for the waiver, please submit the online application, all transcripts, and resume. International Students should also submit the foreign credit evaluation and TOEFL/IELTS scores.  Once complete, please email [email protected] to request waiver consideration.

Contact

For additional information on the Master of Science (MS) in Risk and Financial Advisory, please contact the faculty program director:

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David Y. Chan

Associate Professor, Department of Accountancy

Tobin 409
[email protected]
718-990-6267

Opportunities

The admission requirements to the M.S. in Risk and Financial Advisory permit you to substitute the results of that uniform CPA Examination in lieu of the GMAT, if you have successfully completed that examination or an equivalent examination,.  For Licensed CPAs, the advisory and assurance courses taken during your studies will fulfill your continuing professional education (CPE) requirements while you earn your graduate degree. If you have an undergraduate degree in accounting, you can use the degree to meet the 150-hour requirement for CPA licensing in New York State.