WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Feb. 20, 2018 — West Liberty University’s Gary E. West College of Business is offering a new online MBA tract that opens exciting career opportunities for professionals interested in forensic accounting.

“This new tract offers a accounting concentration and prepares students for the next step in becoming a certified fraud examiner, a growing field of need in the world of accounting,” said Dr. Gregory Chase, online MBA program director. “We are also proud to be recognized by the Association for Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) as a fraud education partner.”

The new accounting tract of the online MBA begins in August 2018.

The MBA in accounting is a 30-credit hour program with six core classes of 3-credit hours each and four classes of 3-credit hours each in the concentration. The four classes in the accounting concentration are in forensic accounting and fraud examination. 

“Once a student completes the accounting tract they will have their MBA and be better prepared for the certified fraud examiner exam if they choose to take that career path. Fraud examiners are in huge demand and we are grateful to accounting instructor Jim Crumbacher for developing our new accounting track,” Chase said.

Local marketing professional Joshua Six appreciates the fact that WLU’s MBA is online and convenient.

Crumbacher has been with WLU since 2008 and is himself an associate certified fraud examiner.

Classes in the MBA in accounting tract also are attractive to professionals who already have an MBA, for example, those only wanting the accounting classes to prepare for the Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE) Exam, or those seeking to satisfy the requirement of 150 credit hours (undergraduate and graduate) to become a licensed CPA.

Current CPAs also can sign up for the new online accounting classes as convenient continuing education classes.

“These new accounting classes even start in non-tax seasons in consideration of the professional’s work calendar,” added Chase.

Classes are in a seven-week format with six terms over the year. The accounting classes for the MBA in accounting will be offered one at a time each year in May, July, August, and October to allow students time to focus on their study.

“This format permits students to finish the MBA in accounting in less than two years so it is an attractive way to earn an MBA while working full-time and it’s great for busy professionals. We also believe that this new accounting tract helps meet the business needs of our region and beyond,” Chase said.

The MBA program also offers a management tract, which graduated its first class recently and earned high marks from both students and assessment programs. The inaugural class scored nearly 20 percent higher than 36 other online peer MBA programs on a national outbound assessment exam.

“We are very proud of our MBA program and invite interested professionals to contact us and find out why we believe it to be a smart option,” said Chase.

For those interested in enrolling in the MBA, Dr. Chase can be reached at 304-336-8536 or at mba@westliberty.edu. Or visit the MBA online portal here. 

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