How To Get Started In The Field Of Economic Crime

Posted on Sep 9 2013 - 10:17am by Victoria Heckstall

Wall Street

Economic crimes are crimes such as fraud and identity theft.  This area of crime accounts for losses of over $200 billion dollars each year.  Studying the field of economic crime can open the doors wide open to other related fields such as security consulting, auditing, private investigation, accounting and federal investigation.

Economic Crime Career Trends

The United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics state that the job trend for those who are in the field of economic crime investigation is expected to rapidly grow over the next several years.  Competition in the areas of state agency jobs and agency jobs at the federal level are expected to increase as well.  The United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics also predicts that employment in the areas of private investigators and private detectives will increase at a rapid rate over the next decade.

Preparing for a Degree in the Economic Crime Field

Having a solid, quality education is extremely necessary to be successful in the field of economic crime investigation.  Getting a degree in economic crime is the best way to develop these skills.  The first things you should do to prepare are to look into the scope of economic criminal investigation interests. Being employed in this field is not only exciting but also intellectually challenging.  You should be clearly aware that being employed in this field means you will work long hours and you may spends several weeks just investigating one lead.  In addition, having an economic crime degree means you will spend a great deal of time studying the areas of computer technology, ethics, business, social science, psychology, business law and accounting.

Economic Crime Career Education

Since the need for skilled professionals in the economic crime field seems to be always increasing, more and more post secondary schools are now creating training as well as academic programs in order for this demand to be met.  There are many degree options that you can choose from, even though this area is extremely specialized as it is.  These degree options include backgrounds in economics, business, criminal justice, computer science and math.

Bachelor Degree Programs

The Bachelor of Science degree option in the economic crime field is a curriculum that heavily focuses on investigative procedures, practical training, computer security, technology security and accounting.  Emphasis is also heavily placed on having the knowledge of criminal efforts and complex technology.  In addition, a heavy emphasis is placed on teaching students to have strong investigation skills.

Career Option with an Economic Crime Degree

With a degree in economic crime, your job options are wide open.  You can easily choose a career as a corporate investigator, financial investigator, private investigator, security consultant, certified public accountant, internal auditor and FBI agent.

Economic Crime Certificates and Licenses

Depending on the career path that you choose, you may need the appropriate certification or licensure in addition to your financial crime degree.  For instance, the majority of states have its own set of standards and requirements when it comes to certificates and licenses.  If you want to enter the field of private investigator, you have the option of getting a certification for the Certified Investigative Professional.

For the field of accounting, the certification for Certified Public Accountant would be ideal.  If you are interested in a career as an internal auditing professional, you earn a certification as a Certified Internal Auditor. There is so much information out there for you to decide what course of action you want to take to begin by obtaining a financial crime degree.

Photo Credit: Flickr/David Ohmer

About the Author

Victoria Heckstall is a professional writer who has been writing online since 2011. She is also the owner of Young Work At Home Moms where she shares advice with others who want to work from home.