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Finance & Accounting Certificates

Gain new skills and earn credits towards a graduate degree

On-Demand Learning for In-Demand Skills

Bentley University's graduate certificates were designed in response to today's rapidly changing global economy and the needs of the modern workforce. They take less than one year to complete and equip students with the real-world skills and expertise that employers are in need of, for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Learning for Every Level of Finance & Accounting

Certificate Program Information


 

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Environmental, social and corporate governance investment management

ESG or sustainable investing is an investment discipline that considers environmental, social and governance criteria to generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact. According to the US SIF Foundation’s 2018 report, there has been 38% growth in ESG investing over the 2016-2018 period, and a 18-fold increase since 1995. Bank of America projects ESG Investing will grow to $50 trillion in the next two decades (the size of the S&P 500 today is $25.6 trillion). This certificate educates students on fundamentals of investments, including portfolio theory, equity and fixed income securities, security analysis, and portfolio management. In addition, students will examine various ESG considerations such as climate change, air & water pollution, waste management, community & employee relations, human rights, human capital management, board composition, disclosure, accounting risk, executive compensation, and learn about incorporating these ESG issues into the investment process. Upon completion of this certificate, should you apply for and be accepted to a Bentley Master’s program, certificate courses are stackable towards both MBA and MSF degrees as long as a minimum 3.0 GPA is achieved.

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Required Courses

Students must take the following two courses as part of their three course requirements.

FI 623 Investments

This course provides fundamental knowledge in key areas of investments. In particular, the course will focus on portfolio theory, asset pricing, equity valuation, fixed income valuation and risk, and option pricing and strategies.

FI 799 ESG Investing

This is a graduate Finance elective course that will provide an understanding of compliance standards and practices, with a particular focus on investment management. Students will construct both active and passive investment portfolios using advanced quantitative tools and then explore through a series of case studies the compliance, regulatory, and reporting requirements of the investment process.

Elective Course

Students have the option to take either FI 640 or FI 650 as part of their three course requirements.

FI 640 Equity Valuation

This course teaches students to value equity securities, starting with the top-down approach and industry analysis/forecasting. It examines valuation theory, models and applications. Students analyze the IPO process to gain a detailed understanding of equity market operation, issues that affect these markets and where they are headed. More advanced topics include the implications of financial statements on cash flow and risk, the exploration of valuing distressed or bankrupt companies, closely held firms, and venture capital situations. The course requires extensive use of applied academic journals, the financial media, and resources available in the Trading Room.

FI 650 Advanced Portfolio Theory and Practice

This course will provide the students with the issues, techniques and methodologies associated with constructing and evaluating portfolios. The course will use material from ST 625, including both statistics and calculus, to analyze issues such as diversification, optimal portfolio selection, capital market theory and application, performance evaluation, efficient markets, and behavioral finance, among others. The course will also address ethical issues and the professional code of conduct as it relates to portfolio management.


 

audit analytics

Fundamentals of Audit and Risk Assurance

Corporate accounting practices have seen a profound digital transformation over the past decade, with more traditional approaches shifting to accounting information systems (AIS) and cloud-based software solutions. According to PWC's 2019 Global Risk, Internal Audit and Compliance Survey of 2,000 executives, as organizations move through digital transformation, internal audit functions that are more digitally focused, more effectively help their stakeholders make better decisions, and take smarter risks. This certificate addresses the need for highly skilled audit and risk assurance professionals, armed with the fundamentals of audit and risk assurance, along with the digital skills to navigate and analyze risk in any modern digital information technology infrastructure. The certificate also provides a foundation for the Certified Information Systems Auditor exam, as well as the Certified Internal Auditor Exam. Upon completion of this certificate, should you apply for and be accepted to a Bentley Master’s program, certificate courses are stackable towards both MBA and MSA degrees as long as a minimum 3.0 GPA is achieved.

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Required Courses

Students must take the following three courses as part of their three course requirements.

AC 730 Business Processes and Systems Assessment

This course examines typical organizational business processes and the information technology that enables those processes. It reviews qualities of information, including those established by authoritative bodies, to assess the ability of information systems to support the business processes and an organization's management. The course focuses on financial and accounting information systems (AIS) and explores several typical AIS application areas. Issues addressed include the effect of emerging technologies on business processes and their related information systems; control issues pertaining to these systems; and the implications of technology-enabled organizational changes on systems design, implementation and management. Students will be introduced to state-of-the-art tools and techniques for examining business processes and information systems and will engage in a project at a company site.

AC 742 Information Technology Auditing

This course is designed to examine the practice of information technology (IT) auditing, including professional standards, application of IT and internal control frameworks, and recognition of current and emerging technology-related risks. Class sessions cover topics such as IT general controls, systems development and implementation, the auditor’s role related to information security, anddata extraction and transformation activities. Through readings, case studies, exercises, and discussion, students will learn to plan, conduct, and report on IT audit activities. Additional topics may include introduction to advanced audit software, business continuity planning, and the role of the IT auditor as a management advisor. Provides a foundation for the Certified Information Systems Auditor exam.

AC 744 Internal Auditing

This course examines the professional standards and attributes required to work in the internal auditing profession. The course emphasizes governance, risk and control practices; as well as core internal audit competencies of communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Through readings, case studies, and practitioner interaction students will learn to plan and conduct internal audit projects including operational, consulting, and integrated audit engagements; and to report the results of those projects. Additional topics will include application of appropriate information technology as part of the audit process, including exploration of analytical techniques using current software. Provides a foundation for the Certified Internal Auditor exam.


 

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Flexibility Meets Stackability

  • Online education has never been more important than it is today. Each course of your graduate certificate will be held in a live virtual format, where you will meet once or twice per week over Zoom.
  • Certificate students who complete their program are eligible to waive many requirements for admission to our MBA or Master of Science (MS) programs.

Learn More about Bentley Graduate Certificates

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