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Undergraduate Risk Assurance and Advisory Certificate (RAA)
More about RAA
Risk Assurance and Advisory (Internal Audit) professionals add value to organizations by providing independent services addressing governance, risks and controls across all aspects of the business.
This certificate will enable students to gain practical knowledge and skills that are transferrable to a wide variety of roles as well as prepare for other industry-relevant certifications, such as the Certified Internal Auditor offered by The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). Since MSU Denver is recognized as an Internal Auditing Education Partner, the student will also earn a certificate endorsed by the Institute of Internal Auditors.
Risk Assurance and Advisory Certificate
Course Requirements
The Risk Assurance and Advisory Certificate is comprised of 15 credits total: 12 credits of required courses, and 3 credits of elective courses.
Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in all courses within the certificate. Courses may have prerequisites that must be satisfied. Courses cannot be taken pass/fail. At least 9 credit hours must be taken at MSU Denver.
Required Courses - 12 credits
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): ACC 2010 and CIS 2010 with grades of C or better; at least junior standing
Description: This course is a study of principles and current issues relating to the design, implementation, control and regulation of accounting information systems. Tools and technologies related to accounting systems and the place of accounting systems within the modern enterprise provide a focus for the course, which includes an introduction to accounting-related information technology (IT) audit issues.
Note: Credit will be granted for only one prefix: ACC or HON.
Cross Listed Course(s): HON 3305
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): ACC 1010 or ACC 2010 with a grade of “C” or better; at least junior standing
Description: Risk assurance and advisory professionals serve as internal consultants to organizations and their governing bodies by performing assurance and advisory engagements across all business processes and functions. This course introduces students to the risk assurance and advisory profession and the internal audit process. Topics include the corporate governance, risk management, internal control, the Institute of Internal Auditor’s International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF), risk management, risk assurance tools and techniques, and conducting risk assurance and advisory engagements.
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): CIS 2320 and at least junior standing
Description: This course provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of data mining concepts and techniques; and hands-on experience in applying these techniques to practical real-word business problems using commercial data mining software. As an applied course, the emphasis is on application and interpretation of various data-mining methods using business cases and data rather than on mastering the theoretical underpinnings of the techniques.
Elective Options (Select one) 3 credits
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): MTH 1110 or MTH 1310 or MTH 1400; ACC 2020 with a grade of C or better
Description: This course includes coverage of cost behavior relationships, job order and process costing systems, overhead allocation methods, budgeting and budget variance analysis, cost-volume profit relationships, and cost prediction for supporting management decision-making in service, sales, and manufacturing organizations. Computer applications are an integral part of this course.
Note: Credit will be granted for only one prefix: ACC or HON.
Cross Listed Course(s): HON 3401
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): CIS 2320 and CIS 3060 or ACC 3300
Description: This course covers the concepts of data warehousing and data mining, and how they are used to convert data into strategic business information. It discusses the design, architecture, planning, and project management of a data warehouse. Data mining techniques (classification, association, genetic algorithms, machine learning, etc.) are discussed as a way to discover useful relationships among data.
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): ENG 1020 or ENG 1021; Completion of General Studies Oral Communication Requirement; ECO 2010; ECO 2020; ACC 2010; MTH 1310 or MTH 1110 with C- or better; at least junior standing.
Description: This is a study of the dynamic environment of financial management, exposing students to various finance topics such as financial analysis and forecasting, time value money, security valuation, capital budgeting, risk and return, cost of capital, working capital management and international finance.
Note: Credit will be granted for only one prefix: FIN or HON.
Cross Listed Course(s): HON 3302
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing, or Junior standing with permission of instructor
Description: This course introduces students to the consulting process and requires them to apply its steps to an actual organization or small business. Students develop skills in building rapport with clients, identifying major trends in a client’s organizational environment, identifying the major problems or issues facing a client organization, developing viable alternatives, and formulating and recommending solutions to the problems or issues identified. There is a service learning component where students apply course concepts to an actual business setting and reflect on their service experiences.
Note: Some sections of this course may be taught as Service Learning.
Curriculum Highlight
ACC 3700 - Risk Assurance and Advisory I
This is NOT your typical Accounting course! In fact, there is no accounting involved in this course at all.
This course introduces students to the role of an internal auditor within an organization. Internal auditors are more like internal consultants that provide assurance and advice to management and the board of a company on many things, including the risks to the organization. They look at all the business processes and functions within a company and they determine which is critical to the objectives, strategies, and success of the organization. They then plan and perform a review of the area and communicate their observations and recommendations for improvements or enhancements to processes.
Risk assurance and advisory professionals add value by finding efficiencies, helping to mitigate risks (like helping to prevent fraud), and ensuring compliance with policies, laws, and regulations.
Director, Risk Assurance & Advisory Center
Amanda “Jo” Erven, CIA, CPA, CFE
Risk Assurance & Advisory CenterMeet the Director
Jo can’t wait to meet you and to help you earn your RA&A Certificate! Email any questions to [email protected]