As Financial, Economic Crime Increases Across Globe, Utica College Fulfills Need for Educating Professionals

Program to Kick Off with Residency in Asia-Pacific Region

UTICA, N.Y., Dec. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Utica College has answered the demand for advanced education to combat the rapid increase in global economic and financial crime by expanding its online Master's in Economic Crime Management to the Asia-Pacific region.

According to the latest Kroll Annual Global Fraud Report, the amount lost by businesses to fraud due to theft of information and electronic data at global companies increased more than 20 percent in the last year alone – rising from $1.4 to $1.7 million per $1 billion of sales.

"Many people still hesitate to change to all these new paradigms of what is going on in our current financial industry," said KungSeok Choo, former economic crime professor at Utica College. "But that is the way that we live: credit card transactions, online shopping, everything has been done based on information technology."

Martin T. Biegelman, CFE, CCEP, director of the financial integrity unit of Microsoft Corporation and chairman of Utica College's Economic Crime Institute (ECI), said this growing trend has placed stress on companies to adapt in order to prevent fraud, as well as to provide employees with the advanced education needed to succeed in that objective.

"The ability to really advance your knowledge through education is paramount," Biegelman said.

Beginning this spring, residencies in a convenient Asia-Pacific location will allow students and professionals from that region to easily access Utica College's world-class online Master's in Economic Crime Management.

Utica College is the global leader in the field financial fraud and economic crime education. The school is the founder of both the Economic Crime Institute (ECI) and the Center for Identity Management and Information Protection (CIMIP).

In recent years, Utica College's Economic Crime and Cyber Security programs have consistently grown as students from around the world attended the college both online and at its ground campus in Utica, NY, USA, to study with recognized leaders in the industry.

"Our faculty and ECI board of advisors are comprised of the true leaders in this industry," said Joseph Giordano, director of Utica College's economic crime management program. "Being a student in the economic crime management program not only provides the education and tools to stay ahead in the industry, but it also allows you access to these thought leaders."

This master's program combines management, technology, and analytical skills with a knowledge and understanding of economic and financial crime from a global perspective. It also focuses on fraud and risk management strategies, current economic crime challenges, and the application of innovative technological and analytical solutions.

Utica College's distinguished economic crime management faculty includes world-renowned practitioners and scholars in economic crime prevention and investigation, fraud management, cybersecurity, and related fields.  

Watch our video to see industry leaders at Utica College's Economic Crime Institute conference discuss the growing threat of economic and financial crime as a global phenomenon:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW-heyOQGLc&feature=player_embedded

Utica College was founded in 1946 and is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Contact: Christine Leogrande, 1-315-223-2519, cleogrande@utica.edu

SOURCE Utica College