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CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Information Systems Audit and Control Association has certified Oregon State University’s Accounting and Management Information Systems curriculum, making the program one of only five higher learning institutions in the country and one of only 12 in the world to offer this certification.

Graduates of this program qualify for one year work experience toward the Certified Information Systems Auditor designation. With more than 65,000 members in more than 140 countries, ISACA is a recognized worldwide leader in IT governance, control, security and assurance.

“The College of Business at OSU is the only source in the state of Oregon for students with certifiable skills in both accounting and information systems,” said Roger Graham, professor of accounting at OSU. “The ISACA certification shows that our students will have the deep understanding of information systems that is so critical for today’s accounting majors.”

Byron Marshall, an assistant professor of information management at Oregon State, added: “This announcement puts OSU on a short list of high quality programs in the United States and around the world recognized for developing these sought-after skills.”

Students who complete studies in both Accounting and Management Information Systems (MIS), including the IT auditing course, will need only two years, instead of the three required of other graduates, to complete the professional experience requirements of the prestigious Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification. CISA certification also requires passing an exam, adhering to a code of ethics, upholding auditing standards and an ongoing commitment to professional education.

Information systems auditing addresses an important need in the business community. Organizations want to know that their information technology is reliable, secure and efficient to support effective operations and to comply with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. OSU’s accounting and management information systems faculty have a long history of research expertise, industry experience and instructional competence integrating these two important disciplines.

The ISACA endorsement fits into ongoing efforts by the College of Business to educate profession-ready graduates. Students from the Accounting program have demonstrated their qualifications through exceptional pass rates on the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam, placing first out of 15 teams in a recent Northwest tax competition, and performing well in both public and corporate internships and careers. The Management Information Systems (MIS) program emphasizes conceptual mastery and practical application of information technology through top-notch instruction, internships, real-world projects and partnership with the College’s Business Solutions Group. The combination of these programs provides a natural fit for students who want to learn to develop and assure effective IT systems to achieve success in today’s computer-enabled environment.