Center for
Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management

The world's premier Internal Audit program evolves to address emerging business issues.

The LSU Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management is a unique, dynamic program that helps students in any academic discipline develop both a philosophical and functional understanding of internal auditing, compliance, and risk management at an enterprise scale.

Established in 1985, as the LSU Center for Internal Auditing, the program was the world's first university-based internal auditing training program and has served as the gold-standard model for numerous programs. Being a world leader means adapting to meet current needs. Recently, the program was renamed the LSU Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management (LSUCIA&CRM) in recognition of a growing focus on cyber threats.  

 

4,000+

growing international network of LSUCIA&CRM graduates

75%

of LSUCIA&CRM students receive an internship placement

 

A Career in Internal Audit

Internal auditors take a holistic look at companies to minimize risk, drive efficiency, ensure compliance, and maximize effectiveness.

These professionals provide independent consulting and assurance that organizational governance, risk management, and control processes operate effectively. To prepare students to meet pressing business needs, the curriculum has evolved to include a focus on cybersecurity risks and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.  Internal auditors are known for professionalism, objectivity, and the value-added impact they can have on financial and non-financial objectives.

LSUCIA&CRM students receive career placement assistance during college and throughout their careers. In addition to a career in internal auditing, our graduates have many opportunities in consulting, information technology, and risk service fields. Experiences gained through internal auditing provide an excellent overview of an organization’s operations and business processes, which can lead to management positions within the organization. Eighty percent of our graduates move into management within four years. 

LSUCIA&CRM has placed around 300 students from numerous academic disciplines in rewarding careers in the last five years. A new focus on cybersecurity and ESG is expected to strengthen these impressive outcomes. You can harness the power of an international network of 4,000 LSUCIA&CRM alumni to find the career path that’s right for you. 

 

Why Internal Auditing at LSU?

Attendees at CIA recruiter night from above.

Networking: LSUCIA&CRM’s program provides numerous opportunities for students to meet representatives from major organizations. Practitioners typically visit each week during the spring and fall semesters to share real-world experiences and discuss best practices in internal auditing and corporate governance. Each year, more than 100 practitioners from approximately 70 organizations visit with LSUCIA&CRM students.

intern standing in front of Deloitte headquarters sign.

Internships: LSUCIA&CRM has placed more than 3,200 students in intern positions all over the world.

 CIA students at a table talking and smiling.

Certification: Internal audit courses offer valuable preparation for certification exams. Professional certifications significantly enhance marketability and provide a head start on career development. Hundreds of students who have completed the LSUCIA&CRM program have earned certifications. 

Lydia Lafleur speaking in front of classroom.

Case Studies: The LSUCIA&CRM Case Studies course covers 100 internal audit topics in a team presentation format. The course addresses the top attributes that recruiters look for in entry-level internal auditors -- communication skills, teamwork, creativity, integrity, and analysis.

Student shakes hand with recruiter

Placement: In the last five years, LSUCIA&CRM has placed around 300 students in 25 different cities. LSUCIA&CRM students are provided career placement assistance as students and throughout their professional careers. 

 

 

Putting the cred in credentials.

One of the main focuses of the LSUCIA&CRM program is certification. Internal audit courses offer valuable preparation for the IIA’s Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam, which full-time students may take while in school. Professional certifications significantly enhance marketability and provide a head start on career development.

LSUCIA&CRM offers preparation for the following certification exams:

  • Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)

  • Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

  • Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA)

  • Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

  • Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA)

 

 

CIA&CRM Program Details

The LSUCIA&CRM program begins in January and ends in December. It follows a continuous improvement model that seeks new ways to deliver academic instruction and bring real-world best practices to its students. Instruction consists of activity-based learning that can: 

  • Add value
  • Facilitate change
  • Assess risk
  • Enhance corporate governance
  • Improve business processes

The Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management consists of three-to-five courses with an emphasis in internal auditing. Students must take a minimum of three courses to be considered as qualifying for the specialization designation. Several departments have differing course requirements for an internal auditing specialization. Contact lsucia@lsu.edu for specifics. 

The LSU Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management  (LSUCIA&CRM) offers a unique and dynamic curriculum that emphasizes tactical, strategic, and operational auditing as a value-added consultative function. 

In order to receive a specialization or minor in internal auditing, completion of the program is required. The first course takes place in the spring, and the last course is offered in the fall. Students planning on earning a graduate degree at LSU can also begin the program as undergraduate students and complete the program as graduate students. With more than 4,000 students having completed the program since 1985, LSUCIA&CRM is the best place to start your career.

Undergraduate Program

Semester Course
Spring ACCT 3233 Internal Auditing I
Summer ACCT 4233 Case Studies in Internal Auditing
Summer ACCT 4333 Internship in Internal Auditing*
Fall ACCT 4234 Internal Auditing II
Fall ACCT 4237 Governance, Risk & Controls

 

Graduate Program

Semester Course
Spring ACCT 7333 Graduate Internal Auditing
Summer ACCT 7232 Case Studies in Internal Auditing
Summer ACCT 7333 Internship in Internal Auditing*
Fall ACCT 7234 Operational Auditing
Fall ACCT 4237 Governance, Risk & Controls


*Internship course is offered in the Spring, Summer and Fall semester.

For course descriptions, please refer to the LSU General Catalog

  • Undergraduate students: enrollment is open to students in any major; a minimum 3.0 GPA or 3.0 in the last 30 hours is required
  • Graduate students admitted to any LSU graduate program are eligible to register for the program
  • Practitioners are welcome in either the graduate or undergraduate program
  • To register, a student needs to be enrolled at LSU, Baton Rouge as a full-time student or non-degree seeking student

The LSUCIA&CRM has a highly successful internship program. Through an internship, students receive on-the-job training which provides valuable learning experience in the field of internal auditing while earning academic credit toward graduation. Each summer, 100-150 students work on internal audit staffs across the country. The internship program has been expanded to include fall and spring internships. 2,866 LSUCIA&CRM students have been placed in internship positions as of 2023.

Salary and Travel
LSUCIA&CRM interns receive paid internships and generally earn between $10 and $32 an hour, depending on location and company policy. The 2021 intern class earned $24 per hour on average. The amount of travel depends on the organization and the type of audit engagement. Internal auditors are typically expected to travel 25 percent of the time on average. Most auditors travel domestically; however, there are opportunities to travel internationally.

Many highly recognized and prestigious local and international companies recruit from the LSUCIA&CRM program every fall. These companies seek to hire interns and full-time employees throughout the year, and the LSUCIA&CRM program facilitates the connection to recruiters. Recent companies that hired LSUCIA&CRM interns include: 

  • Amedisys
  • Caesars
  • Calpine Corporation
  • Citibank
  • Crowe
  • Deloitte
  • EisnerAmper
  • Entergy
  • Ernst & Young
  • Fannie Mae
  • Ferguson
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Grant Thornton
  • Halliburton
  • HCA
  • Hertz
  • HMS
  • KPMG
  • LA Department of Education
  • McDermott
  • Nabors
  • Nestlé Purina
  • Origin Bank
  • Protiviti
  • PWC
  • Quanta Services
  • Stinnett & Associates
  • Sysco
  • Synchrony Financial
  • Unum
  • Vulcan Materials
  • Walmart
  • Webster Financial

LSUCIA&CRM has no formal application process and is open to any student who meets the program requirements. Interested students are encouraged to speak with an LSUCIA&CRM representative; you can do so by attending one of the informational sessions held each fall or emailing lsucia@lsu.edu to request a meeting.
 
Undergraduates who wish to pursue the specialization or minor must register for the spring LSUCIA&CRM course (ACCT 3233) during the advance course scheduling period in the fall. To declare the minor, please consult an academic advisor or counselor in your senior college. 
 
Graduate students who wish to pursue the specialization should speak with their faculty advisor. 

 

Flores MBA Specialization in Internal Audit

LSU offers the unique opportunity to complete a Flores MBA Program while receiving a specialization in internal auditing.

Your career opportunities will be significantly enhanced since you can interview with organizations that recruit Flores MBAs, as well as, the significantly larger group that recruits for internal auditing. Flores MBA placement is very high for both internships and full-time placement. Approximately 30 percent of the Flores MBAs at LSU select internal auditing as their specialization, the majority of which also receive internships through the program.

Undergraduate students majoring in business and immediately entering the One-Year MBA program can enroll in the CIA&CRM program during the spring semester of their senior year. This allows students to take the CIA&CRM case studies and an internship the summer after graduation and complete the CIA&CRM program in the fall semester of the MBA program. 

 

Advance your career with the LSUCIA&CRM Program

Jose Diaz headshot
 

Dr. Sumners pushed us to think outside the box, be willing to learn something new, and to always be prepared to take any tasks. As I look back to my time in the program, the skills learned like public speaking, critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork have been essential to my career and have helped me succeed in the workplace.

- Josué Diaz, MBA '20

 

Conference speaker points to attendee.

 

Annual Conference 

In partnership with the IIA Baton Rouge Chapter, the Center for Internal Auditing hosts a two-day training conference designed for internal auditors to share knowledge and experiences, gain continuing professional education, and network.  The program is designed for all experience levels and includes a broad range of internal auditing topics covering governance, risk, controls, analytics, and technology.

SAVE THE Date: sEPT. 23 & 24 

 

 

IAEP logo blueA World-Renowned Internal Audit Program

LSU was the first university to offer an internal auditing program and was designated as the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Pilot School in 1985. LSU's program was the first at a university to obtain “Center for Internal Auditing Excellence” status, which is the highest level of participation in the Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAEP) program. The IIA established the IAEP to coordinate internal auditing education efforts worldwide, and the LSUCIA&CRM serves as its model for internal audit education programs.

 

 

Contact Us

Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management
4000 Business Education Complex
501 South Quad Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
225-578-6221
lsucia@lsu.edu 

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