If you have ever been unsure of what course to take, then you aren’t alone! At first, I was unsure about what courses to enroll in, but I decided to go for the Internal Audit course (SAF 415), as I had no prior knowledge of the subject, and I wanted to learn about audit from a new perspective.
The course runs every fall term and is designed to move past the show of auditing, and onto engaging the material at a higher level of understanding. The overarching goal of this course is to have third-and fourth-year students walk away with a deeper understanding of how to participate in an internal audit engagement at a more advanced level of understanding.
Even after attending only the first class, I knew that I had made the right choice! By taking the Internal Audit course it has taught me about how controls and risks are identified and managed, and why an internal audit function is an integral part to an organization. I learned about the different frameworks and how organizations rely on them to develop annual audit programs.
One aspect that makes this course unique, is the quality and quantity of guest speakers. Every week, guest speakers with a high degree of seniority come to class to speak about their own experiences and expertise! I was able to witness how the course material was applied in a real-world setting.
As part of the final project, I selected a mentor to collaborate with, who worked as a chief auditor. I was able to ask a ton of questions and learn how my mentor dealt with topics such as internal controls and fraud risk! This experience has taught me that internal audits play a critical role in protecting an organization from threats and can make a significant impact on the success of an organization (whereas the results may not be as visible for external auditors). Taking this course has driven me to consider roles in internal audit as there are plenty of ways to help an organization be its best. Imagine that you are the one responsible for your organization’s growth and success! With a little bit of curiosity, anything is possible.