Student Perceptions of Skills and Attributes Required in Accounting Careers

Abstract

Prior studies have been conducted to determine the correspondence between the skills and attributes students perceive important to one’s professional accounting career and the level to which those skills and attributes were developed during their academic career. Results obtained indicate a significant difference between students’ perceptions of the relative importance of skills/attributes and the development of these skills/attributes during their academic careers. Many of the skills perceived to be important to the students’ future accounting careers were considered to receive less priority during their studies. Conversely, other skills perceived to be of less importance received greater priority in academic programs.