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About This Site
The Leadership in Accounting Education Section of the American Accounting Association is developing a database of best practices in attracting and retaining accounting majors. Below please find submissions organized by student level and innovation type along with contact information for more detail. If you have your own ideas, please submit here to briefly describe your best practice and provide contact information for those seeking more detail. All submissions will be reviewed before posting on the AAA website.
This site was last updated August 14, 2024.
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1 Undergraduate Lower Division
Student Program Success
Top Performers Principles Of Financial Accounting
By Andee Hodo, Auburn University
andee.hodo@auburn.edu
We invite the top 10% of performers of the Principles of Financial Accounting to the Financial Accounting Stars Banquet (FASB). This is a fun, themed event (the last few events have been Oscars Award Party and Margartiaville themed) where Beta Alpha Psi members host a "star". Each table is assigned a faculty as well. There is typcially a panel of students disucssing why those chose accounting as a major and an alumni who talks about things students can do with an accounting degree besides public accounting. This has been highly successful for converting pre-business majors and newly declared non-ACCT majors. We do a post event survey to gauge their interest in accounting as a major before and after attendance.
2 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses
Bridge Course Curriculum Change Intermediate Accounting Accounting Principles
By Craig Sisneros, Oklahoma State University
Craig.Sisneros@okstate.edu
Please see our study, "Bridging the Gap: Design Suggestions and Remediation Insights from a Curriculum Change in the Financial Accounting Series" ISSUES IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION Vol. 38, No. 4, November 2023, pp. 1–24 DOI:10.2308/ISSUES-2021-125. We describe a bridge course sequence to prepare students for the rigors of intermediate financial accounting that results in higher grades throughout the intermediate series as well as subsequent accounting courses, higher retention of accounting majors, and higher gains of non-accounting majors. In a follow-up study in progress, we also show that this bridge sequence is equitable for underrepresented minority students and for female students.
3 Undergraduate Upper Division
Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses Classroom Activity Bootcamp
Bootcamp Diagnostic Quiz Individualized Advising Teaching Assistants DFW Rates
By Jong Chool Park, University of South Florida
parkj@usf.edu
At the commencement of the semester, I assign a diagnostic test and a survey to gather crucial student information. This includes the year and location of their previous principles course, along with their grades, and current employment status, whether full-time or part-time. I use these factors to identify students who may be at risk academically. As an illustration, a student who didn't fare well in the diagnostic quiz, who took the principles of accounting more than two years ago, achieved a 'C' grade and presently holds a nearly full-time job would be considered at-risk. 1.I urge these students to attend the boot camp scheduled for the close of the first week of the semester, almost to the point of making it mandatory. 2.Their engagement, especially during the first three weeks, is closely monitored. Specifically, I gather data on their in-class problem-solving in each class to gauge their grasp of the course. Furthermore, I track their engagement on Canvas, tracking their weekly assignments (evaluating scores, completion time, and the timing of their start and finish), and monitor their performance in the Chapter Quiz. 3.In the event that an at-risk student fails to complete an assignment or shows a poor assignment or quiz performance, I arrange a meeting during my office hours to discuss the reasons for the omission (e.g., limited study time due to full-time employment, etc.) and explore the best strategies for managing their circumstances. 4.The Teaching Assistant for the course also conducts a weekly study session every Friday. This is designed to assist students in grasping key concepts and enhancing their problem-solving skills. Intermediate Accounting I is grappling with a high DFW rate. I take a multifaceted approach to improve the rate by utilizing diagnostic tests, monitoring student engagement, offering supplemental support, and establishing targeted interventions for at-risk students. 1. Problem Identification: Complexity of Material: The course contains intricate and foundational accounting concepts. Lack of Preparedness: Students often have inadequate background in accounting fundamentals. Time Management Issues: Struggling to balance academic responsibilities with other commitments, like work. 2. Initial Student Assessment: At the start of the semester, a diagnostic test and a survey are administered to gather essential data such as previous course locations and grades, as well as current employment status. This information is used to identify students who are academically at risk. 3. Strategies for At-Risk Students: Pre-Course Bootcamp: Identified students are strongly encouraged, almost to the point of making it mandatory, to attend a one-week bootcamp. 4. Monitoring Engagement: For the initial three weeks, engagement metrics are collected. This includes in-class problem-solving data, Canvas assignment engagement metrics like scores, completion times, and quiz performance. 5. Personal Consultation: In instances where at-risk students miss an assignment or perform poorly, one-on-one consultations are scheduled to explore ways to manage their specific challenges. 6. Supplemental Instruction: A Teaching Assistant will conduct weekly review sessions on Friday to aid in conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. 7. Time Management Instruction: I also provide short talks about strategies for effective study habits and time management.
4 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
EYARC Mini Case Series
By Joni Fisher, EYARC
joni.k.fisher@ey.com
The EYARC mini case series introduces eight mini cases that aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how the foundational concepts, tools, and principles they learn in class are applicable to real-world accounting careers. These mini cases serve as a powerful teaching tool, allowing faculty to infuse real-life examples into their introductory accounting course. By incorporating these cases, our curriculum seeks to dispel negative misconceptions surrounding accounting and to highlight its dynamic nature. Through active participation in these mini cases, students will come to realize that accounting is far more journal entries. Accounting involves critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic decision-making, making it a stimulating and rewarding field of study and career choice. No software download required. Each case takes students about 20 mins to complete. Includes both discussion questions and machine gradable questions.
5 Undergraduate Lower Division
Other
Short Course Careers Planning
By Georgew Plesko, University of Connecticut
gplesko@uconn.edu
We have a one credit course, "Introduction to a Profession" required of all majors (but open to others) at the sophomore level. It provides an overview of curriculum, the profession, CPA exam, interviewing, early career experience, and opportunities beyond public accounting.
7 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Guest Speakers
By Leah Diehl, University of Montana
leah.diehl@umt.edu
I ran an experiment across 3 sections of my Intro to Managerial course in Spring 2023. The first was a control group, the second had 8 live guest speakers and the third viewed 8 recordings of the guest speakers. We found an increase in interest in the major in the second and third sections, and no difference in interest between the second and third sections. This means the guest speakers increased interest in the accounting major and that recordings did not diminish their interest. The recordings allow for greater flexibility for incorporating professionals and requires less of their time across multiple sections.
9 Graduate
Master'S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs
Demonstrate Compassion Use Turnitin As A Tool To Help Not Punish Students (Via Draft Coach) Use APA Template In Word Fairness Career Tips Promote CPA Licensure
By Sharon Levin, University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)
Sharon.Levin@umgc.edu
Serve our students by making eye contact, listening, and demonstrating compassion when they need us to be more than their accounting professor. Approach first-time academic integrity issues (violations) as an opportunity to change students' paradigms. Assume they genuinely don't know how to write academic papers. Offer resources such as Turnitin's Draft Coach; demonstrate how APA templates in Word 365 support their path to becoming a successful writer. Promote peer-to-peer paper reviewers for face-to-face classes. Above all, treat all students with respect and be fair.
10 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Best Teachers Active Learning
By Joan Lee, Fairfield University
jlee@fairfield.edu
Many years ago, when I was department chair, I stood our departmental course assignment approach on its head; I assigned my strongest teachers to the intro classes and encouraged all to use active learning. We hired adjuncts, often currently in practice, to supplement in major level courses such as tax and audit, since pulling faculty out of those courses to teach intros left holes to be filled. Our "yield" from our intro courses jumped dramatically, and we continue to grow as a program, with our largest ever class in Intermediate Accounting this year.
11 High School
Bootcamp Experiential Learning Student Program Success
High School Summer Camp Low Income First Generation
By Kirsten Cook, Texas Tech University
kirsten.cook@ttu.edu
Texas Tech's Business Career Awareness Program (BCAP) is a one-week, in-residence, all-expenses-paid summer camp for rising juniors and rising seniors to visit our campus and learn about majoring and working in business. BCAP focuses on students who are underrepresented in business higher education, including low-income and first-generation.
Campers check-in on Monday evening and, during the following four days, attend "classes" to learn about the various majors offered by the business school (accounting, energy commerce, finance, information systems, management, and marketing/supply chain management) and work in teams to complete a fun, multi-day business-simulation activity. Campers also receive information about the application/admission process, careers available for business majors, student organizations, and study-abroad opportunities. We also introduce campers to student success services like mentoring. Campers live in a residence hall and enjoy the full college experience, including the an escape room and the student recreation center!
12 Community College
Other
Pipeline Enrollment Community College
By Luke Richardson, University of South Florida
lericha2@usf.edu
To help grow enrollment in our program, we've worked to cultivate relationships with community colleges. We began by identifying all community colleges on the west coast of central Florida that offer associate degrees in accounting and/or business. Then, we attempted to contact every faculty member teaching an accounting course at these institutions (by email and phone). Many folks were delighted we'd reached out, though a few were less responsive. We invited to breakfast/lunch each faculty member with whom we made contact and several accepted our invitation. Our director (Dr. Mark Taylor) attended every meeting. Having established the relationship, we asked these faculty to share information about our program with their students, promote the pathway from their institution to ours, and host us on campus to talk directly with students enrolled in their courses. Good news—they have shared information about our program, we have worked jointly to improve the articulation agreements between our institutions, and we have visited (on several occasions) their classrooms.
13 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses Master'S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs
AccountingEnrollmentCourse Creativity
By Kevin Koharki, Purdue University
kkoharki@purdue.edu
Survey course highlighting the various non-traditional career paths for accounting degree holders
Exclusive sporting events/tailgates
Creating a culture focused on consistent messaging from the moment students step on campus until they graduate
Education regarding the importance/benefits of obtaining an MSA
CPA a "must have" for any career in accounting
16 Undergraduate Upper Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses Master'S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs Classroom Activity Experiential Learning Student Program Success Other
Partnerships Advisory Council Recruiters Experiential Learning Free MAcc CPA Evolution Undergraduate Tracks Non-CPA Undergraduate Tracks Excel Certification Data Analytics 3+1 Programs (Earn An Undergraduate And Graduate Degree In Four Years) Corporate Responsibility ESG Problem-Solving Cross-Listing Tracks In MAcc Specialized Masters Like Forensic Accounting
By Richard Riley, West Virginia University
richard.riley@mail.wvu.edu
This fall, I will talk to 725 freshman business students and 500 high school freshman about choosing accounting. I focus on problem-solving using financial and non-financial numbers. I highlight zero-emissions in 2050 and the role of accounting, the value of a live versus a dead elephant, some basic but powerful financial decisions.
In addition, to walk-the-walk about what accountants really do, at WVU, we also have completely revamped our UG and graduate programs.
In 2020, Covid shut the world down. In contrast, WVU's Department of Accounting spent that time innovating the entire accounting curriculum. These innovations were to address the suggestions of our stakeholders, particularly our (WVU) Accounting Advisory Council and our recruiters who we frequently interacted with via email and Zoom during Covid and post-Covid via periodic live Council meetings, lunches with recruiters as well as during Beta Alpha Psi and other similar events.
These curriculum innovations were motivated by declines in accounting enrollments. Students were not choosing accounting. From 2020 through 2022, despite other majors in the WVU Chambers College being up, WVU accounting undergraduate and MAcc enrollments were down as much as 30%. Discrete corroborative inquiry suggested that students were choosing finance, MIS (data analytics and cyber security) and global supply chain rather than accounting.
As discussed in the following section, our innovations are paying off - our undergraduate and MAcc enrollments started trending UPWARD in spring 2023. Further, our employer recruiters are gobbling up our students: at graduation, our undergraduate placement rate approximates 90% and our MAcc program placement is 100%.
The following is a listing of the curriculum innovations that we we believe are the basis for the reversal in our enrollment trends:
I. Partnership with the WV State Auditors Office
The WVU Department of Accounting has a partnership with the WV State Auditors Office (WVSAO).
The West Virginia State Auditor, JB McCuskey, an elected position in West Virginia, noted that he has as many as 40 open state auditor positions. His challenge is that his starting salaries are about $42,500, approximately $20,000 lower than other organizations hiring entry-level accountants.
In response to these needs, WVU Accounting has developed three partnerships with the WVSAO:
a. Undergraduate Acct 322, Capstone Data Analytics.
In this partnership, our undergraduate students complete data analytics on select state p-card data. During the semester, the professor covers various types of analytics for fraud and audit data examination; students then apply these tools and techniques to messy real-world state p-card data. At the end of the semester, the State Auditor and his staff listen to final presentations of students' findings. The outcomes are twofold:
i. Anomalies identified often lead to fraud examinations by WVSAO auditors.
ii. Innovative techniques and approaches used by the students are adopted by the state auditor to examine other datasets to look for anomalies.
b. MAcc Acct 452/551, Advanced Auditing.
In this partnership, advanced auditing students perform auditing procedures on West Virginia municipalities (e.g., school boards, water and sewer commissions, town governments) under the supervision of the professor and an assigned state auditor. The students complete the audit procedures; the state auditor reviews the procedures / underlying evidence and issues the audit report.
c. Free MAcc. Starting fall 2023, the WV State auditor's Office offers a free MAcc to students who commit to work for the State Auditors Office for four years. WVU and the State Auditors Office works with two professional services firms, who recruit WVU students, who GUARANTEE those students a position in their firm after four years with the WVSAO at commensurate position and salary "as if" that had gone to work directly with the professional services firm. So far, two professional serves firms have signed this agreement and we are actively negotiating with two more. (The contract for this program is available for inspection; due to privacy concerns, the contract is not included in the evidence section of this nomination.)
Other Undergraduate Innovations
1. As of fall 2023, we are CPA Evolution Ready!
Although one of the most recent innovations, this may be the most impactful. When NASBA and the AICPA first presented the model curriculum for the new CPA exam, we downloaded the PDF, entered it into Excel and aligned it with our existing curriculum. The department then distributed the curriculum to the accounting professors and each professor reviewed the new CPA exam curriculum, comparing it to their current syllabus and made changes to ensure that all CPA exam topics are included in some manner within our undergraduate program.
2. In fall 2023, we'll offer three CPA Evolution Exam Tracks: BAR, ICS and TCP.
Our undergraduate curriculum committee noticed the following challenges (shortcomings) when comparing our existing curriculum (course of study for the accounting major) with the new CPA Evolution curriculum, specifically with regard to the new specialization exam parts. At the curriculum level, we took the following actions:
a)We decided to rearrange the undergraduate plan of study to include 8 core classes that align with the CPA Evolution core material and then create three two-course tracks for the CPA Evolution Specialized areas.
b)BAR: Advanced Accounting and a 2nd Auditing class. Because we were facing declining enrollments, we coopted the MAcc advanced auditing class, renumbered it as a 400-level course and cross-listed it for MAcc students from schools that are not CPA Evolution ready.
c)TCP: We created a new entry-level tax class (survey of tax) for the core curriculum and used our two existing tax classes, personal and corporate, as the TCP track.
d)ISC: For the ISC track, we required the advanced auditing class (discussed under BAR) and we found that MIS' cyber professors were teaching an IT audit class whose subject matter closely aligned with the required ISC materials. Those professors adjusted their course coverage to include the few additional ISC topics needed for the CPA Evolution.
This approach permitted us to creatively adjust the curriculum and add courses even though our enrollments were declining.
3. All Sophomore Accounting students complete the Microsoft Excel Certification
In response to employers needs / student data analytics needs, we require all sophomores to become Microsoft Excel Certified at no incremental cost to the student.
4. The undergraduate accounting curriculum has data analytics in almost every upper-level accounting course.
Our Advisory Council and the employers of our students constantly champion the need for students to have exemplary data analysis skills. Across the years, our professors have been listening. Further, even though Covid resulted in some budget cut-backs, we continued to fund any professor who requested professional development monies for technology enhancement to be used in their classroom. Through a survey of our faculty that identified the software and the projects, we determined that data analytics technology and skills development occurs in every upper-level accounting class.
5. We offer six 2-course undergraduate tracks: three CPA exam tracks as noted above, plus three tracks for accounting students who do not choose to pursue the CPA: organizational (corporate) accounting, data analytics and forensic accounting and fraud examination (FAFE). The three non-CPA tracks were launched in fall 2022.
•We include CIA and CMA exam preparation materials in the organizational accounting track.
•We include CFE exam preparation materials in the FAFE track.
6. We offer two "3+1" programs where advanced placement accounting students can earn both an undergraduate and master's degree in four years: BSBA plus MAcc or MS-Forensic & Fraud Examination.
We noted lots of students that arrive at college with a considerable amount of AP (advanced placement) courses accumulated during their high school years. Many were looking at completing a 2nd major in order to have a traditional four-year college experience.
This "3+1" option is attractive to students who can earned a masters as well as an undergraduate degree during four years. This option is also particularly attractive to parents who see a considerable payoff for a fourth year of higher education when their child could complete their undergraduate degree in three years.
7. Emphasizing the contributions that accountants make to society: "Contribute to Society through
Corporate Social Responsibility, ESG & a Career in Problem-solving!"
When we promote the major, we not only talk about the many career options related to the innovations discussed above, we also champion how accountants contribute to society by helping to solve problems grounded in numbers. Recent trends in corporate responsibility and ESG reinforce this message.
Other Masters of Accountancy (MAcc) Innovations
1. Cross-listing courses with undergraduate tracks.
This permits us to offer specialized courses needed for the CPA exam in the undergraduate program while also utilizing them in the MAcc program for students who want additional education and for those who come from schools that do not have CPA Evolution options.
2. We require specializations in the MAcc.
MAcc students choose to specialize with three-course Areas of Emphasis (AOEs): tax, data analytics, and audit / forensic accounting.
Masters of Forensic and Fraud Examination (MS-FFE) Innovations
Students choose to specialize with three-course Areas of Emphasis (AOEs): data analytics, cyber-security or management.
Enrollment increases in 2021 in MS-FFE led to incremental revenues in accounting that have helped us navigate the decline in undergraduate accounting enrollments.
Doctoral Programs: Transition from a PhD to a DBA Program
We started our traditional PhD program (4-years; free) about a decade ago but have been unable to gain traction. While we only enrolled students every-other-year, the last two enrollment cycles were three years apart. As a result, a decision was made to sunset this program.
In anticipation of this issue, in fall 2022, we started an online, tuition-paying Doctorate of Business Administration (College DBA) with a concentration in Accounting (Department centered). This program has been wildly successful. As of fall 2023, we have 19 accounting DBA students enrolled, thirteen 2nd year and six 1st year, paying more than $60,000 in tuition across their 3-year program.
These incremental revenues in accounting have helped us navigate the decline in undergraduate accounting enrollments.
17 High School
Student Program Success
STEM Business High School Middle School Competition Business Pitch Accounting
By Rachel Cox, Oklahoma State University
rachel.cox10@okstate.edu
Program Background - STEM Business for High School and Middle School Students
Accounting is a foundational element of business, linked to providing control, stability, and accountability to a company's finances. It's a role that will likely always be in demand. Businesses rely on accountants for much more than ongoing tax expertise. Accountants also provide services that can help a company develop strategies, make decisions, and comply with accounting laws and regulations. Entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in the growth of the economy. They spur industry innovations, create new market opportunities, develop or improve existing enterprises, and support the development of communities. The program will combine entrepreneurship and accounting for 30 middle school students. The students will have the opportunity to come up with products for businesses, setup their companies utilizing accounting concepts such as managing startup budgets, prototype their product, and at the end give business/product pitches as a competition.
19 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Online Learning Hybrid
By Gary McGill, University of Florida
mcgill@ufl.edu
UF offers both principles classes (financial and managerial) to class sizes ranging from 500 to 1500. Currently some students attend a live class which is professionally recorded for most students to consume asynchronously. With the assistance of our College's Teaching & Learning Center, we are converting the taped materials from simple 100 minute instructor lectures to shorter, focused topic segments, using a combination of lecture, animations, and on-location filming. This approach will allow for the instructor to use class lecture time for problem solving, etc. (i.e., a "flipped" classroom approach). In addition, the new courses will contain experiential cases using simulation software platforms.
20 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Technology Advisory Industry Careers
By Karen Kitching, Georgetown University
karen.kitching@georgetown.edu
- Integrate technology and analytics throughout the curriculum (not just Excel and basic Tableau)
- Inform students about accounting careers that are not audit and tax and bring in guest speakers to highlight their jobs and describe their use of technology
21 Community College
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses
Introductory Accounting Financial Real World Examples
By Joni Fisher, EYARC
joni.k.fisher@ey.com
The EYARC mini case series introduces eight mini cases that aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how the foundational concepts, tools, and principles they learn in class are applicable to real-world accounting careers. These mini cases serve as a powerful teaching tool, allowing faculty to infuse real-life examples into their introductory accounting course. By incorporating these cases, our curriculum seeks to dispel negative misconceptions surrounding accounting and to highlight its dynamic nature. Through active participation in these mini cases, students will come to realize that accounting is far more journal entries. Accounting involves critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic decision-making, making it a stimulating and rewarding field of study and career choice. No software download required. Each case takes students about 20 mins to complete. Includes both discussion questions and machine gradable questions.
https://www.ey.com/us/eyarc
22 Undergraduate Upper Division
Principles Courses
Excel Skills
By Angela Baker, Oklahoma State University
angela.m.baker@okstate.edu
Excel skills lab where students utilize MyEducator to learn about Excel and its functionality, starting at the most basic level of what a spreadsheet is and progressing to advanced analytics. Paired with MyEducator are a series of case studies that allow students to apply the knowledge they are gaining in a manner that simulates a professional task.
23 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Attracting Students To The Program
By Mike Drake, Brigham Young University
mikedrake@byu.edu
Last year, we completely rebooted our introductory course. This course is required for all business majors and is a general education course as well. Annual enrollment is more than 2,000 students a year and it’s taught in large auditoriums of several hundred students.
The new course deemphasizes the mechanics of accounting (i.e., journal entries) and has almost completely stripped away the use of made-up companies (students are not interested in Company ABC’s purchase of a truck).
The focus is now on exposure to (1) real-world companies, (2) real world analysis tools, and (3) real-world decision-making.
(1)Different public companies of interest to the students (e.g., Lululemon, Tesla) are introduced to the students each week. In week 2, the students are introduced to the SEC EDGAR database.
(2)There is a new focus on analysis tools such as ratio analysis and regression analysis.
(3)There is a new focus on decision-making and helping the students understand how accounting is used to making important decisions.
The course spends some time helping the students understand the financial statement effects of various transactions and, once that knowledge has been practiced and tested, we show them how to translate those effects into journal entries.
Exams: We have also implemented second and third change exams. If a student scores below an 80 percent on the exam, they are welcome to take it again (different questions; same concepts); however, in this second attempt, their score is capped at 80. If they score below 80 again, they can take it a third time (again, different questions, same concepts) and their score is again capped at 80. We have found that this particular helpful to first generation college students and has helped to dramatically reduce the D-E-Withdrawal rate.
Result: The course has been very successful so far and we have seen a clear improvement in student ratings, enrollments, and withdrawal ratings.
24 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses
Principles Intermediate Financial
By Craig Sisneros, Oklahoma State University
Craig.Sisneros@okstate.edu
The published paper cited below with abstract describes a curriculum change with a bridge course to intermediate financial accounting which shows superior subsequent performance and retention/gains of accounting majors. A second working paper also examines this curriculum change through an equity lens and shows these gains are equitable for potentially at risk populations of students, particularly underrepresented minorities, females, low-income, and first-generation students.
ISSUES IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION
Vol. 38, No. 4
November 2023
pp. 21–44
American Accounting Association DOI: 10.2308/ISSUES-2021-125
Bridging the Gap: Design Suggestions and Remediation Insights from a Curriculum Change in the Financial Accounting Series
Bryan G. Brockbank
Craig A. Sisneros
Angela Wheeler Spencer
W. Adam Stroud
Oklahoma State University
ABSTRACT: As part of a revision to the undergraduate business core curriculum, the typical two-course introductory series was condensed into one class, and an additional “bridge” course was created for students continuing to intermediate accounting. The transition period created a natural experiment to examine student success and retention in intermediate accounting and beyond. Compared with students who had completed six hours of principles courses and a gateway exam, students who completed this new course sequence scored higher on an incoming assessment in the new and more advanced first intermediate course. Further, the performance advantage is evident in higher exam grades in the first intermediate course, higher GPA in future accounting courses, greater retention of accounting majors, and gains in conversion to accounting. Although this curriculum change is somewhat unique, the results lend insights to accounting educators on how to address success and retention/gains of accounting students throughout intermediate accounting and beyond.
25 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Virtual Reality ESG Accounting Analytics Retention Recruitment Enrollment.
By Dina El Mahdy, Morgan State University
dina.elmahdy@morgan.edu
Accounting data is arguably one of the most critical information types for resource allocation. Technological advancements have rendered this data increasingly complex, abundant, and scattered across multiple platforms, presenting significant challenges. Major employers, such as the Big 4 accounting firms, seek employees with robust data analytics skills—skills not traditionally taught in accounting classrooms. Conversely, there has been a sharp decline in enrollment in accounting programs over the past three decades. Students frequently perceive accounting as tedious, math-intensive, and challenging.
The primary goal of our project is to animate accounting data and revolutionize its perception and utilization in decision-making processes. By integrating a service-learning component, we aim to demystify accounting, making it an engaging and immersive educational experience. Our approach involves developing an immersive data analytics software/app to boost enrollment, recruitment, and retention. The app will allow users of financial statements to become immersed and able to absorb the large volume of data contained in a firm's annual report. This technology is revolutionary, exciting, and contributes both to the profession and academia.
Our initiative began with piloting Extended Reality (XR) and immersive data analytics tools for visualizing accounting data. We currently have a prototype that we will build on and expand to incorporate large and complex volumes of accounting data. This project will enhance the learning experience for students, maximizing the benefits of technology, which may attract more students to the profession and increase the supply of accountants.
I have a coauthor on this project: Dr. Denis Gracanin from Virginia Tech.
26 Undergraduate Lower Division
Other
Family Weekend Parents Information Session
By Greg Sommers, Southern Methodist University
gsommers@smu.edu
Each fall, SMU has a Family Weekend which has activities from Friday noon through football on Saturday. Right before it starts (10am on Friday) I host a one hour Accounting Information Session that provides a broad overview. During the presentation, I describe the major, internships, the Masters, CPA, and job opportunities and how we have it mapped out for the student to follow.
Often times, students are trying to explain to family how accounting works (internships, CPA, Masters, etc.), but don't really understand it themselves. To address this, I invite the student and/or any family members in town to come to an information session. (At the session I hand out gifts like a mug with our MSA logo on one side and the "This Way to CPA" logo on the other). My goal is to get everyone on the same page by having them all have the same information. Whether the student is the first to college or a parent is a Big 4 partner, there are challenges because what today's student faces is not what the parent would have faced. Also, they learn that I am the person to go to with questions and issues about anything accounting related.
The invitation is extended by email to all freshman business students and well as sophomore/junior/senior accounting or finance majors. Normally about 60 people attend, but I always hear how helpful it was. Even if people don't attend, they know where to get information.
Providing confidence to the student and the family about the accounting pathway and that it leads to success goes a long way.
28 Undergraduate Lower Division
Other
Community College Undeclared Freshmen
By Margaret Fiorentino, Beta Alpha Psi
mfiorentino@bap.org
Beta Alpha Psi has encouraged its chapters to conduct outreach and to collaborate with undeclared students under the following:
1. Promote the Pipeline - https://www.bap.org/promote-the-pipeline
2. Program for Chapter Activities under the Impact Points section: https://www.bap.org/2024-program-for-chapter-activities-and-chapter-reporting
Thanks.
29 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses Student Program Success
Mastery Opportunities Competency-Based Education CBE
By Megan Harris, University of Nebraska at Omaha
megharris@unomaha.edu
I have implemented a new tool that I am calling Mastery Opportunities (MOs). Instead of allowing students to retake an exam where all points previously earned are lost and they essentially start over, students have an option to participate in these master opportunities which are composed of open-ended problems worth half the points of the exams. The exams in this course were previously worth 100 points and the MOs were worth 50 points. Students would receive feedback on their exams and then would have the option to take the MO problems like an exam (with no books, notes, friends, or notecards). These MO points are added to their exam score but the final exam score is capped at 105% of the original exam points. So if a student earned 100 points on the 100 point exam, they could only earn a maximum of 5 more points from those 50 MO points for a final exam score of 105 out of 100. If a student earned 15 points on a 100-point exam, they could earn a maximum of 50 MO points for a maximum exam score of 65 out of 100. I am still experimenting with this idea for now. However, the benefits include allowing students additional opportunities to show mastery of the concepts with little to no risk involved as they will not get a lower exam score than they had already earned. It also encourages continuous studying and recall of material that could be difficult to grasp and will be assessed on the cumulative final exam. The primary disadvantage is that students may spend too much time on older material and therefore not spend the requisite time needed to learn new material as the course moves on. To address this issue, students only have one opportunity to complete the MO problems for each of the 3 midterm exams which are administered in class (like an exam) one week after the original exam. MOs are not available for the final exam for the course. This idea was inspired by a continuing education workshop I attended on Competency-Based Education.
30 Undergraduate Upper Division
Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses Master’S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs Classroom Activity Experiential Learning
Getting Know Each Other Engagement Experiential Learning.
By Sebahattin Demirkan, George Mason University
sdemirka@gmu.edu
Great!
Establishing an engaging and effective learning environment is paramount in the field of accounting. One method I employ to achieve this is by initiating each lecture with a short, five-minute interaction among students. This deliberate activity not only encourages bonding but also facilitates networking, fostering a sense of community within the class.
Experiential learning is another key component of maintaining student engagement and curiosity. By immersing students in hands-on activities that directly relate to the subject matter, they gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the real-world applications of their studies. This approach not only ignites their curiosity but also motivates them to explore the subject matter further.
Inviting successful alumni to share their stories with current students is a powerful way to strengthen their connection to the accounting major. These sessions offer valuable insights into the potential career paths available to them, inspiring students to envision their own future success. By hearing firsthand accounts of how these alumni navigated their careers and overcame challenges, students can better understand the possibilities that lie ahead. Additionally, these interactions provide students with an opportunity to build a network of contacts within the industry.
Integrating technology into lectures and homework assignments is another effective strategy for enhancing student engagement and interest in the field of accounting. By leveraging tools such as online simulations, interactive learning platforms, and accounting software, educators can provide students with a more dynamic and immersive learning experience. These technologies not only make complex accounting concepts more accessible and understandable but also demonstrate the practical applications of accounting in the real world. Moreover, using technology can help students develop valuable skills that are highly sought after in the accounting profession,
31 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Bootcamp Other
Summer Accounting Camps Why Choose Accounting As A Major Peer Assistance For Accounting Students.
By Shawn Mauldin, Mississippi State University
smauldin@business.msstate.edu
We have four initiatives to recruit and retain accounting students. First, members of our advisory council make a presentation titled "Why Choose Accounting as a Major" to all students in the first accounting course. Second, we implemented Peer Assisted Learning Sessions (PALS) in the financial principles and first intermediate courses. Third, every student who makes an A or B in the first accounting course receives a letter from the Director encouraging them to consider accounting as their major. Lastly, we started a summer camp (Accelerating Students to the Accounting Profession - ASAP) for high school juniors and seniors.
32 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Gamification Kahoot Active Learning Excel
By Yunita Anwar, Shenandoah University
yanwar@su.edu
I use interactive learning tools such as Kahoot! to reinforce learning and prepare students for quizzes and exams. This is a fun and interactive way for students to review the topics we learned in class. The game format encourages active participation and engagement, helping students to recall information more effectively. Furthermore, this strategy incorporates friendly competition into the learning environment. To encourage participation, I provide extra credit possibilities for the top three winners in each game.
In addition, I use PowerPoint for lectures and Excel to provide walkthrough examples. PowerPoint enables me to visually depict accounting concepts, whereas Excel provides active, hands-on learning in solving accounting problems. Before each lecture, I make Excel templates available via the LMS.
During class, I walk students through these Excel templates, explaining each step thoroughly. This hands-on approach not only helps students comprehend how to apply the accounting topics they've learned, but it also allows them to obtain practical experience with Excel.
33 Community College
Other
Symposium
By Thomas Marsh, Northern Virginia Community College
tmarsh@nvcc.edu
Every spring semester (with the exception of 2020 and 2021) I have put together a symposium for all NOVA community college students to attend and learn about the field of accounting; the work the big and small firms do, the skills necessary to get prepared, the industries that seek accounting students, certifications that demonstrate abilities, the role of internships in getting prepared and where the find them, the benefits of being in government, non-profit, public accounting (large and small), industry....doing tax, audit, private/public accounting, consulting etc. This is a very popular event for students trying to figure out what their career pathway might look like.
35 Undergraduate Lower Division
Classroom Activity
Videos Corporate Scandals Students Discussion Principles Of Accounting GAAP SEC FASB Students Engagement Non-Accounting Majors Accounting Majors.
By Aida Sy, Farmingdale State College at SUNY
sya@farmingdale.edu
Title: “From the Company to the Classroom: How to Increase Students Engagement by Using Videos in the Classroom”.
The purpose to this classroom activity is to keep students focused during the lectures, and teach them what they should not do when they become managers. My classroom time is 75 minutes. I give a lecture of 30 minutes. Students watch a video on corporate scandals (ENRON, WorldCom, Xerox, Madoff, ZZZ best, Parmalat, etc...) Students discuss the video during the 25 minutes. I notice lots of interest during the discussion, and the questions from students about the regulations continue even after the class ends. Then, to keep them interested in the activity, not only I give them extra points, but, I ask them to build their own firms, create the financial statements, use GAAP definitions and set up their firms operations. I ask them to construct a scenario where accounting could be used to commit fraud. This is an exercise, my students love to do.
36 High School
Classroom Activity
Opportunities Inform Path
By Rodney Sauder, Messiah University
rsauder@messiah.edu
Our Accounting professors have connected with about a dozen different high schools in the South Central Pennsylvania area. We have been invited to share about opportunities in accounting. During this time we help show high school students what to consider when assessing an accounting program at the College level. Additionally we help show high school students the path they can take to obtain these engaging careers shared.
At times we have invited current students and recent alumni to assist with the presentation. At the start of our presentation we ask students to write down what they think of when we say, “A career in accounting”. Typically, at the start of the presentation things like, “bookkeeping”, “stare at a screen all day” and “math” show up. When we ask the same question at the end of the presentation terms such as “consulting”, “CPA”, “many different job”, and “problem solving” become much more prominent.
37 Undergraduate Upper Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses
Excel Chapter Overview Chart/Map
By Martin Mulyadi, Shenandoah University
mmulyadi@su.edu
To promote active learning in my accounting courses, I use a "full-Excel" approach. Before class, I provide all students with the Excel file/template we will use so they can download it and peruse it as we work through the problem/material.
Given the "full-Excel" approach means I do not use PowerPoint in my class, I always start a new topic/chapter by providing them with a "Chapter Overview Chart", a one tab of chart in Excel to summarize the key points we are going to learn in that chapter. This way, students know the rundown of the topic that will be discussed. Furthermore, the discussion of the concept will be integrated as we work on the problem in that Excel file.
As we solve the problem directly in Excel and provide the students with the concept of why we do what we do, students actively learn the topic by following along and doing it on their own in their Excel file.
I find this approach beneficial for students because it promotes active learning - they will need to solve the problem on their Excel file (and can refer to the updated file uploaded to the LMS after class) and also increase their familiarity with Excel.
38 Community College
Other
Community College Symposium Awareness Diversity
By Kecia Williams Smith, Center for Accounting Diversity at North Carolina A&T State University
kwsmith3@ncat.edu
Two-Year Bridge Symposium Event
Increasingly, underrepresented minorities are choosing two-year colleges as a pathway into higher education. In the accounting discipline, students starting at two-year colleges take entry-level accounting courses (e.g., Principles of Accounting) prior to transitioning to a four-year institution. However, there is a need to “bridge” the transition from the two-year college environment to the four-year institution environment. Specifically, two-year college students need to be apprised of the rigor of the four-year accounting curriculum and the unique challenges of moving to a larger educational setting.
The objective of the Center for Accounting Diversity (“Center") Two-Year Bridge Symposium is to provide accounting content, community, and professional resources for two-year college students who identify as racially and ethnically diverse as they contemplate their education pathways and potential careers in the accounting profession. Specifically, the one-day symposium focuses on:
•Opportunities in the Accounting Profession
•Transitioning to Four-Year Institutions
•CPA Exam and Licensure Planning
•Scholarships and Professional Resources
The Symposium was held in November 2022 and November 2023 in five and seven U.S. cities, respectively. This event is a professional collaboration between accounting firms, accounting organizations (e.g., Center for Audit Quality, AAA, TACTYC), and accounting faculty members. Students apply to attend a Symposium site and travel, food, and swag are provided. Since inception, the Symposium has reached over 200 two-year college students.
39 Graduate
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses Master’S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs
Tutoring Mentoring Inclusion Culture
By Alyssa Vowell, Oklahoma State University
alyssa.vowell@okstate.edu
The Accounting Collaborative for Excellence (ACE), is a vital support system within Oklahoma State University's School of Accounting. It's staffed by undergraduate student workers and graduate teaching assistants who help students with their accounting courses.
Since its start, ACE has been funded through a mix of underutilized Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) hours, donations, and departmental funds. Its goal is simple: to offer top-notch assistance to students tackling accounting at OSU.
Hundreds of students drop by ACE each semester, seeking help with challenging accounting concepts. The teaching assistants clarify coursework and serve as mentors, forming lasting bonds with students.
ACE is the go-to spot for accounting support, open six days a week with face-to-face and virtual tutoring available. Any student taking an accounting course at OSU can walk in for help without an appointment.
ACE logs around 4,000 tutoring hours every academic year with a team of about 30 staff members. It's a cornerstone of support for accounting students at OSU, emphasizing collaboration and dedicated service to ensure student success.
In addition, ACE Scholars also provide in-class support for faculty who use hands-on, small-group learning activities. A lone faculty member needs help effectively facilitating small groups for classes of 60-150. To support this approach, ACE Scholars serve as facilitators. This also allows students to connect with more senior students who serve as tutors and mentors. ACE Scholars also support faculty with grading and providing review sessions.
One of the most critical aspects of the ACE program is that it encourages a culture of inclusion and belonging among students enrolled in accounting courses. To support and enhance this culture, all ACE Associates complete the American Accounting Association’s (AAA) Architecture of Inclusion Certificate program, discussing each module as a group. An SOA faculty member facilitates this work.
40 Undergraduate Upper Division
Upper Division Courses Experiential Learning
Practicum Independent Study Instructional Choice Career Building Soft Skills Current Events Emerging Technology Online Discussion Board One Credit Hour Course Lab
By Elizabeth Tori, Oklahoma State University
elizabeth.tori@okstate.edu
Practicum II is a one credit hour course that facilitates (i) independent research on accounting topics and (ii) interactive discussion of current events with an emphasis on new technologies. The course is asynchronous online. Each week, students complete an assignment and participate in discussion boards.
For their weekly assignment, students choose an activity from a pre-made list and turn in a write-up answering questions about the activity. Throughout the semester students are required to complete at least two activities from each of four categories: (1) The Accounting Profession, (2) Soft Skills for Career Success, (3) Technology, (4) Ethics. Each category includes a variety of activity types including in-person events on campus, webinars, online videos, news articles, podcasts, conducting interviews, online courses, etc. Each category also has an option for independent research in which the student may explore a topic not explicitly listed. Throughout the semester students are provided with updates on new activities that arise from the ideas of other students and events on campus or in the profession. In the first weekly assignment, students reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and career goals to help guide them in selecting their assignments. For each assignment, the instructor provides comments, feedback, or suggestions to help the students work toward their goals and more deeply explore their interests. At the end of the semester, students turn in a summary of the assignments they completed and schedule a debriefing meeting with the instructor to discuss what they learned and the next steps for their career.
Students also participate in two weekly discussion boards, one in which they discuss their weekly activity and another in which they discuss a current event. Current event discussions are either open forums for students to discuss any current event they have researched or discussion prompts created by the instructor.
41 Graduate
Principles Courses Classroom Activity
Visual Aid Drawing Accounting Education CoGS
By Prince Doliya, Indian Institute of Management Vishakhapatnam
princedoliya@iimv.ac.in
I've integrated diverse visual tools, such as the Monopoly game and custom drawings, to support our first-year accounting students. These aids facilitate their understanding of complex concepts such as the double-entry accounting system, Cost of Goods Sold assessment, and the impact of debt on taxable income reduction, providing them with a clearer and more engaging learning experience.
42 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Panel Introductory Networking
By Becca Baaske, University of Tampa
rbaaske@ut.edu
At the University of Tampa, one of our department's initiatives has been increasing student engagement in accounting. Part of this involves a new panel event called "More than Debits and Credits" which is offered to all introductory financial and managerial accounting students (all College of Business majors) every semester. We started bringing students in by sending out personalized emails to our "star" students even if they are non-accounting majors, congratulating them on their performance and inviting them to the event for "special access." Since then, over the past three semesters, "More than Debits and Credits" has become a must-attend event among students, with overwhelming demand necessitating attendance caps and a waitlist. Many students even returned to the panel the following semester in their managerial course after attending the semester of their financial course. Each semester, 4 esteemed panelists share invaluable insights into accounting beyond the classroom, discussing topics ranging from breaking the common accounting stereotypes, to the wide range of possible paths in the profession, to the impact of artificial intelligence. In addition, over 12 Tampa Bay accounting-related organizations send professions to sit at roundtables with the students during the event. What sets this event apart is its unique format: students are assigned to specific roundtables during the panel and have the opportunity to network one-on-one with professionals both before and after the panel discussion—all from the comfort of their seats, eliminating the awkward need to approach professionals. Through "More than Debits and Credits," we're not only broadening students' perspectives on the scope of accounting but also providing them with unparalleled opportunities to forge connections that will shape their future careers.
43 Graduate
Master’S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs
Master'S Thesis
By Judith Künneke, Tilburg University
j.kunneke@tilburguniversity.edu
The Department of Accounting at Tilburg University has reinvented the Master's thesis!
To provide an improved opportunity for knowledge and skill development, our department has introduced a new thesis format as final product of the MSc Accountancy. Instead of one gigantic thesis cramped into the last months of the program, the workload will be spread smoothly across the Master's year.
The new format, called the MSc File Accountancy, is a portfolio approach and requires the production of four distinct reports:
1. Business Application: using academic research and scientific evidence to advise on a real-life company problem
2. Replication Study: collection and analysis of data to replicate an existing academic study
3. Research Note (including a defense): writing and defending an innovative research study proposal as well as the empirical method to perform the proposed study
4. Reflection Report: describing how the learning goals of the MSc File Accountancy have been achieved by reflecting on the MSc File process
For reports 1, 2, and 3, the students focus on a different subfield in accounting - in that way, they get to know the variety of areas within accounting. For each report, a different supervisor is assigned to match their expertise with the student's interest. The Business Application takes about 2 months, the Replication Study also 2 months, and the Research Note plus the Reflection Report about 5 months. The process for each report contains various group and individual meetings as well as presentations.
Student quotes:
”The set-up of the master file was pleasant as it allowed us to focus on different topics in accounting research. Furthermore, the learning goals you achieved during the first two reports came nicely together in the research note which was nice.”
„All in all, the MSc file accountancy has taught me how to use academic literature for solving academic as well as real-world problems and to present and defend my work.”
44 Undergraduate Upper Division
Upper Division Courses
Careers In Accounting Inclusive Course Promoting The Profession Explore Accounting Profession Interaction With Professionals
By Rachel Domnick, Oklahoma State University
rachle.domnick@okstate.edu
Learning Outcome: Students become better equipped with the knowledge and the ability to communicate the various career paths for an accounting professional and the important skills required for success in the profession.
Accounting Practicum Designing an Inclusive Course to Serve all Students Description: The needs of our students are many, individualized, and increasingly evolving. While student organizations, such as Beta Alpha Psi, and various campus events can provide students with ready access to resources to expose them to and prepare them for a career in Accounting, not all students can or are willing to engage. At Oklahoma State University, we have redesigned a one-hour Accounting Practicum Course at the undergraduate level to address this challenge.
This initiative fosters an inclusive environment by introducing all students to available resources in their accounting education and the profession. The course emphasizes curriculum options within their undergraduate degree and highlights opportunities in graduate education. Early in the program, students are exposed to resources for success within the Business School, Professional Certification options extending past the CPA, and career opportunities beyond Audit and Tax. This approach equips students with the power of knowledge as they progress through the program and make decisions about their future.
In designing our effort, we aim to better serve all students with broad opportunities in the accounting profession, which in turn seeks to help increase the volume and engagement of individuals in accounting education and the accounting pipeline. During class meetings, students interact with different professionals from a wide variety of areas in the accounting profession. Students hear about each professional's career and what their job entails. This is a chance for students to explore the accounting profession, decide if it is right for them, and determine the area (or areas) they are most interested.
45 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses Master’S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs Experiential Learning
CPA Enabling Competency Professional Skills Research-Informed Teachingtools Structured Literature Review
By Sanobar Siddiqui, University of Regina
sanobar.siddiqui@uregina.ca
CPA enabling competencies underpin the human skills and professional values that all future accountants should possess. Nevertheless, to date, the discourse is limited within the scholarship of teaching and learning on how to best inculcate these competencies in future accountants.
This study attempts to spark such a discourse by conducting a structured literature
review (SLR) of the research-informed instructional strategies to foster CPA enabling competencies, skills, and values in future accountants, and outlines future research opportunities.
The findings indicate that the CPA competency “acting ethically and demonstrating professional values” can be engrained in future accountants using business cases and targeted courses/lessons in accounting classrooms. “Leading” is best taught through targeted courses/ lessons. “Collaboration” can be gained through team-based learning (group work) and software. “Managing self and others” can be engrained through a strategic course setup. “Adding value” can be achieved by experiential learning. “Solving problems” can be facilitated through in-class activities that specifically target critical thinking skills. Finally, “communication” is facilitated with writing tasks and software. The top five research-informed teaching
tools that advance CPA enabling competencies are collegial tools (i.e., group work, peer review, and writing prompts), software, business cases, experiential tools, and targeted courses/lessons. In the future, an in-depth SLR should be conducted on each of the five research-informed teaching tools for their integration within accounting classrooms
46 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Upper Division Courses Experiential Learning
CPA Enabling Competency Professional Skills Research-Informed Teachingtools Structured Literature Review
By Sanobar Siddiqui, University of Regina
sanobar.siddiqui@uregina.ca
Please see our study, " Siddiqui, S. (2024). A Structured Review of Research‐Informed Instructional Strategies to Support CPA Enabling Competencies in Future Accountants. Accounting Perspectives, 1911-3838.12362. https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12362." This study attempts to spark such a discourse by conducting a structured literature review (SLR) of the research-informed instructional strategies to foster CPA enabling competencies,
skills, and values in future accountants, and outlines future research opportunities.
The findings indicate that the CPA competency “acting ethically and demonstrating professional values” can be engrained in future accountants using business cases and targeted courses/lessons in accounting classrooms. “Leading” is best taught through targeted courses/ lessons. “Collaboration” can be gained through team-based learning (group work) and software.
“Managing self and others” can be engrained through a strategic course setup. “Adding value” can be achieved by experiential learning. “Solving problems” can be facilitated through in-class activities that specifically target critical thinking skills. Finally, “communication” is facilitated with writing tasks and software. The top five research-informed teaching tools that advance CPA enabling competencies are collegial tools (i.e., group work, peer
review, and writing prompts), software, business cases, experiential tools, and targeted courses/lessons. In the future, an in-depth SLR should be conducted on each of the five research-informed teaching tools for their integration within accounting classrooms.
47 Undergraduate Lower Division
Principles Courses
Multimodal Neurodiverse Case Study Games Real-World Connections
By Jeanette Landin, Landmark College
jeanettelandin@landmark.edu
Multimodal education is the most reliable means of attracting and engaging new accounting students. The use of multimodal education reaches students where they are by using a combination of lecture, video reading and hands-on techniques. Multimodal education for accounting students has the added benefit of attracting and working with neurodiverse learners who comprise about 1/3 of any classroom. By using multiple techniques and predictable classroom scheduling students with neurodiversity can thrive in their accounting education. Including real world technologies such as QuickBooks gives students the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to be successful in an introductory level job. Connecting students with real world companies removes the abstract nature of accounting and allows them to form deeper connections between their experience and their education. Incorporating Microsoft Excel in both the learning process and through case studies allows students to gain the industry standard tools to prepare them for a career in accounting. This mixture of multimodal education, real world cases and industry technology in the introductory courses sets up a foundation in the initial accounting courses for student engagement and success.
48 Graduate
Principles Courses Intermediate Courses Master’S And Post-Baccalaureate Programs Classroom Activity Experiential Learning Other
Accreditation Accounting Clinic Annual Departmental Week Industry Partnership Students Industrial Works Experience Scheme(SIWES) State-Of-The-Art Facilities
By Rosemary Obasi, Benson Idahosa University, Edo State, Nigeria
robasi@biu.edu.ng
Benson Idahosa University (BIU) is a renowned institution in Nigeria, known for its commitment to excellence in education. Here are some insights on best practices for attracting and retaining accounting students drawing from the practices at the department and BIU's experiences:
A. We Attract Accounting Students doing the following:
1. Industry-Relevant Curriculum: Develop a curriculum that aligns with industry needs, incorporating professional certifications (e.g., ICAN).
2. State-of-the-Art Facilities: Provide modern learning facilities, including accounting labs and software.
3. Experienced Faculty: Hire experienced accounting professionals as faculty members.
4. Career Counseling: Offer career guidance and mentorship programs.
5. Internship and Job Placement: Collaborate with industries for internship and job placement opportunities.
B. We also implement the following to Retaining Accounting students:
1. Academic Advising: Provide personalized academic advising and mentoring.
2. Research Opportunities: Offer research projects and publications opportunities.
3. Professional Development: Encourages professional certification exams and training.
4. Student Organizations: Encourage accounting-related student organizations and clubs.
5. Industry Partnerships: Foster partnerships with accounting firms and organizations.
6. Graduate Assistantships: Offer graduate assistantships for postgraduate studies.
7. Accounting Clinic: Establish an accounting clinic for hands-on experience.
8. NUC & ICAN Accreditation: Maintain accreditation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Nigeria Universities Commission.
9. Accounting Week: Host annual accounting week events, and international fraud awareness week, featuring industry experts.
10. Alumni Network: Leverage BIU's alumni network for mentorship and job opportunities.