An evaluation of two-year accounting programs at selected Virginia community colleges

Abstract

In the past, preparation for the accounting profession consisted either of on-the-job training or formal education leading to the acquisition of a baccalaureate degree. In recent years most practitioners entering the accounting field have graduated from a four-year academic program. The two-year accounting program has developed as an alternative to more traditional educational experience. Further, the literature suggests that there are employment opportunities for these two-year graduates. The purpose of this study was to determine if the two-year accounting programs offered at Virginia community colleges were relevant in terms of the accounting duties actually performed on the job by graduates of these programs. Specifically the study was aimed at identifying the skills taught in two-year programs and their relationship to the tasks performed by graduates of these programs. In addition the skills which CPAs would expect graduates to be able to perform were defined, and accounting graduates' perceptions of the adequacy of training and of the extent to which they had achieved career goals were examined. Finally the employee characteristics of these graduates were summarized. A questionnaire was developed by the researcher for the purpose of collecting relevant data. A portion of this questionnaire was designed to gather background data on general characteristics of graduates. The remainder of the questionnaire consisted of a list of accounting tasks divided into the four sub-areas of general accounting, cost, auditing, and tax. These tasks were representative of the accounting skills taught at the Virginia community colleges. Each graduate who was employed in a position in which accounting tasks were performed indicated the amount of time spent in the performance of these skills. The accounting task list was sent to practicing CPAs who ranked the difficulty of each task and indicated whether two-year graduates would be expected to perform the specified function. From the data received from graduates performing accounting tasks, frequencies and time spent indices were calculated. This information was described and analyzed giving attention to the following variables:

The school the graduate attended. The extent of work experience of the graduate. The acquisition of additional training by the graduate.

From the data received it was concluded that two-year graduates were performing a variety of accounting skills, but those defined as general accounting tasks were most frequently cited. In addition, practicing CPAs expected these graduates to be able to perform a variety of accounting skills. It was concluded that the course offerings of the two-year accounting programs at Virginia community colleges were relevant and that there were employment opportunities for graduates with a variety of types of employers. The graduates perceived that their training was adequate but viewed an internship or cooperative program as a valuable addition to the existing curriculum. Finally, the two-year accounting program was not only training people for employment but was also serving as a stepping stone to further education.