Bridging the Gap in Undergraduate Accounting Education Programs in Jordanian Universities: A Call for Action

Abstract

This paper comes to investigate the current status of undergraduate accounting education programs at Jordanian universities. This has been performed through identifying the most important accounting courses for students’ future profession, the relevant generic skills that should be included in accounting education curriculum, and the weakness aspects of accounting programs in Jordanian universities. The paper also identifies the necessary actions to improve the accounting education programs.

In general, the results show that accounting students are satisfied with the current accounting education model, but this satisfaction is not as required. Therefore, to bridge the gap between the current status of accounting education programs and the students’ future expectations toward such programs in Jordanian universities, accounting departments in different universities should add all the necessary courses to their plans. In addition, many generic skills should be rooted in accounting education curricula such as computer skills, decision making skills, time management skills, problem solving skills, information collection skills and analytical skills. Moreover, it seems that accounting education curricula lack the necessary fieldwork and training programs.

Consequently, accounting departments in Jordanian universities must give more emphasis to the fieldwork and training programs. Accounting departments must also offer all the relevant accounting software programs along with scientific research methods in accounting to their students. In addition, using the current technological tools (e.g. web-based learning) will increase the efficiency of accounting students.  Moreover, one updated accounting education plan should be adopted by all Jordanian universities.

To perform the mentioned reforms, efforts of all related parties (e.g. Ministry of Higher Education, management of public and private universities and Jordanian Association of Certified Public Accountants) should be met.

Keywords: accounting education, curricula, current status, future expectations, weakness aspects