Competency Integration in Accounting
Education
IMA-AAA Task Force (Raef A. Lawson, Edward J. Blocher, Peter C.
Brewer, Jan Taylor Morris, Kevin D. Stocks, James E. Sorensen,
David E. Stout, and Marc J. F. Wouters)
Panel Session Participants
Moderator:
Gary L Sundem, University of Washington
Panelists:
Raef A Lawson, IMA
James Sorensen, University of Denver
Susan Wolcott, WolcottLynch and CPA Canada
Task Force Deliverables
• Manuscript containing a recommended Framework
for all accounting majors published:
• “Focusing Accounting Curricula on Students’
Long-Run Careers: Recommendations for an
Integrated Competency-Based Framework for
Accounting Education”, Issues in Accounting
Education (May 2014).
• Manuscript in process:
• “Thoughts on Competency Integration in
Accounting Education”. (Update: this paper
appears in Vol. 30, No. 3 (August 2015) of
Issues in Accounting Education.
Competency Integration: A General Framework for
Accounting Education
IMA-AAA Task Force Recommendations
• Accounting education should be focused on longterm career requirements;
• The breadth of accounting education should be
expanded to include a wide array of organizational
settings;
• Accounting’s value proposition should be broadened
conceptually to include strategy formulation and
analysis, planning, and execution;
• Accounting competencies should be taught
using an integrated educational pedagogy.
Curricular Integration
Levels of Competency Must Be Achieved Sequentially
Knowing
Deeper Knowledge and
More Contextual Complexity
Demonstrate
knowledge in
unambiguous
situations
Identifying Analyzing Prioritizing Anticipating
Identify
ambiguous
problems and
relevant
information
Analyze relevant
information,
viewpoints, and
alternatives
Establish and
apply priorities
for reaching
conclusions
Anticipate and
adapt to changing
conditions
Achieve First
Achieve Second
Achieve Third
Achieve Last
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Levels of Competency Integration
Foundational Competencies
Accounting Competencies
Accounting
Competency 3
Accounting
Competency 1
Topic A
Accounting
Competency 2
Topic C
Topic D
Topic B
Broad Management Competencies
Topic E
Topic F
Capital Investment Decision-Analysis Example
Accounting Competencies
Foundational
Competencies
Assurance & Internal
Control
Planning, Analysis & Control
Internal and external
audit implications
Communication
Quantitative
Methods
External Reporting &
Analysis
Screening and
preference decisions
Behavioral issues
Taxation: Compliance
and Planning
Financial statement
preparation and analysis
Tax implications
Analytical Thinking
& Problem Solving
Broad Management Competencies
Interpersonal
Leadership
Technology
Organizational
change
management
Ethics & Social
Responsibility
Corporate social
responsibilities
Governance, Risk
& Compliance
Risk assessment
Additional Core
Management
Competencies
Cost of capital,
Capital structure,
Real-options analysis
Implementation Scope and the Levers of Complexity
• Number of
Learning
Objectives
• Number of
Competencies
• Number of
Professors
Within and
Across
Competencies
Areas of
Expertise
Accounting and
Broad
Management
Existing
and New
• Number of
Courses
Panel Questions - Integration Opportunities
•
To what extent is the curriculum integrated at
your school?
•
What topics could be addressed in an
integrated manner?
•
How can one start curricular integration at
one’s school?
11
Panel Questions - Integration Challenges
 What challenges are there in developing the
content needed for more integrated accounting
education?
 What organizational challenges are there for
implementing more integrated accounting
education in schools and colleges?
12
Q&A
 What are YOUR
experiences/ challenges/
successes with
curricular integration?
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