Determining Accounting Students' Seminal Technology Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Accounting majors are increasingly impacted by amplified formal education burdens. These are imposed by the complexity of their technical accounting education and potential employer demands for greater “hard and soft” skills.  Additionally, there is a constant metamorphosis of the information systems (IS) environment that accountants need to embrace in both public and private firms presenting a challenge to academics. Accounting programs examine requisite accountant’s KSA’s, i.e. technology knowledge, skills and abilities necessary in the curriculum. This paper examines the KSI’s proclaimed as necessary by employers and academics.  Accountants need to generate reports, audit data and procedures, have daily interface with AIS supporting functions, and manipulate data sets for management needs. In response we delineate: productivity software (MS Office), DBMS, AIS, ERP and data manipulation skills for potential expertise.  Furthermore, we address the issue of “should accounting majors master programming capabilities” for graduation.