Updating the MAcc curriculum in response to stakeholder needs and CPA exam changes: Resources and results from one School’s journey

Both professionals and academics have called for changes to the accounting curriculum over the past 20 years, and more recent research (e.g., Albring & Elder, 2020) has asked schools to share not only their curriculum changes but also the motivations for these changes. This paper responds to these calls by not only providing the results of and rationale for an accounting curriculum change but also sharing the research and processes that supported the change. The six-step process employed in this paper was used to review and revise the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) curriculum at a mid-size Florida university with a strong emphasis on career preparation and student success on the CPA Exam. The results and resources presented include benchmarking curriculum analyses (e.g., tracks offered, number of courses by type, required versus elective courses), techniques for sharing benchmark information with stakeholders, and internal and external stakeholder surveys. Although some resources may be of immediate use “as-is,” it is more likely that schools will be able to enhance, refine, or alter the processes to align with the particular needs and objectives of their stakeholders.