Pennsylvania accounting practitioners' perceptions of entry-level accountants skills versus competencies and preferences influenced by the 150-hour educational requirement

Controversy over the 150-hour educational requirement for CPA (Certified Public Accountant) candidates has been fermenting for decades. As expected then, in 2011 no clear consensus prevails about the requirements for entry into the accounting profession regarding course work, education, and experience. Pennsylvania is one of the last states to enact the new law essentially calling for a fifth year of higher education before a candidate can sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination (Uniform CPA Exam). Pennsylvania accounting practitioners' perceptions of entry-level accountants' required skills and their competency in those skills in view of the new law for CPA licensure were examined. In addition, compliance with the 150-hour education and work experience requirement and important stakeholders perceived to have authority to prescribe accounting curriculum were evaluated. Finally, skills were examined to determine if they could be defined as either hard skills or soft skills. Using a quantitative data collection method analysis, three hundred and nine active members of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants were surveyed. The findings reveled that entry-level accountants are not competent in skills deemed to be important skills essential for entry into the accounting profession, that a four-year baccalaureate degree in accounting with two years of any type of public accounting experience regardless of education is most appropriate for entry into the accounting profession, that public accounting practitioners' should be the primary authority to prescribe accounting curriculum and, that skills important for entry-level accountants to possess can be grouped as either hard or soft.