Essential Qualifications: Accounting Faculty Selection Trends

Colleges and universities are challenged with attracting faculty with the essential qualifications to deliver accounting degree programs that meet the accounting profession’s needs. Budget constraints and accreditation standards further influence colleges and universities hiring trends, particularly in the specialized areas of tax and audit. Before the pandemic, business schools began adjusting their hiring practices to address these challenges. Furthermore, institutions were redesigning degree programs to be consistent with the implemented changes in professional certification exams. The disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on enrollment and operational budgets have exacerbated these challenges. Consequently, institutions may need to alter their recruitment strategies to contend with faculty shortages and provide a curriculum to meet the profession’s needs. This study explored what qualifications decision-makers deemed essential for recently hired accounting faculty. Further, we investigated to what extent particular academic institutional characteristics influenced the selection of an accounting faculty candidate. Finally, this study also reports on the trend in the essential qualifications preferred for new accounting faculty hires.