Accounting Students’ Reflections on a Course to Enhance their Interpersonal Skills

Abstract

Communication skills are critical for an accountant's workplace success; however accounting education research to date has mainly focused on the writing and presentation skills aspects of communication skills. Research on developing accounting students' interpersonal skills has received scant attention. This paper provides an example of how to incorporate interpersonal skills into the accounting curriculum. Details are given on how to execute the course to promote effective, positive student outcomes. Examining students' learning journal responses to the initiated course highlights potential problems associated with teaching interpersonal skills to accounting students. This information may assist educators in avoiding common difficulties and in facilitating favourable student learning. The study finds students experienced initial apprehension and concern when practising their interpersonal skills. However as time elapsed, confidence grew, class dynamics changed, and significant improvements in students' communication and attitudes were evident. The importance of laying an appropriate foundation for interpersonal skills development is also discussed.