SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF INTERN ACCOUNTANTS
Skill Development Programme for Intern Accountants
The ‘Skill Development Programme for Intern Accountants’ is an integral component of the BSc Honours in Accounting Degree Programme. It is designed to develop the essential professional and transferable skills required by accounting undergraduates to secure and excel in employment opportunities in accounting, finance, business management, and related fields, both nationally and internationally. The programme is delivered through a series of course units offered in the second, third, and fourth years of the degree programme. These course units collectively focus on the development of four broad categories of skills: Accounting and Financial Management Skills; Management and Personal Capacity Skills; Communication Skills; and Knowledge-Seeking and Learning-to-Learn Skills.
Accounting and Financial Management Skills
Accounting and Financial Management Skills represent the discipline-specific competencies required of accounting professionals. These skills are primarily developed through the complusory two-year Internship Programme in Accounting and Finance of the Degree Programme, which is offered through two annual courses ACC 3475 Internship in Accounting and Finance I (Degree Part III – Year 3) and ACC 4673 Internship in Accounting and Finance II (Degree Part IV – Year 4).Under this programme, students are placed in both public and private sector organisations under the supervision of professionally qualified personnel approved by the Department. The internship provides students with practical exposure to accounting, auditing, taxation, finance, business analytics, information systems, and management, enabling them to apply their theoretical and conceptual knowledge in real-world organisational settings. In addition, students are provided with opportunities to pursue an entrepreneurial pathway. In this regard, the Department collaborates closely with the Department of Entrepreneurship of the Faculty to support students interested in developing entrepreneurial competencies and ventures.
Management and Personal Capacity Skills
Management and Personal Capacity Skills encompass competencies such as adaptability, negotiation, interpersonal relations, teamwork, time and stress management, problem-solving, and leadership, together with professional values such as integrity and ethical conduct.These skills are developed through a variety of curricular and co-curricular activities, including projects organised by the Accounting and Financial Management Association (AFMA), the student association of the Department; skills development sessions and guest lectures conducted by industry experts; the outbound training programme AFMA FiTtrek; reflective learning activities; and the preparation of reflective journals under the annual course ACC 2272 Personal and Professional Development (Degree Part II – Year 2). Furthermore, students enhance these competencies through workplace experiences gained during their internships. Through sustained engagement in these activities, students are expected to strengthen their personal effectiveness, leadership potential, ethical awareness, and professional capabilities required to operate successfully in dynamic organisational environments.
Communication Skills
Communication Skills focus on developing students’ proficiency in reading, listening, writing, and speaking in the English language. These skills are cultivated through English language enhancement and communication development activities conducted under ACC 2272 Personal and Professional Development (Degree Part II – Year 2).The course is primarily delivered through English Clubs, which encourage peer learning, self-directed learning, and interactive group engagement in both formal and informal settings. Students participate in a range of learner-centred and experiential activities, including debates, role plays, book discussions, professional writing exercises, curriculum vitae preparation, mock interviews, presentations, and negotiation simulations. These activities are designed to improve students’ confidence and effectiveness in professional communication in English.
Knowledge-Seeking and Learning-to-Learn Skills
Knowledge-Seeking and Learning-to-Learn Skills include critical and creative thinking, analytical ability, inquiry, research orientation, and a commitment to lifelong learning. These skills are developed through the research component of the degree programme, particularly through ACC 4372 Research Methodology and Proposal Writing (Year 4 – Semester I) and ACC 4376 Research Report or ACC 4677 Dissertation (Year 4 – Semester II).Under these courses, students are required to undertake an independent research study in accounting using appropriate positivist or post-positivist research paradigms. The selected studies are presented at the Young Accountants Research Forum (YARF), organised annually by the Department, and are subsequently published in the Journal of Contemporary Perspectives in Accounting and Digitalization, the student research journal of the Department. Through this process, students develop research competencies, analytical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and an appreciation for continuous learning and professional development.
List of Coordinators
