The Routledge Handbook of Accounting Ethics

21HAVE ADVANCED DEGREES INCREASED ETHICAL PROFESSIONALISM FOR AUDITORS?

Francine McKenna

The master’s of accounting degree for auditors and the illusion of more ethical professionals

Introduction

In July 2008, at the beginning of the last major financial crisis, the Pre-Certification Education Executive Committee of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, or AICPA, told authors of a paper promoting increased educational requirements for accountants that it was time to put in place even higher hurdles to joining the profession.

In its comment on the draft paper prepared by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, “Education and Licensure Requirements for Certified Public Accountants: A Discussion ...