Are our accounting programs preparing graduates for professional accounting work?

What is the relationship between university learning and workplace practice? Are our accounting programs preparing graduates for professional accounting work? The Big 4 accounting firms do not think so: they are actively recruiting graduates from disciplines other than accounting because many accounting graduates do not have the professional communication skills needed. In response to this, the Language for Professional Communication in Accounting (LCPA) project is addressing the development of generic graduate attributes in postgraduate accounting education at Macquarie University. This paper reports on current research within this project that includes a series of interviews with teachers and learners in the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program regarding their conceptions of the role and value of generic graduate attributes in accounting education and interviews with employers and practising accountants that have examined their expectations of accounting graduates and the nature of accounting work. Preliminary findings from this research highlight the importance of student interaction and participation in facilitating learning and preparing for professional practice.