A Different Model for Doctoral Education in Accounting and Auditing: Student and Faculty Reflections

SUMMARY:  One proposed solution to the accounting and auditing faculty shortage is to expand the supply of AACSB-accredited professional or executive accounting doctoral programs (AACSB 2003; Trapnell et al. 2009), programs that are more flexible than traditional Ph.D. programs and are targeted to experienced professionals. This paper provides information about non-traditional doctoral programs and discusses the four co-authors' personal experiences in such programs. We believe that the insights will be useful both to prospective doctoral students (i.e., current practitioners and executives seeking to transition into academic careers) and to academics considering the development of such programs, or even hiring graduates from such programs.