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Impact of Students’ Perception of the Difficulty of Accounting Courses on Their Persistence in Accounting Education

Abstract

Students’ Perception of the Difficulty of Accounting Courses refers to the extent to which students view accounting courses as easy, challenging, complex, or demanding, while students’ persistence in Accounting Education refers to their willingness and ability to continue participating in accounting studies despite academic difficulties, demanding coursework, and other learning challenges. Accounting courses often require students to understand technical concepts, perform calculations, apply accounting principles, and solve complex problems. How students perceive these demands may influence their willingness to continue with their accounting education when faced with difficulties. This study therefore seeks to examine the impact of students’ perception of the difficulty of accounting courses on their persistence in Accounting Education. Students’ Perception of Accounting Course Difficulty may be shaped by the complexity of accounting topics, volume of academic work, nature of calculations, examination requirements, teaching approaches, and students’ previous learning experiences. Students may perceive some accounting courses as manageable when they understand the concepts and receive adequate instructional support, while difficult or unfamiliar topics may create perceptions of greater academic challenge. These perceptions can influence how students approach accounting coursework and respond to learning difficulties. Students’ persistence in Accounting Education refers to students’ continued commitment to their accounting studies despite academic challenges. It may be demonstrated through continued participation in accounting courses, regular attendance, completion of assignments, willingness to seek academic assistance, sustained effort, and intention to continue with the programme. Students who perceive accounting courses as excessively difficult may experience greater reluctance to continue, while students who perceive challenges as manageable may be more willing to persist in their studies. The study will adopt a quantitative research design. The population will comprise Accounting Education students in selected tertiary institutions. Data will be collected using a structured questionnaire designed to measure students’ perception of accounting course difficulty and their persistence in Accounting Education. The instrument will be subjected to appropriate validity and reliability procedures before administration. Data collected will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, while the relevant hypothesis will be tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The study is expected to establish that students’ perception of the difficulty of accounting courses has a significant impact on their persistence in Accounting Education. Students who perceive accounting courses as excessively difficult are expected to demonstrate lower persistence, while students who perceive the challenges as manageable are expected to demonstrate stronger commitment to continuing their accounting studies. The findings are expected to have implications for the teaching and learning of Accounting Education. Lecturers may need to identify accounting topics that students commonly perceive as difficult and provide instructional strategies that make such topics more accessible. Practical illustrations, step-by-step explanations, guided problem-solving activities, tutorials, and timely feedback may help students develop greater confidence and maintain their commitment to accounting studies. The study will be beneficial to Accounting Education students, lecturers, tertiary institutions, curriculum developers, and educational planners. Students may become more aware of how their perceptions of course difficulty can influence their willingness to continue with accounting education. Lecturers may gain useful information for improving instructional practices, while institutions may use the findings to strengthen academic support systems designed to encourage students to remain in Accounting Education programmes. The study recommends that tertiary institutions should provide adequate academic support for students experiencing difficulties with accounting courses. Lecturers should simplify complex accounting topics through practical examples, guided exercises, tutorials, and continuous feedback. Students should also be encouraged to seek academic assistance and develop effective learning strategies when faced with challenging accounting courses. The study concludes that students’ perception of accounting course difficulty can influence their persistence in Accounting Education, making appropriate instructional and academic support important for sustained student participation.

Keywords: Accounting Course Difficulty, Accounting Education, Student Persistence, Students’ Perception, Accounting Students, Course Perception, Academic Persistence, Accounting Learning, Learning Challenges, Student Commitment, Accounting Courses, Academic Support, Learning Difficulties, Student Retention, Accounting Instruction