Are accounting students overloaded and under-supported?
By Student Voice Analytics
workloadaccountingYes. Across the National Student Survey (NSS), the workload lens shows sustained dissatisfaction (81.5% negative, sentiment index −33.6 across 6,847 comments), and accounting within accounting displays a distinctive mix: students rate people and resources strongly (roughly 54.5% positive versus 40.4% negative) yet still report overload where assessment clarity and scheduling falter. Sector‑wide, the workload lens aggregates open‑text reflections on time pressure and sequencing, while the CAH subject grouping enables benchmarking of programmes; taken together they point universities to sequence assessments, make criteria explicit and keep staff visibly available at pressure points.
How does heavy workload affect accounting students?
Accounting students in UK higher education frequently experience pressure from the volume and pace of work as well as the demanding nature of the curriculum. Extensive coursework, stringent deadlines and limited academic support can leave students overwhelmed and at risk of burnout.
Academic teams should acknowledge this and adjust practices at programme level. Balance rigour with wellbeing, and design support that helps students manage peaks in demand.
How can timetabling reduce exam pressure?
Exam pressure intensifies when high‑stakes assessments coincide with substantial coursework. Map summative deadlines across modules, avoid bunching, and space submissions and examinations so students have time to prepare well. Publish a single assessment calendar, minimise late changes, and use short “change windows” so updates do not create last‑minute pile‑ups. Structuring the academic year to include genuine recovery periods improves performance and wellbeing.
When does group work help rather than hinder learning?
Group work develops professional skills but can raise workload and equity issues when expectations and accountabilities are vague. Free riding and coordination problems increase stress and reduce learning value. Scaffold team tasks with defined roles, milestones and mechanisms for addressing uneven contribution, and align marking approaches to the evidence of individual input so group projects enhance learning rather than generate frustration.
What course delivery and structural changes would help?
A one‑size‑fits‑all approach to delivery often misaligns with diverse learning paces. Vary teaching methods, promote active participation and keep a single source of truth for timetable changes with a brief weekly “what changed and why” update. Better organisation and communications reduce friction and help students maintain engagement across demanding modules.
How can assessment methods and grading be fairer?
Heavy weighting of final examinations can distort overall grades and elevate stress. Distribute grades across the term through well‑designed coursework, projects and low‑stakes quizzes. Publish annotated exemplars aligned to marking criteria, use checklist‑style rubrics that show “what good looks like”, and set a realistic service standard for feedback turnaround. Clear criteria and predictable processes lift sentiment around feedback, assessment methods and marking.
Which student resources sustain engagement?
Comprehensive resources—structured lecture materials, online tutorials, regular updates and interactive sessions—help students manage workload and stay engaged. Maintain staff presence around assessment points and offer accessible Q&A routes so students can resolve issues quickly. Use mid‑term “workload check‑ins” to spot overload early and adjust support.
How can students maintain work–life balance?
Signpost time‑management strategies, provide time budgets for tasks aligned to timetables, and design schedules that allow for rest. Embed stress‑management and study‑skills support, and offer practical planning assistance to cohorts that typically report higher pressure, including full‑time and younger students. A culture that values balanced, efficient study helps students sustain performance across demanding periods.
What did COVID-19 change about the learning experience?
The rapid transition to online delivery increased workload for many students and disrupted informal peer support. Retain the effective parts of digital provision—consistent online wayfinding, stable tools and accessible remote support—while ensuring face‑to‑face opportunities for collaboration where they matter most. A resilient blend reduces friction if circumstances shift again.
What should providers do next?
Smooth and sequence workload at programme level, make expectations explicit, and refine assessment design and marking transparency. Keep staff presence high at pressure points, invest in resource quality and communications, and monitor impact through NSS and internal pulse checks so improvements are sustained across cohorts.
How Student Voice Analytics helps you
Student Voice Analytics tracks workload sentiment over time and drills from provider to school, department and programme, with demographic cuts and subject groupings that include Accounting. It produces concise, anonymised summaries and export‑ready tables for rapid briefing, and supports like‑for‑like benchmarking by CAH code and demographics where sector comparators exist. You can test workload expectations with high‑volume cohorts, spot bunching in assessment calendars, and target interventions where they will move sentiment most.
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