Public sector accounting research has attracted considerable interest, yet the literature reports both a lack of university courses on public sector accounting (PSA) and a gap with the field’s needs. This study develops a taxonomy of curricula contents and investigates whether university courses support public sector changes. The focus is on the international literature on public sector accounting education (PSAE) and Italian higher education institutions in light of the history of Italy's universities and the historical evolution of its public administration and accounting education.