Numerous studies in management education have focused on the need for soft skill development of students and the associated gaps in management education programmes. However, how universities undertake various strategies in an integrated approach to develop the soft skills of accounting students at the undergraduate level largely remains unexplored. Thus, this study aimed to explore how universities attempt to bridge the expectation–performance gap related to soft skills by focusing on an undergraduate accounting degree programme in Sri Lanka. By developing an analytical framework based on the existing expectation–performance gap and the model of constructive alignment, this study analysed data collected from multiple sources in the first academic accounting degree programme in Sri Lanka. It shows how the accounting degree programme has gradually taken measures covering a range of teaching and learning activities and assessment methods, leading to an integrated programme for the soft skill development of accounting undergraduates. This approach that focuses on both the soft and technical skills of accounting students has evolved from a gradual advancement of the efforts taken to address the various stakeholder demands as well as contextual, socio-economic, and institutional factors. The study also presents implications for accounting educators and policymakers.