Schalyn Sohn, CPA

Color portrait of Schalyn Sohn, CPA

Assistant Teaching Professor, Director of Integrated Master of Accounting Program, Director of Integrated Master of Accounting Program

Department Accounting
Office Address 325 Business Building
Phone Number 814-863-3838
Email Address schalyn.sohn@psu.edu

Download Photo


Professor Sohn is the Director for the Integrated Master of Accounting program and an Assistant Teaching Professor in Accounting at the Smeal College of Business. Sohn is the Advisor for the Accounting Society Student Organization and Advisor for the MPSA (MAcc) Student Organization. Before joining Smeal, she taught at George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, and Strayer University. She has taught Financial and Managerial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, and Advanced Accounting.

Professor Sohn graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. She received the Academic Excellence Award and the Federation of Schools of Accounting Student Achievement Award from Notre Dame. She graduated with High Distinction from the Bachelor of Science in Accounting program from Penn State University at University Park and received the Senior Award: Dorothy M. Kelley Memorial Scholarship.

Sohn is a Certified Public Accountant in Virginia. Sohn worked first as an accountant in the Assurance & Advisory Services for Deloitte & Touche LLP, then as a Senior Accountant with General Dynamics, and then as the Manager of Regulatory Reporting for E-Trade Financial before starting a limited liability company. Sohn received a patent for a parenting product April 2014.

Education

MS, Accounting, The University of Notre Dame, 2003

BS, Accounting, The Pennsylvania State University, 2002

Courses Taught

ACCTG 211 – Fin Mgl Acc Dec Mk (4)
Introduction to the role of accounting numbers in the process of managing a business and in investor decision making. ACCTG 211 Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making (4)The objective of this course is to introduce students to the discipline of accounting through an introduction to two of accounting's sub-disciplines, financial and managerial accounting. The more specific purpose is to provide students a basic understanding of the role of financial and managerial accounting information in the decisions of capital market participants external to a business enterprise (e.g., stockholders, banks, financial analysts, prospective stockholders), and in the decisions of those who manage business enterprises. Accounting information has an important role in the resource allocation process in our socio-economic system as a whole, as well as in each individual business enterprise. This course provides students an understanding of (1) the nature of the accounting function, and (2) how the information in accounting reports are used by various decision makers in their resource allocation decisions. In this course students will develop an understanding of (a) the five activity dimensions of accounting (the collection, recording, analysis, interpretation and reporting of information to decision makers for (mainly) their investment decisions), (b) the issues surrounding the five activity dimensions, (c) the environment in which accounting is practiced, and (d) what information is used in a number of specific decision situations, and how such information is used in such decision situations. The analysis, interpretation and decision-making orientation of this course includes a study of the procedural (mechanical and processing) aspects of the recording activity dimension which is an important means to the end --where the end is the analysis and interpretation of the information, and the reports produced by the recording/processing part of accounting. Through this focus on the recording activity dimension, students will obtain an understanding of (a) the nature and quality (strengths and weaknesses) of accounting information, (b) how to proceed in analyzing and interpreting accounting information, and (c) numerous other aspects of financial and managerial accounting. This course is an important background course for all business majors, as well as for numerous non-business majors.

ACCTG 495 – Internship (3)
Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.

ACCTG 471 – Int Fin Acctg I (3)
Theory and practice issues in income concepts and value measurement; GAAP; revenues, costs, assets, liabilities, and equities. ACCTG 471 Intermediate Accounting I (3) This course provides students with an understanding of generally accepted accounting principles and procedures so that they properly account for and present information in financial statements prepared for external users. The student should acquire a complete understanding of the accounting issues relating to cash, receivables, inventory, plant assets, natural resources, and intangibles. The student should be able to evaluate alternative accounting methods and choose the methods which will best convey the financial information related to the above areas. The student should be able to apply appropriate generally accepted accounting principles and procedures to account for transactions related to the above asset areas. The student should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the transaction analysis, recording, classification, summarization, and reporting procedures in the accounting cycle, and an understanding of the information contained in the financial statements. Finally, student should be able to demonstrate written communication skills required of accountants.

ACCTG 404 – Managerial Acctg (3)
Accounting techniques as control devices in business; accumulation and use of accounting data in business decisions.

B A 411 – Analyzing Business and Industry (3)
Prepares students to obtain an enterprise-wide view of business and industry by integrating operational and financial decisions in a team and learning environment.

ACCTG 472 – Intermediate Financial Accounting II (3)
Off-balance-sheet financing; special issues in cost capitalization, liabilities, and equities; matching; funds flow statements; statement analysis; inflation accounting.

Honors and Awards

Smeal 2024 Rise Above Award, Penn State University - Smeal College of Business, (Jun 30, 2024)

Most Improved Organization Award, Smeal, (Apr 24, 2018)

Virginia Certified Public Accountant a Top Scorer of Exam, Virginia Board of Accountancy, (Jan 1, 2005)

United States Patent: US 8,707,467, (Apr 1, 2004)

Academic Excellence Award, University of Notre Dame, (Jan 1, 2003)

Federation of Schools of Accounting Student Achievement Award, University of Notre Dame, (Jan 1, 2003)

Senior Award: Dorothy M. Kelley Memorial Scholarship, Penn State University, (Jan 1, 2002)