How We Teach and Learn at F&M 

At Franklin & Marshall College, the world is at your fingertips. Whether you were born knowing your path or you’re unsure which fork in the road to follow, you’ll have extraordinary opportunities to explore any and all of your passions, and even discover passions you didn’t know you had.

 

The Connections Curriculum

Called "Connections," our curriculum encourages you to make connections throughout your F&M journey. There are three phases of Connections: 1. Introduction, 2. Exploration, and 3. Concentration.

​Connect, Critique, Strive Across All Studies

Fields of Study

A key element of the liberal arts model encourages you to explore a variety of courses and disciplines before choosing a major. Discover the broad range of subjects you can explore during your journey. 

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Certificates

Certificates are supplemental educational pathways you can pursue at F&M. This is neither your major nor your minor, but can be added to your resume to demonstrate your training and education in a particular area. 

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What Makes F&M Different? 

At F&M, we believe that education is not one-size-fits-all. It’s one-size-fits-one. Students who come to F&M are big thinkers, self-starters and entrepreneurs, and each one embarks on an educational journey that’s unique to them. 

If you want to take control of your education, engage, test ideas and stand out, F&M is the place for you. You'll explore sciences, arts, humanities and social sciences and gain the confidence to pursue whatever you dream. Because with a liberal arts education from F&M, you can do it all.

 

The Sciences

Vibrant and inclusive, the sciences at F&M cross boundaries and weave subjects together in ways you didn’t know were possible. As a future scientist, you’ll find we’re committed to your education by providing a place of discovery and forming a culture of collaboration along the path to scientific discovery. 

Research, Partner, Publish in the Natural Sciences

Humanities

When you study humanities at F&M, you’ll engage with the full range of human culture and experiences. By studying art and art history, languages, music, philosophy and more, you’ll gain an intricate understanding of how each aspect of human society and culture connects.  

Experience, Engage, Work in the Humanities

The Arts

At F&M, you’ll study technique and composition, theory and practice, and critique and analysis—but you’ll also have the opportunity to develop your own creative talents and skills. Faculty are committed to helping you stage your own play, compose your own music, choreograph your own dance moves, write your own novel or produce your own film 

Direct, Compose, Perform the Arts

The Social Sciences

Social sciences at F&M will help you develop a specialized understanding of societies and the human impact on our world. You’ll have opportunities to work side-by-side with deeply engaged faculty, collect and analyze data and investigate your own theories. 

Investigate, Explore, Apply the Social Sciences

 Student Research at F&M 

Jennifer Morford

The cornerstone of the educational experience we offer is students working side-by-side with faculty who want to help them test ideas—not just talk or read about them. These are not experiences you have to wait until graduate school to pursue. It's a core part of what we do.

Learn more about student research at F&M.

 

Global Curriculum and Engagement 

Our focus on global education recognizes that, no matter where life takes students after F&M, they will be working and living with people with vastly different ways of perceiving our world. A global education helps students begin to understand how to negotiate these differences, strengthening abilities to successfully live and work in our increasingly global society.

Our commitment to this global perspective is not only reflected in our curriculum—such as our international studies programs and our numerous language programs—and our study abroad opportunities, but as well as our strong global presence on campus. Seventeen percent of our students come from abroad to study here in the U.S.

 

International and Off-Campus Study (Study Abroad)

At F&M, a global education involves not only classroom learning, but also hands-on experiential learning in communities around the world. We offer resources for planning your trip, funding travel through fellowships and grants, and peer mentoring with "off-campus study ambassadors." 

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International Studies Program

A prime example of a liberal arts education, International Studies is a program composed of faculty from a variety of departments. Students can choose an International Studies minor or a joint major, combining International Studies with another department.  

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Language Studies at F&M

We understand that competency in a foreign language will help you develop an informed and thoughtful awareness of language as a system and facilitate your exploration of other cultural worlds, which is why studying a non-native language at F&M is a graduation requirement. 

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Office of International Programs

The Office of International Programs holds the advising and administrative staff for International & Off-Campus Study as well as International Student Services. We support F&M students pursuing an international education program, whether overseas or in Lancaster. 

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Supporting Student Success at F&M 

Student Resources

F&M is committed to the success of every student. We offer a full range of services to support  learning, creative exploration, and success, both on campus and also for the lives of our graduates beyond F&M. 

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Libraries

Franklin & Marshall College Library is housed in two locations: the Shadek-Fackenthal Library and the Martin Library of the Sciences. 

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Centers & Institutes

Hubs for activity in the arts, environmental conservation, skill development in writing and problem-solving, and survey research, F&M's academic centers provide students, faculty and staff with a range of resources for teaching and learning. 

Discover the possibilities

Registrar & Transcripts

The Office of the Registrar maintains resources for course selection and planning a course of study; monitoring progress toward degree; academic calendars and exam schedules; and for current students and alumni to access academic records. 

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Post-Graduate Fellowship Opportunities (Students and Alumni)

F&M students and alumni have access to support as they apply for various post-graduate national and international fellowships including, the Fulbright, Marshall, Mitchell, and Rhodes scholarships. F&M also offers summer scholarships to support travel for study and research. 

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Academic Affairs 

Academic Affairs at F&M

Meet Provost Cameron Wesson and learn more about academic affairs at F&M.  

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The Pulse of  Academics at F&M

Story 5/25/2023

Liberal Arts is the Future of Work

Liberal arts colleges and educational leaders from around the country will gather at F&M June 1-3 for a conference to imagine the workplace of tomorrow.

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Story 5/23/2023

'97 Alum Reconnects with A Cappella Roots

Music producer Ed Chung '97 returned to campus in April to record and produce an album with The Poor Richards, F&M's oldest a cappella group. 

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Story 5/18/2023

Faculty Meet the Machine

A brave new world of artificial Intelligence (AI) opened in the classroom this year so we sat down with ChatGPT-4 and two professors to discuss the future.

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