Business, Organizations & Society
About Business, Organizations & Society
Our Program and Courses
Business, Organizations & Society (BOS) is a major at F&M. By studying BOS at F&M, you’ll get a broad understanding of the roles organizations play in society as well as management philosophies, processes, styles, and the dynamics between theory and practice.
By the time you graduate, you will have developed:
- Analytical reasoning, or the ability to take descriptive material and draw conclusions more generally about a particular phenomenon. This includes identifying appropriate analytical techniques to solve business problems, recognizing and critically analyzing ethical issues, conducting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis in a business context, and more.
- Practical reasoning, or the ability to draw upon business, financial, and ethical theories and techniques; consider how these affect the individual; and understand how the individual’s decisions affect businesses, organizations, and society.
- Multiple framing, or the ability to effectively argue more than one side of an issue or conflict. You’ll have confidence in comparing the shareholder to the stakeholder perspective, developing and considering the viability of multiple solutions for a problem, and more.
- Reflective exploration of meaning, or the ability to reflect on how class material affects the individual, and how the individual’s decision affects the firm and society. This can range from identifying a business decision’s potential impacts on environmental sustainability to considering the impact a particular understanding or approach has on who you are or how you engage with the world.
In order to major in BOS, you'll first need to apply to the department since the number
of students in the program is capped.
Curious to learn more about BOS classes? Explore our course catalog to see what’s
available to you.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Student-Managed Investment Portfolio (SMIP)
Get real-world portfolio management experience with the Student-Managed Investment Portfolio (SMIP). SMIP is a portfolio of stocks students exclusively and collectively manage in the portfolio management course (BOS 363). A share of the funds generated by SMIP are used to provide financial assistance for F&M students.
Entrepreneurship at F&M
In the spirit of living up to Benjamin Franklin’s legacy of creating solutions in the service of the public good, Entrepreneurship at F&M is a program that offers exciting opportunities for all students to explore and develop entrepreneurial skills. In addition to courses in entrepreneurship, there are several supporting programs, including:
- The F&M Incubator, which offers opportunities for students to bring their creative solutions to life. You’ll work in a team and you may receive mentoring, specialized support, and/or project funding. You’ll also attend a series of workshops on customer identification, design thinking, marketing and legal considerations, and other topics.
- A summer entrepreneurship experience during which you’ll earn course credit and gain real-world experience for your resume while discovering and mastering the entrepreneurial skills needed to bring innovation to any organization. You’ll be matched as a paid intern with sponsoring startups, entrepreneurs, and other organizations that are looking to innovate or disrupt the status quo across a variety of industries.
- Workshops that introduce, discuss, or focus on entrepreneurship methods and insight
- Events featuring F&M alumni and members of the wider community who have changed the status quo in all sectors of the economy and society
Explore entrepreneurship at F&M
Internships for Credit
What better way to put your earned skills to the test than with an internship? By
completing an internship for credit, you can add valuable experience to your resume
while earning a credit toward your degree.
Explore internships at F&M
Research Opportunities and Independent Studies
Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led
research. BOS faculty are expert researchers on a wide array of business topics, including:
accounting, finance, investment portfolios, international business, law, management,
markets, marketing, human resources, organizational behavior, sustainability, and
more.
Explore research at F&M
Off-Campus Study
Off-campus study, in the U.S. and internationally, is encouraged. F&M students have
studied abroad in Spain, Italy, France, China, England, Ireland, and much more.
Explore off-campus study at F&M
Dual Degree Programs
Earn Master of Human Resource Management
In partnership with Rutgers University, this program allows F&M graduates with a bachelor’s degree in Business, Organization and Society (BOS) or the relevant eligible F&M courses to earn a Master of Human Resources Management (MHRM).
Earn Master of Science in Accounting
Through partnerships with Wake Forest University, Vanderbilt University, and New York University, F&M students of any major are eligible to complete both a bachelor's degree at F&M and a Master of Science (Accounting) over the span of five years.
Success Beyond F&M
What happens when you graduate with a liberal arts degree in BOS? A world of opportunities awaits.
Graduate School
BOS graduates have gone on to study law, while others have pursued advanced degrees
in business at University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University, Columbia University,
Cornell University, and Drexel University.
Career Paths
BOS majors are prepared for careers in a wide array of industries. Many obtain positions
in education, business, banking, government, and law. They hold positions such as:
- Account Coordinator
- Account Director
- Accountant
- Assistant Vice President
- Banking Director
- CEO
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Operating Officer
- Client Relationship Associate
- Data Analyst
- Director of Human Resources
- Financial Advisor
- Investment Banking Analyst
- Lawyer
- Marketing Associate
- Marketing Manager
- Paralegal
- Recruiter
- Research Associate
- Social Media and Marketing Coordinator
- Trade Analyst
Alumni Spotlight
From BOS to Baltimore: A Graduate’s Path to the Orioles
Sydney Dzenutis ’23 had no idea her business, organizations and society major would lead her to the sports industry. Dzenutis initially had dreams of running her own business, but the pandemic opened her eyes to the front-office aspect of sports. “The decisions being made by teams during that time period drew the front offices into the limelight more than ever before,” Dzenutis said. “I was immediately hooked on the potential to combine my love of being an athlete, and being part of a team, with my business degree to help accomplish something bigger than myself.” After working with the MLS soccer team Columbus Crew and the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, Dzenutis now works as a product development coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles. She said her F&M experiences helped prepare her for the rapid pace of the sports industry. “F&M helped further not only my basic knowledge of the business world, but also honed my ability to take on new challenges, learn on the fly and use multiple perspectives to solve problems,” she said.Read More »
Alumni Spotlight
F&M “Aligned Perfectly With My Educational and Personal Aspirations”
Genesis Familia ’24, a double major in business, organizations & society and psychology, said one of the key factors that drew her to F&M is its emphasis on a liberal arts education. “The prospect of a well-rounded curriculum that encourages critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and intellectual exploration greatly appealed to me,” she said. Familia noted the Posse Foundation was pivotal in introducing her to F&M and its unique attributes, which she said, “aligned perfectly with my educational and personal aspirations.” Familia added that the small size of F&M also played a significant role in her decision to attend the College. “The intimate campus environment fosters close relationships with professors, encourages meaningful peer interactions, and creates a sense of belonging.”Read More »
Related Fields of Study
Economics
Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. By studying economics at F&M, you’ll develop a framework for understanding how the economy works, its shortcomings and how to remedy them, and broaden your perspective of how the economy influences daily lives in all corners of the world.
Mathematics
The study of mathematics is ancient, and its roots in clear and creative thought can still be seen today. While studying mathematics at F&M, you will learn both the fundamental foundations and theories of the field as well as how to apply these theories to real-life problems.
Social Entrepreneurship (Certificate)
Are you interested in having a positive impact on the world around you? F&M’s social entrepreneurship certificate leverages best practices in innovation, social change, and startups to address the social issues that matter most to you.
BOS in Action
July 25, 2024
Success Beyond F&M: Gaining Invaluable Skills in Effective Communication, Problem Solving, and Leadership
Coming from a long line of service members, joining the armed forces was always a goal of William Lewerenz ’23. “F&M did an extraordinary job of helping me to follow my passions as well as aiding me to discover new ones,” Lewerenz said.
July 11, 2024
Success Beyond F&M: ‘I Am So Thankful That 17-Year-Old Me Decided to Attend F&M’
Sydney Dzenutis ’23 has been busy gaining professional experience in the sports world with the Columbus Crew, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Orioles. "F&M helped further not only my basic knowledge of the business world, but also honed my ability to take on new challenges, learn on the fly and use multiple perspectives to solve problems," Dzenutis said.
May 23, 2024
Ten Faculty Earn Tenure, Promotion
At its May meeting, the Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed the recommendations of the Professional Standards Committee and the Provost, granting four F&M faculty tenure and promotion to associate professor, while six others were promoted to full professor.