Business, Organizations and Society
About BOS
Our Program and Courses
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.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Your ideas may start in the classroom, but they won’t be contained there. Discover how, by studying BOS at F&M, you can connect the things you care about to meaningful experiences.
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.
Explore entrepreneurship at F&M
Internships for Credit
Gain experience now and a competitive advantage later. Internships not only enrich
your academic journey, but also allow you to immerse yourself in the day-to-day life
of your field prior to entering the workforce. These short-term work experiences help
you identify the careers and industries that best fit your distinctive talents and
goals, while making you a more competitive applicant in the job market. You can even
submit an application to earn academic credit for your internship experience.
Explore internships at F&M
Research and Independent Studies
At F&M, you’ll work and learn side-by-side with faculty to test your ideas — not just
read or talk about them. BOS faculty are expert researchers on a wide array of business
topics, including accounting, finance, investment portfolios, international business,
law, management, marketing, human resources, organizational behavior, sustainability,
and more. You can also create and lead an independent study in close collaboration
with a faculty member.
Explore research at F&M
Off-Campus Study
Travel the globe to become a well-rounded scholar and person. Studying off campus gives you extraordinary opportunities to encounter, engage with, and understand perspectives around the world, strengthening your ability to live and work in our global society.
Off-campus study experiences aren’t simply time away from campus; they’re meaningfully
woven into your entire academic journey. You will work with your academic adviser
and your off-campus study adviser for a full year to craft an experience that complements
your F&M degree and goals.
Explore off-campus study at F&M
Entrepreneurship Leadership Fellows
We offer several tailored tracks, including Entrepreneurship Leadership Fellows, a program crafted to immerse you in the core values of entrepreneurship and innovation, drawing inspiration from the dynamic world of startup culture. As an Entrepreneurship Leadership Fellow, you’ll access:
- A $15,000 annual merit scholarship ($60,000 total over four years).
- A personal board of advisers, consisting of a mix of senior students, alumni, and local Lancaster mentors
- Hands-on opportunities to tackle real-world projects alongside local partners.
- A "builder's mindset" — learning to identify problems, create solutions, and lead with resilience.
- A tight-knit community of motivated peers who share your interests and drive.
- Leadership coaching to build the confidence, skills, and growth mindset needed to make an immediate impact.
Dual Degree Programs: Master of Science in Accounting
Success Beyond F&M
At F&M, we prepare you to be world-ready. The versatile skills you gain by studying
BOS at F&M — including strategic thinking, effective communication, collaboration,
problem-solving, ethics, and more — prepare you for your first destination after graduation
and for a lifetime of career growth, opportunity, and leadership.
The impact of an F&M education is reflected strongly in our graduates’ outcomes. Within six months after graduation, 92% of the Class of 2025 were either employed
or furthering their education. This is higher than the national average, which is
typically in the mid-80% range.
Graduate School
Many BOS graduates have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in business and law at institutions including:
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Duke University
- Northwestern University
- Tufts University
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Richmond
Career Paths
BOS graduates also excel in careers across an array of industries, including business, education, baking, government, law, and more. They work at organizations such as:
- Bloomberg Philanthropies
- The Campbell's Company
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Goldman Sachs
- Merrill Lynch
- The National Basketball Association (NBA)
- The Vanguard Group
They hold positions such as:
- 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 Adviser
- Investment Banking Analyst
- Lawyer
- Marketing Director
- Paralegal
- Social Media and Marketing Director
- Trade Analyst
Center for Career and Professional Development
F&M’s Center for Career and Professional Development offers targeted, expert guidance
while you discover your professional calling and develop the skills you need to succeed.
Our career guidance is structured through “career communities” – dynamic groups aligned
with specific industries that transform your aspirations into clear options, meaningful
opportunities, and a network of support. Among these, our Business & Finance career
community offers a wealth of resources tailored to help you lead with vision, drive
success, and bring transformative ideas to life.
Learn more
Student Spotlight
“People at F&M want you to succeed, not just academically, but as a whole person.”
“At F&M, you’re stepping into a community full of incredibly caring and passionate
people. That’s not just a feel-good phrase; it’s something you see and feel every
day,” he said. “People at F&M want you to succeed, not just academically, but as a
whole person.”
Read MoreAlumni Spotlight
Nicolas Rios ’23 Brings the Liberal Arts to Goldman Sachs
“At F&M, I wasn’t just learning what to think—I was learning how to think,” he said.
“That ability to analyze, adapt and connect ideas across disciplines has been incredibly
valuable in the workforce.”
Rios, a business, organizations and society graduate, is now an analyst at Goldman
Sachs.
“In fast-paced environments like Goldman Sachs, technical skills are important, but
what really sets you apart is your ability to collaborate, ask thoughtful questions,
and think strategically,” Rios said. “Liberal arts graduates are often more comfortable
navigating ambiguity, because we were trained to engage with complex issues and see
the bigger picture.”
Read More
Take Your Next Step
November 2, 2026 Thanks to a strategic connection made at F&M's Center for Career and Professional Development, Vinh Dinh ’27 secured a full-time position at JPMorgan Chase. “Knowing my post-graduation path is secure allows me to focus fully on maximizing my final year at F&M,” said Dinh. October 21, 2026 Franklin & Marshall College has established a graduate partnership with American University’s Kogod School of Business in Washington, D.C., offering F&M students and alumni streamlined access to advanced degree programs in business, analytics, and global policy. September 10, 2026 For Gonzalo Gentou Arbizu ’26, a brief introduction to a fellow Franklin & Marshall College Diplomat grew into months of conversations about travel, career possibilities, and life after college. Now it has led to his first full-time job.BOS in Action
Career Center Connection Opens Doors at JPMorgan Chase
Franklin & Marshall College and American University’s Kogod School of Business Expand Graduate Opportunities
‘I Wanted to Learn More”: From a Campus Connection to Career Opportunity
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.