Business, Organizations & Society
About Business, Organizations & Society
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鈥檚 decisions affect businesses, organizations, and society.
- Multiple framing, or the ability to effectively argue more than one side of an issue or conflict. You鈥檒l 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鈥檚 decision affects the firm and society. This can range from identifying a business decision鈥檚 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.
Curious to learn more about BOS classes? Explore our course catalog to see what鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檒l work in a team and you may receive mentoring, specialized support, and/or project funding. You鈥檒l 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鈥檒l 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鈥檒l 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鈥檚 degree in business, organizations and society (BOS) or the relevant eligible F&M courses to earn credits toward a master of human resources management (MHRM). Up to five of the Rutgers MHRM鈥檚 16 courses will be waived if students have had similar courses at F&M and earned a B or better in those courses.
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. After completing four years at F&M, students apply for admission at the respective graduate program, and then complete one full year at that institution. At the end of the five-year experience, students will be eligible to sit for the CPA exam. If you enroll at Wake Forest University or Vanderbilt University, you will receive a minimum of $10,000 / semester tuition scholarship. At the end of the five-year experience, you will be eligible to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.
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
F&M Alum Outfits U.S. Gymnasts in Paris Olympics
Matt Cowan 鈥�03 is chief executive officer of GK Elite 鈥� the name behind Team USA鈥檚 stunning leotards worn by Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey. Cowan, a business major and English minor, got his start in athletic apparel as a senior at F&M when he began interning at a basketball apparel and footwear company, AND 1. 鈥淯pon graduating, I was fortunate enough to land the only job opening they had: footwear sample manager,鈥� Cowan said. 鈥淚t was as basic and entry level as it sounds, but I was thrilled for the opportunity to find a job in sports.鈥� Cowan said his education at F&M was instrumental in building a broad foundation of business knowledge. 鈥淏y taking classes in marketing, finance, product development and accounting, I was prepared to communicate and engage across multiple functions as my career grew,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y liberal arts education also created a desire to couple business with art, science and psychology, inspiring new insights and creativity both personally and professionally.鈥�Read More 禄
Alumni Spotlight
From BOS to Baltimore: A Graduate鈥檚 Path to the Orioles
Sydney Dzenutis 鈥�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. 鈥淭he decisions being made by teams during that time period drew the front offices into the limelight more than ever before,鈥� Dzenutis said. 鈥淚 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.鈥� After working with the MLS soccer team Columbus Crew and the NFL鈥檚 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. 鈥淔&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,鈥� she said.Read More 禄
Alumni Spotlight
F&M 鈥淎ligned Perfectly With My Educational and Personal Aspirations鈥�
Genesis Familia 鈥�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. 鈥淭he prospect of a well-rounded curriculum that encourages critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and intellectual exploration greatly appealed to me,鈥� she said. Familia noted the Posse Foundation was pivotal in introducing her to F&M and its unique attributes, which she said, 鈥渁ligned perfectly with my educational and personal aspirations.鈥� Familia added that the small size of F&M also played a significant role in her decision to attend the College. 鈥淭he intimate campus environment fosters close relationships with professors, encourages meaningful peer interactions, and creates a sense of belonging.鈥�Read More 禄
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鈥檒l 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鈥檚 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
February 27, 2024
Running Toward Success, On and Off the Gridiron: Mitch Wagner 鈥�24
Mitch Wagner 鈥�24 wanted a college where he could excel on and off the football field. The Jeffrey M. Chairnoff 鈥�88 Memorial Scholarship made that dream possible.
February 9, 2024
Students Launching Students: The Unsung Heroes of Success After F&M
Senior Armina Emami provides a level of support for career-minded students through her peer-to-peer workshops focused on helping students build the best possible resume.
June 22, 2023
Women's Basketball Captain Scores NCAA Internship
Many college athletes dream of working in the sports industry. Jaclyn Feit intends to make this her reality. This summer, the senior from Charlotte, N.C., was a College Basketball Academy Intern for the NCAA in Indianapolis. Feit and a team of other students are tasked with inviting prospective athletes to the first Women's Basketball Academy, running July 27 鈥� 31 in Memphis, Tenn.