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.

Our Faculty and Staff

Melissa W Betrone

Academic Department Coordinator for Earth & Environment and Business Organizations and Society; Program Coordinator of STS

Business, Organizations and Society; Science, Technology and Society

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John Garic

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Business

Business, Organizations and Society

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Alan S Glazer

Henry P. and Mary B. Stager Professor of Business

Judaic Studies

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Nicole C Jones Young

Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior

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Jessica L Keech

Associate Professor of Marketing

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Seth J Kopchak

Associate Professor of Finance

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Nancy B Kurland

Professor of Organization Studies

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Harlow Loch

Instructor of Accounting

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Jorida Papakroni

Associate Professor of Finance, Associate Chair of Business, Organizations & Society

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Jared Peifer

Assistant Professor of Management

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Jeffrey S Podoshen

Professor of Marketing

Judaic Studies

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Bill Schneper

Associate Professor of Organization Studies and Management, Department Chair of Business, Organizations and Society

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Joaquin P Villarreal

Director of Entrepreneurship

Business, Organizations and Society

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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, 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’s 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

A BOS Lawyer

Alysse Danyi ’23 always knew she wanted to study business in college. “One reason why I chose F&M was because of the BOS major,” she said. “I was drawn to F&M’s unique liberal arts approach to business.” Danyi crafted a major in business, public policy, and German, a unique blend that led her to post-graduate success pursuing a Juris Doctor at Villanova University. “My incredible professors, my research experience in the BOS department, and F&M's rigorous liberal arts education prepared me well to critically analyze policy issues and formulate credible, convincing arguments…both of which are important skills for learning and applying the law,” she said.

Read More »

Alumni Spotlight

F&M Alum Outfits U.S. Gymnasts in Paris Olympics

Matt Cowan ’03 is chief executive officer of GK Elite – the name behind Team USA’s 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. “Upon graduating, I was fortunate enough to land the only job opening they had: footwear sample manager,” Cowan said. “It was as basic and entry level as it sounds, but I was thrilled for the opportunity to find a job in sports.” Cowan said his education at F&M was instrumental in building a broad foundation of business knowledge. “By taking classes in marketing, finance, product development and accounting, I was prepared to communicate and engage across multiple functions as my career grew,” he said. “My liberal arts education also created a desire to couple business with art, science and psychology, inspiring new insights and creativity both personally and professionally.”

Read More »

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.

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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

November 6, 2024

Where Research Can Take You

Undergraduates don’t usually present research before a national organization of professionals, but that was the unlikely situation a Franklin & Marshall student found herself in this year.

August 15, 2024

Success Beyond F&M: ‘I Was Drawn to F&M’s Unique Liberal Arts Approach to Business’

At F&M, Alysse Danyi ’23 studied business, public policy, and German. Now she is pursuing a Juris Doctor at Villanova University. “F&M's rigorous liberal arts education prepared me well to critically analyze policy issues and formulate credible, convincing arguments…both of which are important skills for learning and applying the law,” she said.

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.