New Minor in Ethics, Society, and

the Institution of Business

Are you curious about the institution of business? Are you concerned about the way the institution of business impacts our environment, our society, and our selves? Would you like to learn more about what you can do to shape the institution, or to navigate the ethical challenges it poses?

Then the new Interdisciplinary Minor in Ethics, Society, and the Institution of Business (ESIB) is for you. The program will guide you through coursework in a broad range of disciplines to address central questions about the role of business in a just, flourishing, and sustainable society. It will help you gain a deeper understanding of what business is, what it does, and what it could – and should – become.

ESIB is open to students in the Classes of 2024 and above via application to the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. Students accepted to ESIB complete six substantive courses, a lab and a curated work experience, and a capstone. More specifically, an ESIB curriculum includes

· four foundational courses in accounting, economics, ethics, and capitalism

· a half-credit lab in business fundamentals

· a guided exploration of a particular workplace chosen by the student

· two electives related to the ethical or social issue of the student’s choice

· the ESIB Capstone

In the Capstone, students identify a specific organization contributing to the ethical or social issue around which they’ve built their curriculum, then develop a “pitch”: an argument addressed to that organization for a specific ethical action firmly grounded in financial and legal considerations.

Want to know more?

Sign up for the ESIB mailing list to hear about workshops, speakers, new courses, and other opportunities.

Visit the website for an earlier version of the program (the Minor in Business, Ethics, and Society, for the Classes of ‘22 and ‘23)

Contact the advisors for an advising appointment.

Prof. Kendy Hess (Philosophy) and Prof. Karen Teitel (Accounting) are ready to answer your questions about the Minor in Ethics, Society, and the Institution of Business. Send us an email! ESIB@holycross.edu