Professor speaks to student at front of class.

Program Overview

Business

Jump into the professional world head (and heart) first

Photo credit: Mike Crupi

Discover our exciting new major—coming in Fall 2025

Oberlin students want to create positive change in the world, and young professionals want to bring their passions into the workplace. This creates the perfect opportunity for business majors to take charge and find new ways of building successful, modern organizations. So it’s no surprise that business and finance constitute the third largest career path for Oberlin graduates—it’s a smart first step toward leadership.

What can you do with a business degree from Oberlin? The sky’s the limit. By complementing your studies with another program you’re passionate about—like studio art, psychology, or politics, to name a few—you can gain professional experience while exploring the rich creativity that only Oberlin can offer.

Oberlin business in action

Being part of Oberlin College means you have lifelong connections to alumni who are as creative and aspirational as you are. Our graduates form a robust, inclusive group across the world—giving you access to powerful networking opportunities. Whether you’re diving into the corporate sector, launching a freelance consulting career, or even opening your own restaurant, we give you the capabilities you need to let your creativity soar.

You’ll reach new heights of preparation and personal enrichment with the vast resources at Oberlin—including the Ashby Business Scholars program and Pathfinder program. Recent students have completed internships at The Riverside Company, Google, Salesforce, JP Morgan, Raymond James, UBS, Ares Management Corporation, Columbia Pictures, Sony Music Entertainment, Salon.com, the Brooklyn Museum, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Rachel Carson Council. The possibilities for business majors are endless; just bring your imagination and determination with you.

The business major will be available starting Fall 2025.

The Pathfinder Program is where it all starts. In just 3 steps students can create a roadmap to plan and prioritize their next entrepreneurial steps.

Learn more about the Pathfinder Program

Ashby Business Scholars

Build your network, delve into case studies, and travel to New York, Boston, or San Francisco to meet with leaders in the fields of business and finance. Recent Ashby Business Scholars have interned at firms including JP Morgan, Deloitte, and McKinsey.

Learn more about ABS at Oberlin

In collaboration with the Case Western Weatherhead School of Management, Oberlin College offers a unique 4+1 pathway leading to a Master of Finance degree

Learn more about the 4+1 finance program

Business, Finance and Consulting

Oberlin’s Career Communities provides structured opportunities for students to pursue their postgraduate career plans, placing interested students at a range of organizations from the World Bank to Marathon Capital and Riverside Company.

Learn more about Oberlin’s Career Communities

A student in a suit having a conversation with a business person.

BUSI 103

Introduction to Business Management

Learn core business concepts and problem-solving approaches used in managerial decision-making. Practice integrating analysis, judgment, and context to create actionable solutions.

Taught by: Yongha Kwon

BUSI 112

Negotiations

Master the fundamentals of negotiation through simulations and real-world scenarios. Develop effective strategies and tactics for creating durable agreements with diverse stakeholders.

Taught by: Eric Lin

BUSI 110

Marketing

Explore marketing strategies and techniques to understand customer value and communicate compelling propositions. Learn both the theory and practical skills for winning customers.

Taught by: Minah Park

BUSI 116

Financial Analysis for Leaders

Gain essential skills to use and communicate financial information to make informed business decisions.

Taught by: Eric Lin

BUSI 200

Oberlin Business Studios

Work in teams to tackle real-world business challenges. Focus on feedback-driven learning, testing ideas, and refining solutions in a collaborative, hands-on environment.

Taught by: Minah Park

THEA 240

Arts Management I

Gain an understanding of key areas in Arts Management, including organizational structure, management theory, budgeting, marketing, and audience development. Learn to balance aesthetic, managerial, and economic priorities.

Taught by: Eric Steggall

Economics Team Wins First Place at Business Competition

For the second year in a row, Oberlin College was awarded first place in the Eighth Annual Peoples Bank Undergraduate Business Case Competition. The Oberlin team surpassed 15 other schools to secure the first place honor during the competition which asked teams to prepare case studies to present for Peoples Bank senior management.

Learn more about the Oberlin team

The Path to Entrepreneurship

Robert Palacios ’14 came to Oberlin with an enterprising spirit, securing a summer internship at the consulting firm Monitor Deloitte and participating in the Ashby Business Scholars program. After graduation, Palacios was awarded a Venture for America fellowship to work for two years at emerging start-ups and early-stage companies.

Learn more about Robert’s professional pathway

Combining Business and Social Consciousness

At Oberlin, Ty Diringer ’14 majored in politics while gaining experience with several entrepreneurial efforts, such as Kenya Reads, ObieWear, Project Unbound, and InTown. Diringer spent the year after graduation as the entrepreneurship fellow for the Creativity and Leadership and LaunchU programs before being named a Venture for America fellow.

Learn more about Ty’s entrepreneurial work