Real-World Learning
At Franklin & Marshall, learning happens by doing. You鈥檒l step beyond the classroom and into labs, studios, museums, local businesses, natural habitats, and communities around the world. Across every discipline, F&M students move from theory to purpose-driven action, graduating not only with knowledge, but with the hands-on experience that prepares them to lead now 鈥 not later.
Student Research
At F&M, you鈥檒l work and learn side-by-side with faculty to test your ideas 鈥 not just read or talk about them. We prioritize the transformative power of hands-on learning to enhance your professional development experiences, including opportunities to participate in groundbreaking research. In fact, the 2025 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education ranked F&M among leading national institutions that prioritize research activity. F&M is also the nation鈥檚 #11 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Research (Wall Street Journal-College Pulse). With a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, we provide unparalleled access to leading faculty experts, creating a dynamic environment marked by creative collisions in every corner of campus.
At F&M, you could:
- Leverage a unique combination of field research and AI to gauge Chesapeake Bay Watershed quality
- Conduct original research into historic portraiture
- Engage in cutting-edge computer science research in extended reality


Internships
Gain experience now and a competitive advantage later. Internships allow you to explore careers of interest and build your portfolio while shaping and inspiring your path after graduation. Our Center for Career and Professional Development will help you discover and secure these positions, guiding you through the internship search, application, and interview processes, and facilitating connections with F&M alumni, parents and friends of the College for potential opportunities. Your advisers can also direct you to generous donor funding that can help offset the financial burden of an unpaid or underpaid summer experience. You can even submit an application to for your internship experience.
At F&M, you could:
- Gain hands-on experience in law by interning for the President Judge of the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas
- Dive into your zeal for classical archaeology by interning at the Near Eastern Collections, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
- Unleash your potential and follow your calling to work with animals by interning for an organization dedicated to training working dogs
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鈥檛 simply time away from campus; they鈥檙e meaningfully woven into your entire academic journey at F&M.
At F&M, you could:
- Research diverse marine life in Turks and Caicos
- Explore Danish and Scandinavian design philosophies in Copenhagen
- Study Roman history in the 18th-century city of Bath, one of England鈥檚 most significant cultural sites


Franklin & Marshall Fellows
At F&M, we believe your college years are a launchpad for lifelong leadership. That鈥檚 why we created four distinctive fellowship programs for students who are curious, motivated, and eager to make a positive and immediate impact in the fields of climate and sustainability, creative writing, entrepreneurship, and public service.
At F&M, you could:
- Participate in original, action-oriented research in local watersheds, with the goal of improving stream and groundwater quality and aquatic ecosystem health
- Gain knowledge of literary and cultural activism on both F&M鈥檚 campus and in Lancaster
while exploring the craft of creative writing and growing as a writer
- Develop a "builder's mindset" 鈥 learning to identify problems, create solutions, and lead with resilience
- Hone the skills you need to innovate in the public sphere and effect positive change as a future leader
Experience Lancaster
To shape the world, start right where you are. Our home city of Lancaster is not only an active urban hub, but also an integral educational partner. Experience Lancaster, a program distinct to F&M, curates and connects you with opportunities to engage in internships, service, research, and more so you can make an impact in your own backyard.
At F&M, you could:
- Preserve American history by interning as a research assistant and archivist at Lancaster鈥檚 Historic Rock Ford
- Turn a passion for mathematics into meaningful solutions for the Power Packs Project, a nonprofit combating food insecurity in Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties
- Plan a record-breaking Lancaster Pride festival


Fellowships & Post-Graduate Awards
Fellowships offer often-funded experiential learning opportunities such as advanced study, research, internships, service, travel, and more. At F&M, you鈥檒l find expert guidance and support in discovering and applying for fellowships.
At F&M, you could:
- Move to Japan for a Princeton in Asia (PiA) fellowship at a brewery to learn all aspects of the sake brewing and production process
- Begin your career in global diplomacy through the prestigious Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program
- Explore the education field and make a meaningful impact in students' lives with Teach for America
Grants & Funding
We鈥檙e committed to advancing the scholarly and creative pursuits of our faculty and students. Internal funding for new projects is available through the Office of the Provost, while Sponsored Research, College Advancement and the Fellowship Office assist with funding from federal, state, and non-profit organizations.
Learn more 禄Diplomats Beyond the Classroom
June 9, 2026
Innovation Fund Transforms Pioneering Spirit into Action at Franklin & Marshall College
The 同城约炮 Innovation Fund announces its inaugural cohort of funded projects: four bold community initiatives that capture the pioneering spirit of Franklin & Marshall College.
June 1, 2026
同城约炮 Computer Science Grad Lands Job at Google
At 同城约炮, Shahina Tojieva 鈥25 cultivated world-ready skills to seamlessly transition from Diplomat to Google software engineer. 鈥淢y time at 同城约炮 equipped me with the essential toolkit to navigate unfamiliar environments and overcome post-collegiate hurdles through a liberal arts lens,鈥 she said.
May 27, 2026
Faculty Earn Recognition Across Range of Academic Fields
This academic year, faculty members across various disciplines received numerous grant and fellowship opportunities, with several award announcements still pending. Faculty and staff have been recognized both nationally and globally for their contributions to a range of academic fields.