Business Minors Policies and FAQs
If you wish to pursue a minor with the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, please review our policies and frequently asked questions before signing up. While each of our minors have varying requirements, all of them share common processes when it comes to signing up, transfer credits, substitution petitions, grade requirements, and certification.
When you are ready, you can declare and manage your minor here.
Please note that the policies and procedures below may not apply to the real estate minor. The real estate minor is administered and tracked directly with the The Nolan School, rather than the college’s Business Minors Dashboard. Learn more about applying for and completing the real estate minor here.
Credit Requirements
A minimum of 12 unique credits (outside of major’s core discipline) must be taken to complete any/all minors. Some majors may be required to take an additional course to satisfy this requirement.
Students may not use course codes within their home college/major to satisfy minor requirements unless noted as an approved overlap.
All minors include both a Cornell credit requirement and an SC Johnson College of Business credit requirement. Both requirements are listed and tracked on the right-hand side of your dashboard.
*Effective with the Fall 2023 semester – the minors program will return to its initial (pre-covid) policy whereby online courses will no longer be accepted, with the exception of select courses taken through Cornell’s School of Continuing Education (SCE).
Double Counting Policy
The goal in pursuing/receiving a minor is to gain knowledge that you may not receive through your major, which means additional coursework and minimal curriculum overlap. Before declaring a minor, please work with your home college advisor to determine whether pursuing a minor is a feasible path for you.
Transfer credits and course substitutions
Minors aside, you should always check with your college’s registrar any time you are taking courses outside of Cornell to be sure they transfer. Make sure you understand our policies related to transfer credits for the minors and always confirm they are permissible BEFORE you enroll in the class—otherwise your credits might not transfer as planned.
*Effective Spring 2024 – the minors office will only accept substitution petitions for study abroad and other Cornell courses. *Note – this does not include transfer credit petitions (prior to enrollment at Cornell). Substitution petitions from other/outside institutions that have already been reviewed and approved will be honored.
Declaring and completing your minor
You can begin working in the Business Minors Dashboard as early as your first year. Use this site to sign up, track your progress, confirm completion, or drop a minor.
Foundation Courses
Our minors require that you complete certain courses before you begin fulfilling the core requirements. These classes lay the foundation for the minor and should be completed by your sixth semester, typically the end of your junior year.