The Business Minor for Life Sciences (BMLS) prepares you for a successful career at the intersection of science and business. The minor’s curriculum focuses on basic business fundamentals and courses that complement life science topics. You will learn not only about entrepreneurship, marketing, management, finance, and economics, but also how these subjects are applied to life sciences career paths.
This minor is popular among pre-med, pre-dental, and pre-vet students. The coursework provides a grounding in business principles that can help you understand the economic environment in which you’ll eventually practice.
The BMLS was established by way of a generous gift from Dr. Jonathan Levine ’76 and Stacey Levine and Dr. David Levine ’88 and Davena Levine ’88.
Select majors in the colleges of Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Human Ecology, Agriculture and Life Sciences, and School of Public Policy (see full list below).
13.5 core credits (7.5 must be Johnson College of Business courses) across areas such as financial accounting, management, marketing, finance and more. In addition, 3 credits in microeconomics is the required foundation course.
After reviewing the requirements below and our FAQ and policies page, you can begin the process using the Business Minors Dashboard.
You can manage your minor and track your progress using the Business Minors Dashboard.
The BMLS is open to students majoring in certain life sciences subjects within Cornell’s colleges listed below. If your major is not listed but you are on a pre-health track or taking significant life sciences courses, you may request a petition form.
This minor requires 3 credits in microeconomics. We recommend taking this course before taking the minor’s core courses and require it to be completed by your sixth semester. A letter grade of a C or better is required.
The minor’s core requirements (13.5 credits) must be fulfilled by taking courses in the five areas listed below. Please note that 7.5 credits must be Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (JCB) courses, which include any course code of AEM, HADM, NBA, or NCC. In order to satisfy the JCB requirement, you may end up taking more than 13.5 credits as you complete the minor’s core requirements.
A letter grade of a C or better is required.
Students may not “double count” courses that overlap with the other business minors – the courses you choose may only count toward one minor
Robert Karpman, a professor of practice and the faculty director of the Business Minor for Life Sciences, works comfortably at the intersection of business and healthcare having earned both an MD and MBA. Karpman has experience as an entrepreneur and orthopedic surgeon, and he’s served as the chief medical officer of two community hospitals.