Graduation Requirements

In the School of Hotel Administration .

Undergraduate Curriculum

The School of Hotel Administration offers education in the numerous disciplines required for modern management in the global hospitality industry. Included in the core curriculum are courses in operations, management and organizational behavior, human resource management, finance/accounting, real estate development, food and beverage management, marketing, tourism, strategy, facilities management planning and design, communication, business computing, and law. Students also are encouraged to pursue a broad range of elective courses among the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as preparation for assuming leadership positions in the business and local community. For more complete information about undergraduate program requirements, see the school’s Student Handbook.

Requirements for Graduation

Regularly enrolled undergraduate students in the School of Hotel Administration are candidates for the degree of bachelor of science. The requirements for that degree are:

1. completion of eight semesters in residence for those who entered as freshmen; semesters of residence for transfer students are determined by the amount of transfer credit awarded and the number of credits outstanding;
2. completion, with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, of 120 required and elective credits (note: 120 credits does not include PE courses);
3. qualification in one language other than English. This requirement is generally met prior to admission and may be met by any one of the following: (a) three years of high school study of one foreign language; (b) score of 560 on Cornell Placement Test; (c) passing language course level 1210 and 1220 (8 credits) or the equivalent, and attaining a minimum grade of at least C– or “Satisfactory” in each (C or above for transfer credit from other institutions); or (d) passing language course level 1230 or the equivalent;
4. completion of two units of practice credit (800 hours); and
5. completion of the university requirement in physical education (including the swim test).

Suggested course programs appear on the following pages. Core courses account for 64 of the 120 credits needed for graduation, HADM electives account for 14 credits, 15 credits are allotted for Non-HADM electives, and 3 credits are allotted for First-Year Writing (FWS). The remaining 24 credits may be earned in courses chosen from the offerings of any college of the university (not including PE or courses below the 1100 level), provided that the customary requirements for admission to such courses are met.

Students in the School of Hotel Administration who plan to attend summer or winter school at Cornell or any other accredited college or university, with the expectation that the credit earned will be counted toward the Cornell degree in hotel administration, must obtain pre-approval from SHA in advance. Without advance approval, such credit may not count toward the degree.

Credit earned in military science, aerospace studies, or naval science courses may be counted in the 24-credit group of free electives.

Course Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree

Typical Course Sequences

The following arrangements of courses tend to be more fixed during freshman and sophomore years, with a greater degree of flexibility characterizing the upper-class years.  Students will typically enroll in 15 to 16 credits each semester.

Graduate Curriculum

The school’s programs for advanced degrees include those of Master of Management in Hospitality, Master of Professional Studies/Real Estate, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy. For further information on graduate programs, contact the Office of Graduate Student Services, 189 Statler Hall, (607) 255-9393.

Required Program for Master of Management in Hospitality Degree

The AACSB-accredited Masters of Management in Hospitality (MMH) program is a three-semester, 16 month professional degree program that provides a thorough grounding in business management in the context of the hospitality industry. In addition to a strong core course plan that prepares students to lead a variety of hospitality businesses, students may specialize in areas  of unique challenges and opportunities in this exciting and ever-growing and changing industry – operations and revenue management, marketing management, or entrepreneurship – or receive a graduate minor in real estate.  A self-directed concentration is available for those who want to customize their own unique career specialization, leveraging the resources of the program, to match individual interests and planned career direction.

MMH students work closely with School of Hotel Administration faculty who are on the cutting edge of research and have deep roots in industry. The MMH network connects students to business leaders who guest lecture, share knowledge and provide insights, and recruit graduates. The program requirements include the successful completion of pre-arrival online courses and a minimum of 48 approved credits taken over the course of three semesters:

Completion of six non-credit online pre-courses prior to arrival on campus

Completion of the orientation program

29 required core courses

12-15 concentration/minor elective credits

4 free elective credits

In addition, students may be required to complete a summer internship at a company to focus on their career interests. 

More information is available sha.cornell.edu/admissions-programs/graduate/mmh/.

Baker Program in Real Estate

The mission of the Baker Program in Real Estate is to educate, develop, and graduate the next generation of leaders. The Baker Program in Real Estate is a two-year degree program, which confers a master of professional studies in real estate (MPS-RE) degree. The program was designed and intended for students who already have professional real estate experience but who are in the early years of their career.

The Baker Program in Real Estate is a multi-disciplinary curriculum, composed of a faculty with practical experience and academic expertise from six Cornell University colleges. The program is 62 credit hours of coursework plus a required summer internship, as well as participation in one domestic and one international real estate trek, arranged by the Program.  Prior to the start of the Program, students must complete an undergraduate-level accounting and micro-economics course.  Degree requirements include completion of 38.5 credits of core coursework.  An additional 23.5 credit hours of elective coursework give students the opportunity to pursue a concentration, and to further develop management and leadership skills. Concentrations include finance and investment; development; consulting and market analysis; international real estate; property, asset and portfolio management; independent concentration.

Additional information is available online at baker.realestate.cornell.edu.

M.S. and Ph.D.

These research-focused degrees are designed for students interested in pursuing careers teaching hospitality management in a university setting, and conducting groundbreaking research in the field.  Students in both programs major in Hotel Administration and may choose to specialize in one of the academic disciplines offered within the school, or any of the graduate fields supported throughout the university.

Course Schedule Information

For up-to-date information about course scheduling, contact the Office of Graduate Student Services, 189 Statler Hall, (607) 255-9393.