The Johnson Cornell Tech 1+1 Program: The Best of Both Worlds

Experienced Educators with a New Approach

Cornell University is the only business school that offers the combination of an Ivy League MBA in an idyllic collegiate setting with a year in New York City studying the intersection of business and technology. In the Johnson Cornell Tech 1+1 MBA program, you will learn not just from world-class faculty, but from peers on interdisciplinary teams both in Ithaca and on the Roosevelt Island campus in New York City. This one-of-a-kind combination will set you apart from the rest of the pack as you earn a focused, STEM-certified MBA.


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What Is the 1+1 MBA Program?

The 1+1 MBA program is a joint offering from the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and Cornell Tech. The program consists of four semesters and a required summer internship over a period of 21 months. Participating students begin the program as a member of the Johnson School’s Ithaca-based two-year residential MBA program and spend the fall and spring in Ithaca, NY. After completing a tech-focused summer internship, students transfer to the Cornell Tech campus in New York City and become members of the Johnson Cornell Tech MBA program.

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Our STEM-Designated MBA Program Works for You

Today, technological proficiency is an essential requirement for business professionals. Opting for an MBA program with a strong tech focus enables you to attain specialized expertise and vital skills such as data analytics, digital communication, project management, and information technology. Our official STEM designation, sanctioned by the US government, affirms that our program satisfies strict curricular standards.


1+1 MBA Program at a Glance

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Degree Awarded

MBA from Cornell University

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Program Location

Ithaca, NY, and New York City

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Program Format

Full-time residential

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Program Length

21 months

Program Beginnings: Our History

The Johnson Cornell Tech 1+1 MBA program was piloted in 2022 in order to take the next step in Johnson’s partnership with Cornell Tech. All students at the Johnson School are able to take classes on the Cornell Tech campus, but the 1+1 program allows students to experience the full Johnson Cornell Tech MBA curriculum in the heart of New York City.


An Ideal 1+1 MBA Candidate: Example Profile

The 1+1 MBA program is ideal for candidates who want a two-year degree at the intersection of business and technology. If you fulfill the below items, you may excel within this program.

  1. Technology-focused MBA student with technology and/or entrepreneurship career aspirations 
  2. Significant technical undergraduate and/or pre-MBA master’s coursework; three years or more of work experience in technology/digital roles
  3. Ability to complete a required technology/digital summer internship after the second semester in Ithaca (unless actively working on a tech/digital startup)
  4. Open-minded, flexible, and agile enough to leave a traditional academic environment to complete studies at an interdisciplinary tech-focused campus
  5. Interest in spending a full year in the Cornell Tech MBA program in lieu of a semester abroad

An Advantage of the 1+1 MBA: The Studio Curriculum

During the Johnson Cornell Tech portion of the 1+1 MBA, students participate in Studio. Through the Studio curriculum, the 1+1 MBA program provides opportunities for multidisciplinary teamwork and real-world practice.

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Practitioner-Driven

Students engage with practitioners to learn firsthand about industry practices and receive direct feedback about their work.

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Multidisciplinary

Students build their skills on teams with representation from all seven master’s programs on the Cornell Tech campus.

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Real Challenges

Teams practice customer-driven development processes by building digitally enabled solutions to real challenges from real organizations.

Studio elevates the “free electives” offered at more typical institutions.


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What’s the Benefit?

Students who participate in the 1+1 MBA program get the best of both worlds and are able to take classes on both of Cornell’s world-renowned campuses: one in Ithaca, NY, and one in the heart of New York City on Roosevelt Island. During Studio, MBA students interact with students in engineering, information science, computer science, and law programs and participate in interdisciplinary teams. Twice the classmates means twice the network both during and after your tech-focused MBA program.

Join the Johnson School

Join the evolving 1+1 MBA program offered by the Johnson School and Johnson Cornell Tech. Apply now to the two-year MBA program indicating your interest in the Johnson Cornell Tech 1+1 program.