MPS in Management FAQs

The MPS in Management is offered exclusively in a classroom format to facilitate a high level of interaction with faculty and colleagues.

The MPS in Management is a two semester, 30 credit hour program.

The MPS in Management program offers the rigorous business management curriculum you’d expect to find in a top MBA program, but with a focus on the acquisition of core business skills for those with undergraduate preparation in a non-business field. Students who have completed some of the core requirements at the undergraduate level may substitute a wide variety of graduate level management classes in the SC Johnson College of Business. The College includes the Johnson Graduate School of Management, The Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration. The business schools at Cornell are accredited by AACSB International.

Yes. Cornell University, the SC Johnson College of Business has long established relationships with many major employers, including professional service firms, consulting firms, banks and fortune 500 companies across a broad range of industries. These relationships, combined with our academic and career advisement will help our graduates to launch their careers in business.

STEM designation is a reflection of the emphasis throughout the curriculum on analytics and data-driven decision making. For international students, the STEM designation offers an additional benefit. If approved by the USCIS, optional practical training (OPT) provides many F-1 visa students with the opportunity to work in the U.S. for up to 12 months, gaining valuable experience related to their field of study. Students graduating from STEM designated programs may apply for a 24-month extension to their post-completion OPT, potentially providing up to 36 months of temporary employment in the U.S.

The deadlines for each round applications to the MPS in Management can be found on our Application Guide. You must complete your application prior to the admission deadline. You may be invited to conduct a personal interview prior to receiving your admissions decision.

Yes. Information about financial aid opportunities including loans and scholarships, can be found on the Tuition & Funding Opportunities page.

Requests to defer enrollment for one year should be submitted in writing to gradadmissions@business.cornell.edu by 5:00 p.m. ET on April 15, 2022, or by the decision deadline date listed in your offer letter, whichever is later. All deferral requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.  Please include a detailed explanation of your request and appropriate supporting documentation, if applicable. Deferral requests are only considered after students have submitted the non-refundable enrolling deposit.

Please note: Deferral requests are typically not granted for:

• students who are pursuing other education opportunities
• students who need to gather additional financial resources to pay for the degree program
• students who express concerns that the program may not be the best fit for their career goals

Yes, your undergraduate degree can be in any field, provided you excelled in your studies. The MPS Management program prerequisite is an undergraduate minor in business (or equivalent coursework), with a major in any area of study. Students who majored in business at the undergraduate level may also be eligible for the MPS in Management if they are seeking to change their undergraduate specialization.

No. There is no minimum GPA required for admission to the MPS in Management, however we expect applicants to demonstrate their potential to excel in our rigorous academic environment. The average undergraduate GPA for admitted students in other Johnson Graduate School of Management programs is about 3.4.

Note: The GMAT/GRE is optional for the spring and fall 2022 admission cycle. Please see the Application Guide page for additional details.

All applicants are required to submit either the GMAT or GRE taken in the last 5 years. The standardized testing requirement is waived for those who have graduated from Cornell in the last two years with a GPA of 3.3 or higher.

No. There is no set minimum GMAT or GRE score, but competitive test scores will certainly make an application more attractive.

No. Students who have had internships at the undergraduate level will be attractive candidates for our MPS in Management.

No. All students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework at Cornell University.

No.

Yes. If you have completed some of our required curriculum, graduate electives from any of the three schools in the SC Johnson College of Business may be substituted. Those with appropriate prior undergraduate coursework may substitute appropriate graduate management electives. Please visit our Curriculum page for more information.

The MPS in Management program is time intensive and your studies will require your full attention. Teaching assistantships may be available to particularly well-qualified candidates. We do not recommend off-campus work during the program.

Yes. You may enroll in graduate level elective courses within the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, provided the program director approves your schedule.

Graduate student housing is available on and off campus within walking or biking distance from campus, or on a local bus line. Please visit the graduate website for more information on Housing & Living in Ithaca.

Yes. Cornell’s International Students and Scholars Office assists international students with student visa applications.

The Cornell University Graduate School has minimum requirements for English Language Proficiency requirements that may be found at their webpage. The Admissions Committee for the MPS in Management believes it is essential that applicants have excellent fluency in the English language to be successful.