Specialized Master’s Programs

Master's in Professional Studies in Management

Master’s in Accounting

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Find Your Focus with a Specialized Master’s Degree

Expand, advance, and enrich your career with specialized skills and knowledge.

The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University offers a selection of specialized master’s degrees designed with today’s organizations in mind. Our offerings include STEM-designated programs in management, applied economics, accounting, and business analytics.

What is a Specialized Master’s Degree?

An MBA often comes to mind when people first think about pursuing a business-related graduate degree. However, emerging industries and evolving business functions have created a need for many types of management degrees. At Cornell, you will find plenty of exciting options for advancing your education.

Specialized Master’s Degrees vs. MBA Programs

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A Master of Professional Studies (MPS) or Master of Science (MS) in a business-related field typically offers a focused curriculum in a specific business specialty, such as accounting or analytics.

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A Master of Business Administration (MBA) often requires an undergraduate business degree and professional experience. The degree usually has a general management or business focus.

If you’ve been looking for an MBA alternative, consider if a specialized master’s program might be a better fit for your professional goals.

Our Specialized Master’s Programs

Whether you’ve recently earned your bachelor’s degree or you are a mid-career professional looking for a change, a specialized master’s program can help you get ahead. These specialized master’s programs at Cornell are an attractive alternative to an MBA. They provide all of the resources, faculty expertise, and credentials of an Ivy League institution—plus a graduate business curriculum tailored for focused specialization in management, analytics, and accounting. Explore the programs in more detail below.

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Program Overview: Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Management

MPS in Management at a Glance

Degree Awarded

MPS in Management

Location

Ithaca, NY

Program Format

Full-time residential and STEM-designated

Program Schedule

10 months starting in August

EXPLORE THE MPS IN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

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Program Overview: The MPS in Management – Accounting Specialization

Broaden your financial knowledge, build technical accounting skills, and boost your opportunities in the highly desirable accounting profession. This STEM-designated program—which also prepares you for the CPA exam—can be completed in less than a year, putting you on the fast track for career advancement.

MPS in Accounting at a Glance

Degree Awarded

MPS in Management – Accounting Specialization

Location

Ithaca, NY

Program Format

Full-time residential and STEM-designated

Program Schedule

10 months

EXPLORE THE ACCOUNTING MASTER’S

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Program Overview: Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)

Prepare for lucrative business intelligence careers in a wide range of industries—from human resources and healthcare to consulting and consumer goods—with the Johnson School’s STEM-designated Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA). You’ll learn how to collect, manage, and analyze data—then turn that information into actionable insights. And you’ll do it at your convenience: Designed for working professionals, this part-time program can be completed mostly online.

MSBA at a Glance

Degree Awarded

MS in Business Analytics (MSBA)

Location

Online with two summer residencies in Ithaca, NY

Program Format

Part-time, online, and STEM-designated

Program Schedule

16 months

VIEW MSBA PROGRAM DETAILS

The Benefits of a STEM-Designated Master’s Degree

Leading and succeeding in today’s technology-driven business ecosystem takes specialized skills and knowledge. Earning a master’s degree from a STEM-designated program ensures that your education covers analytics, databases, programming, digital best practices, and other in-demand competencies.

But the benefits extend beyond a cutting-edge curriculum. International students with an F-1 visa enrolled in the MPS in Management or the MPS in Management – Accounting Specialization program become eligible for a two-year extension; this means they can work in the US in an approved STEM field for up to 36 months instead of 12. This additional time extends training opportunities and strengthens employment prospects

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Our Faculty: Learn from Renowned Scholars and Practitioners

At the Johnson School, our management graduate programs are led by nationally recognized scholars and practitioners with incredible professional backgrounds and research interests. But they’re more than experts in their fields; our faculty members are also dedicated educators and mentors.

You’ll get to learn from and interact with faculty from throughout the college and, depending upon your degree or specialization, even across Cornell University.

Meet Our Faculty

The Johnson Community: Living and Learning in Ithaca, NY

As a student at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, you’ll have access to Ivy League academics, innovative learning experiences, remarkable faculty expertise, and unrivaled professional development resources. As a student in one of three schools in the college, you’ll also benefit from the resources and connections of the broader Cornell University learning community.

Our Community

Intellectual curiosity and the spirit of collaboration abound at the Johnson School and throughout the college. You’ll be surrounded by ambitious peers, a compassionate faculty, and a dedicated staff. From college-wide socials to student organizations, you’ll find many ways to engage with your classmates and make meaningful connections during your time at Cornell.

Discover Our Community

Our Campus

You’ll experience academic life on one of the most scenic, historic college campuses in the United States. Our learning spaces include the Gothic-style Sage Hall and the sleek and modern Breazzano Family Center for Business Education. Living in the stunning Finger Lakes region of New York, you’ll also have much to explore in and around Ithaca.

Explore Our Ithaca Campus

Our Industry Expertise

Our collective knowledge and experience reaches far and wide—and the Johnson School is especially known for its deep industry expertise and thought leadership in consulting, entrepreneurship, investment banking, and technology. Our alumni are also leading the way in these and other industries around the globe, and they continue to influence our curriculum and learning experiences.

Explore Our Expertise

LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHNSON

Learn About Our Specialized Master’s Degrees

If you’ve been exploring non-MBA business degrees as an option for advancing your education, we encourage you to take a closer look at the Johnson School’s specialized management graduate programs. Start the conversation by requesting more information, and someone from our admissions team will be in touch with you soon!

Request More Info

Next Steps: Applying to the Johnson School

If you’ve explored, researched, and compared specialized master’s degrees and other MBA alternatives and decided one of the Johnson School’s programs is right for you, we encourage you to start your application.

Apply Now