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In the School of Industrial and Labor Relations .
Undergraduate Degree
Administered by the School of Industrial and Labor Relations:
Graduate Degrees
Administered by the Graduate School:
Undergraduate Degree
The School of Industrial and Labor Relations awards a Bachelor of Science degree. All undergraduate students complete the same major requirements. Below is a sample ILR curriculum. Program is a four-year, full-time, in person program in Ithaca unless otherwise noted.
Students Matriculating Prior to Fall 2022
First Year
Sophomore Year
Junior and Senior Years
- ILR Electives / Distributions / General Electives (58 credits)
Students Matriculating Fall 2022 and Beyond
First Year
Sophomore Year
Junior and Senior Years
- Advanced Writing Intensive Elective (one course from an approved list)
- ILR Electives / Distributions / General Electives (58 credits)
Total Undergraduate Credit and GPA Requirements
- Minimum total credits required for graduation: 120, of which 105 are required to be letter graded.
- ILR students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to successfully graduate.
Undergraduate Learning Outcomes
The learning goals of the ILR curriculum can be summarized as follows:
Upon graduation, students in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations should have the ability to:
- Engage in critical, reasoned analyses of issues and ideas
- Explain ideas and analyses through written and oral communication
- Evaluate and apply theories and assumptions of the social science disciplines to workplace issues
- Analyze workplace issues from a variety of perspectives, including the historical, cultural, institutional and ethical perspectives
- Access, evaluate and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, so as to enhance understanding and inform decision-making
- Work independently and in cooperation with others
Graduate Degrees
The School of Industrial and Labor Relations offers both research based advanced degrees (MS/PhD), as well as professional degree programs (MILR, MPS).
Additional information on graduate degrees offered by the School of Industrial and Labor Relations can be found on ILR Graduate Programs website.
Professional Degrees
Master of Industrial and Labor Relations (MILR)
The Masters of Industrial and Labor Relations (MILR) program is a two-year, full-time, on-campus (Ithaca, NY), professional degree. MILR is designed for aspiring leaders in the fields of Human Resource Management, Human Capital Consulting, and Labor Relations. MILR HRO concentration covers core areas including employee compensation, learning, strategy, consulting skills, and leadership. Students also benefit from interacting and learning from senior executives and labor leaders.
Required Courses
Human Resources & Organization Concentration Classes
- Students select 6 courses of 3+ credits (or combination of credits) from a list of approved HR&O focused courses.
Elective Classes
- Students select 4 courses of 3+ credits (or combination of credits) from a list of approved elective courses.
Practical Training
Admissions Requirements
The admissions committee, composed of faculty members from multiple ILR departments, holistically evaluate each application based on the following:
- academic record as shown on unofficial transcript(s)
- relevant experience or engagement as shown on current resume
- 2 letters of recommendation
- written statement of purpose
- online video interview
- TOEFL or IELTS scores, as applicable (required for all international students, unless you meet the criteria for an exception)
GRE or GMAT scores are not required for the Fall 2023 admission cycle. Future admission cycle requirements will be determined prior to the opening of the online application. Application deadlines may vary by cycle. Please contact us at ilrgradapplicant@cornell.edu to discuss upcoming application deadlines.
Total Credits, Course, and GPA Requirements
- Minimum total credits required to graduate: 48 credit hours, encompassing at least sixteen courses comprised of six core courses, six concentration courses and elective courses.
- All courses must be taken for a letter grade, must be 5000 level or above, and students must earn C or above in each course.
- Courses must be 3 or more credits. Courses that carry less than 3 credits may be combined with another less-than-three credit course. Such instances will count as 1 course.
- MILR students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to successfully graduate.
Master of Professional Studies in Industrial and Labor Relations
The ILR Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) Degree is designed for individuals who are already practitioners, have a minimum of 8-10 years of work experience, and want to retool or redirect their efforts to a specific competency. It is appropriate for international students who wish to obtain training in the general area of industrial and labor relations and for domestic students who are employed in the human resources field and wish to upgrade their skills and understanding. This is an unstructured program, without specific prescribed courses, which requires a research project. Program is in person in Ithaca unless otherwise stated.
Program Structure
- Two full-time semesters in residence on Cornell’s Ithaca campus.
- Students complete 30 course credits, including an eight-credit research project, developed under the guidance of a faculty supervisor.
- Specific courses are not prescribed so the student, with guidance of their advisor, may select coursework tailored to his or her background, focus of study, and goals.
- Students are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 with no single course or seminar grade below a letter grade C.
Executive Master of Human Resource Management (MPS Human Resources)
The Executive Master of Human Resource Management program is ideal for high-potential human resource professionals who have 8+ years of experience.
This selective 15-month program, leading to a graduate MPS degree in Human Resources, will give you the advanced knowledge and skills needed to move into senior HR roles, and enable you to develop and execute human capital strategy on a global scale. Online coursework allows you to complete the program from anywhere in the world without interrupting your career. The program features three, 1-week sessions of on-campus instruction in Ithaca, NY.
Online Courses
Ithaca, NY Courses
Capstone Case Project Courses
Total Credits and GPA Requirements
- Minimum total credits required to graduate: 30 over fifteen months.
- Students of the EMHRM program are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative gpa of 2.70 with no single course or seminar grade below a letter grade C.
Admissions Requirements
The admissions committee, composed of faculty members, holistically evaluate each application based on the following:
- academic record as shown on unofficial transcript(s)
- relevant experience and engagement as shown on current resume
- 2 letters of recommendation
- written statement of purpose, describing academic interests, academic background, preparation, training, relevant experiences, reasons for pursuing graduate studies in the EMHRM program, and your professional goals.
- written statement of project, describing a project you might want to implement, the likelihood of support for the project, and how you will gain support from your current management team.
- online video interview
- TOEFL or IELTS scores, as applicable (required for all international students, unless you meet the criteria for an exception)
GRE or GMAT scores are not required for admission to this program. Application deadlines may vary by cycle. Current deadlines are: December 15, January 15, and March 15. Please contact us at to discuss upcoming application deadlines.
Professional Degree Learning Outcomes
The learning goals of the ILR curriculum can be summarized as follows:
Upon graduation, students in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations should have the ability to:
- Engage in critical, reasoned analyses of issues and ideas
- Explain ideas and analyses through written and oral communication
- Evaluate and apply theories and assumptions of the social science disciplines to workplace issues
- Analyze workplace issues from a variety of perspectives, including the historical, cultural, institutional and ethical perspectives
- Access, evaluate and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, so as to enhance understanding and inform decision-making
- Work independently and in cooperation with others
Graduate Research Degrees
Doctor of Philosophy
Master’s Thesis
Students who are admitted to the MS/PhD program must complete a Master’s thesis that is approved by the members of their Special Committee, composed of:
- a chairperson, representing their major area of specialization (Global Labor and Work, Human Resource Studies, or Organizational Behavior), and
- a minor member, representing one of the other areas of specialization within the ILR School.
Students work closely with their committee members in selecting appropriate courses and developing a thesis topic. The thesis is normally completed within the first two years of the program. Upon approval by the committee, the student is admitted formally to the PhD program.
Completion of the PhD
To complete the PhD degree, the student will need to add at least one additional minor member, representing a field outside ILR, to their Special Committee. For a PhD, Cornell’s Graduate School requires:
- six units of residence credit at the graduate level,
- satisfactory work in a major and two minor subject areas, as determined by the student’s Special Committee, and
- the successful completion of the admission-to-candidacy examination, which is taken before the start of the seventh semester.
Following this examination, students complete a PhD dissertation, which must be approved by the Special Committee members. Cornell’s MS and PhD degree programs are governed by the Graduate School. Please visit their website for additional, in-depth information regarding academic requirements.
Applicants who wish to have statistics or economics as their major area of specialization should apply directly to the Graduate Fields of Statistics or Economics. They may choose to have a minor in one of the other areas of study within ILR.
ILR Graduate Research Degree Learning Outcomes
The learning goals of the MS/PhD curriculum can be summarized as follows:
- Developing in-depth knowledge of the academic literature on organizations and work relations in order to make original and substantial scholarly contributions to the field. This entails both:
- Being able to identify relevant lines of work and a “map” of research on a given topic in which the student is interested
- Being able to evaluate, critique, synthesize and extend core concepts and theoretical arguments offered by existing research
- Mastering research methodologies and analytic skills required for the collection of data, analysis of those data and interpretation of findings
- Developing an understanding of the processes involved in publishing original research in peer-reviewed journals and other scholarly outlets. This requires:
- Acquiring and honing writing skills, and gaining knowledge of the typical structure of academic publications
- Becoming familiar with the processes of submission, peer-review, and revision that are part of professional publishing
- Developing presentational skills for both professional conferences, and teaching (these may two venues may require rather different sorts of presentational skills)
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