Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) ILR Degree Program Policy
- Objectives of the M.P.S. ILR Degree Program
- Administration of the Program
- Admissions
- Special Graduate Committee
- Residency Requirements: Registration Units
- Course Requirements
- Grades
- Language Requirements
- Teaching Requirements
- Thesis/Dissertation
- Examinations
- Recommendations for the Degree
1. Objectives of the M.P.S. ILR Degree Program
The ILR Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) Degree is designed for individuals who are already practitioners 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. The on-campus M.P.S. degree is a one-year, full-time residential program intended for mid-career professionals with extensive experience in the field. No financial aid is provided for the M.P.S. An employee degree candidate who is admitted to the M.P.S. program must meet these conditions; in particular the employer must pay standard M.P.S. tuition to the ILR School. A part-time ILR M.P.S. program is available in New York City (see the ILR website for details).
2. Administration of the Program
The Field Faculty of Industrial and Labor Relations administers the general requirements for the M.P.S. degree through the ILR Graduate Committee. This Committee reviews applications, administers the program of study, and recommends the degree for those who satisfactorily meet the requirements.
3. Admissions
Requirements for admission to the M.P.S. ILR Degree Program include:
- A Bachelor's degree in the Social Sciences, Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Engineering, or other approved fields, with adequate preparation for graduatework in Industrial and Labor Relations.
- Aptitude for graduate work as demonstrated by the GRE or GMAT examination and other appropriate criteria, such as undergraduate (and previous graduate level) success and academic recommendations. NOTE: there is no specific minimum test score or GPA; applications are considered on all relative merits.
- A demonstrated desire and goals appropriate to this field of study, especially as expressed in the personal statement.
- Work experience in the field.
Applicants must submit a completed Cornell Graduate Application (and application fee), a statement of purpose, complete transcripts from all institutions attended, GRE or GMAT Test scores* (TOEFL Scores from international applicants) and a minimum of 2 academic letters of recommendation, (up to 2 additional professional recommendations are allowed). Inclusion of a resume or CV is detailing work experience is strongly encouraged.
*Foreign graduate students are admitted with the same criteria as US citizens, including the results of the aptitude tests of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Foreign students whose native language is other than English must submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the GRE analytical writing section.
4. Special Graduate Committee
A candidate's course of study, including the research project, will be supervised by two Graduate Field Faculty members. One faculty member will act as Special Committee Chairperson. The student must select his/her committee and report to the ILR Graduate Office and Cornell Graduate School using the appropriate Special Committee Forms, as soon as possible upon matriculation.
5. Residency Requirements: Registration Units
Satisfactory completion of two residence units is required. A residence unit is defined a semester of full time study completed successfully and approved by the student's advisor.
6. Course Requirements
30 credit hours, including a project worth up to 9 credit hours (maximum), are required for successful completion of the degree program. Specific courses are not prescribed so the student, with guidance of the Special Committee, may select coursework tailored to his or her background, focus of study, and goals.
7. Grades
Course selection and grade requirements are at the discretion of the student's Special Committee.
8. Language Requirements
There are no language requirements for M.P.S. ILR degree candidates.
9. Teaching Requirements
There are no teaching requirements for M.P.S. ILR degree candidates.
10. Thesis/Dissertation
There are no final thesis or dissertation requirements for M.P.S. ILR degree candidates but an M.P.S. research project is required.
11. Examinations
Admission to Candidacy exams and Final Thesis Defense exams are not required by this degree program.
12. Recommendations for the Degree
The Graduate Committee will review each candidate’s program prior to recommending the degree candidate to the Graduate School. The Cornell University Graduate Faculty approves the awarding of all degrees.
