Undergraduate Requirements

The following introductory courses are taken during the first four semesters of enrollment in the ILR school. Although students (especially transfer students) are not necessarily required to take these courses in the order shown here, it is strongly recommended.

Core Requirements

Students are required to fulfill the following core requirements for a letter grade:

• First Year
• Introduction to Organizational Behavior (ILROB 1220)
• Introduction to U.S. Labor History (ILRLR 1100)
• Introductory Microeconomics (ECON 1110)
• Introductory Macroeconomics (ECON 1120)
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• Second Year
• Introductory Statistics (ILRST 2100)
• Labor and Employment Law (ILRLR 2010)
• Human Resource Management (ILRHR 2600)
• Labor Relations (ILRLR 2050)
• Economics of Wages and Employment (ILRLE 2400)

Writing Requirements

Students are required to fulfill the following writing requirements for a letter grade:

• First-Year Writing Seminar
• First-Year Writing Seminar
• ILR Advance Writing

Distribution Requirements

Students are required to complete one course from each of the following lists to fulfill the distribution requirements. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

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• Cultural Perspective Spring 2020 (PDF, 187 KB)
• Science & Technology Spring 2020 (PDF, 175 KB)
• Western Intellectual Tradition Spring 2020 (PDF, 163 KB)

Elective Requirements

Students are required to take 40 ILR elective credits for graduation. Within these 40 ILR elective credits, students must take:

• A minimum of 24 credits must be taken within the ILR school
  • Including at least one, 3-4 credit course must be taken for a letter grade from the approved list in each of the following three areas:
  • Economic Policy Electives Spring 2020 (PDF, 143 KB)
  • International & Comparative Labor Electives Spring 2020 (PDF, 161 KB)
  • Labor History Elective Spring 2020 (PDF, 171 KB)
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  • Up to 16 credits may be taken outside ILR in the following areas:
    • Foreign language (Up to 12 credits)
    • Advanced mathematics (as approved by ILR Social Statistics department)
    • Out of College Advance Electives Spring 2020 (PDF, 165 KB)
• Special Study Opportunities 
• Part of the 40-hour advanced elective requirement may be fullfilled with internships, student research, and approved study abroad work.
• • Approved study abroad work may be used to fulfill:
  • • Up to 9 credits for a single semester
    • Up to 15 credits for a full year
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    • Internships and student research may also be used to satisfy the elective requirement:
      • Maximum of 16 credits for a semester internship
      • Maximum of 8 credits independent or directed study (research)
• Student research in the form of independent or directed study (ILR 499) may be used to fulfill up to 8 credits
• Note:  It is not required to take any out-of-college electives; the advanced elective requirements may be completely fulfilled with coursework inside ILR if desired.

General Electives

Any course at Cornell can be used to fulfill general elective requirements for graduation.