Cornell will launch a part-time, fully online Bachelor of Professional Studies degree program in August 2027, according to the Cornell Chronicle. The degree program will focus on business fundamentals, economics and finance, marketing, data analytics, global development and social equity.
The program will be offered by the School of Continuing Education in collaboration with eCornell, with applications opening in January 2027. The program will provide a “career-focused pathway” and opportunity for “working professionals and adults” with some college experience but no degree to earn an undergraduate degree from the University, according to the Chronicle.
Faculty across Cornell’s schools will teach the program’s courses, which will primarily be asynchronous, with some “optional live sessions” for students to network or collaborate.
President Michael Kotlikoff told the Chronicle that the University’s commitment to accessibility drives the mission of the program.
“The online Bachelor of Professional Studies program will expand access to a Cornell education in entirely new ways, bringing a Cornell undergraduate degree within reach for working adults in many different life circumstances,” Kotlikoff told the Chronicle.
The University is also building “a pipeline of eligible students” by connecting with community colleges across New York state and collaborating with the Cornell Prison Education Program to offer the degree to incarcerated adults at three correctional facilities in the region. Community college students, alumni and Cornell employees are also encouraged to apply to the program.
The first BPS major, organizations, markets and society, will “integrate business, economics, policy and social sciences,” according to the Chronicle.
Donna Haeger, BPS academic director, a professor of practice in the Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business, will teach “Spreadsheet Modeling,” a course in which students will learn to build, analyze and interpret data.
The BPS program plans to expand by adding additional majors aligned with emerging workforce needs and fields.
Students who enter the program can start in the fall or spring semester and are expected to finish their studies within five years. Students will have access to academic advising, career services and networking opportunities with faculty, other students and Cornell alumni throughout the program.
The program is designed as a “forward-looking approach to education” and a way to increase accessibility to nontraditional students, Haeger told the Chronicle.
Need-based financial aid will be available to students who qualify, with preliminary tuition set at $925 per credit hour. The program will not support student visas due to the program’s part-time and online nature, and international students are encouraged to reach out to the program to “determine eligibility,” according to the Chronicle.
Students will graduate with a “curated digital portfolio and complete a community-engaged capstone project bridging theory and practice.”
“By offering this new degree design to nontraditional learners, students whose lives do not allow them to move to Ithaca will still have the opportunity to earn a Cornell degree,” Haeger told the Chronicle. “In this way, Cornell is extending its impact while continuing to foster lifelong learning and deliver high-quality, inclusive and industry-relevant education.”
Zeinab Faraj is a member of the class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a features editor on the 143rd Editorial Board and was the assistant sports editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. You can reach her at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
