Industry

Applying

How do I apply?

Learn how to apply here.

What are the eligibility requirements to enroll?

While many cultures enrich the eCornell experience, English is the language of instruction. To participate fully and to receive the greatest benefit from the courses, participants must have well-developed English communication and reading comprehension skills.

Is there a deadline to apply?

There is no deadline to apply, however it is recommended to apply as early as possible to guarantee a place in the course. In order to be approved for the course, payment in full must be received by the Friday before the start date.

Fees and Payment

How much does a course cost? Will I incur any additional costs other than the initial course fee?

Fees for online courses vary depending on the length of the course. Fees include access to all course materials, to a course mentor, and to technical support. See the list of courses and fees.

When is payment due?

Full payment is due by the Friday prior to the start of the course.

How do I make a payment?

We accept wire transfers, checks drawn on a U.S. bank and credit cards. Please note once you have registered for a course it is not necessary for you to complete another application in order to make a payment. View detailed information on making a payment.

What is your cancellation policy?

You must request cancellation prior to the start date of the course. You may then choose to either receive a full refund for unused courses or transfer payment to another course. The one-time administrative fee for the payment plan, if applicable, is non-refundable.

Are discounts available?

Incentive pricing is available when purchasing a full certificate package. Corporate pricing is also available for purchasing as few as 20 course seats. If your organization is interested in a corporate agreement, please contact Nancy Weislogel, assistant director, at Exec_Ed_Hotel@cornell.edu.

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My Courses

How do I access my course?

Once full payment is made you will receive instructions from our office on how to access the course. You will be provided with a user name and temporary password.

Once I pay for my course, can I begin at any time?

All courses are assigned “start dates,” and begin on specific Wednesdays. Access to the course begins at 9:00am EST (Eastern Standard Time) on the start date.

Do I need to do any preparation study prior to the course start date?

No textbooks or pre-course assignments are required with the exception of Unlocking Your Leadership Potential which requires completion of a 360 Feedback Evaluation. All the required material is contained within the course.

Some courses do have pre-requisites, or suggest having a strong background in the course subject matter. This information is provided in the course description.

How long do I have to complete my course?

Once the course begins you will have two to four weeks (depending on the course) of instruction (with an online mentor). After the course ends you will have one additional month of access to the content.

Do I have to be logged on at a certain time to access my course material?

All of our courses are asynchronous, meaning that there are no times you are required to be logged on. As long as you have a computer with a connection to the internet, you will be able to access your course at any time.  There are no formal class hours - you may work around your schedule.

What minimum technology requirements will I need? What computer skills will I need?

The technology and computer skill requirements are listed here.

How much time should I plan to spend on my course?

The majority of our courses are designed to be completed in six to eight hours. For these courses you will be given two weeks in which to complete all of the required coursework. Several of our courses in foodservice management and essentials of hospitality management require approximately 15 hours of study. You are given four weeks in which to complete these longer courses. This is referred to as the instruction period. After the instruction period you will have access to the course for one additional month.

Can I take multiple courses at once?

Online courses are designed for working professionals with demanding jobs. We recommend taking one course at a time, however if you feel your schedule allows adequate time, you may take multiple courses at once. If you are considering this option, please remember that you must be able to complete the required coursework for each course in the allotted time frame. We also recommend that you make your mentors aware that you are taking multiple courses.

Once I set up a schedule, can I postpone a course start date? How far in advance must I arrange for a change?

You may change your course start date, without penalty, if your request is received and processed no later than 4:30 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time) on the day prior to the course start date.

What forms of support are available while taking my course? Is there a place I can ask questions? Is there a forum for interaction with other people taking the course?

You will receive a welcome message directly from your mentor a few days prior to the start of your course, which will provide you with course-specific information.

You can always reach your mentor by e-mail and you will receive a reply within 24 hours on weekdays, or on Monday for messages sent over the weekend.

Office hours are specific times when your mentor will be connected to the course Chat page. He or she will inform you of these times before the course session starts.

You may interact with other students in the course via the chat tool or the discussion boards.

How is my coursework evaluated? Do I receive a grade?

There are no end-of-course examinations or grades. Assessments are built into the modules within each course and must be successfully completed as you progress. Assessments may be multiple-choice quizzes, simulations, discussion forum participation, etc.

What do I receive upon completion of a course?

Upon successful completion of a course you will be able to download a "Letter of Completion."

Can I get a written copy of my course?

You may print out or download anything from your courses for free.  You may also wish to purchase Course Notes from eCornell. Course Notes is a streamlined way of getting the materials without printing page by page. They are only available for purchase directly from eCornell.

How do I add courses to my account? Do I have to re-register to add courses?

You do not need to re-register to add courses. You may add courses by contacting our office via email at Exec_Ed_Hotel@cornell.edu or at 607.255.4919.

Do online courses count towards my PDP Certification?

Select online courses may be applied toward the completion of our 12 classroom-based Professional Development Program certifications. Please visit the PDP web site or e-mail us at Exec_Ed_Hotel@cornell.edu for details and eligibility requirements.

Am I eligible to become a member of the Cornell Hotel Society after completing an online course or certificate?

Online courses do not qualify toward membership in the Cornell Hotel Society.

Does my course give me Cornell credit or CEU’s (Continuing Education Units)?

Online courses are not-for–credit; however they do qualify for CEU’s. See the course description pages for credit amounts. As well certain certificates have been recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service.

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Certificates

How do I earn a certificate?

Successful completion of a series of online courses in a particular field of study earns you a signed certificate from eCornell and Cornell University, providing you with a powerful credential to enhance your career.

Once I start a certificate, how long do I have to complete all the courses required to finish it?

You have up to four consecutive years from the completion of your first course to complete your certificate.

Do I have to pay for the certificate in full at time of registration? What are my payment options?

You may pay for a certificate on a per course basis. For this option a one- time fee of $60 (or $100 for the Master Certificate in Foodservice Management) would be applied to your account at the time of registration.

Can I earn multiple certificates? Can I apply a course to more than one certificate?

You are welcome to earn as many certificates as you wish with one exception: due to significant overlap, students are restricted to choosing only one of the two Master certificate programs. You are allowed to apply up to two courses to multiple certificates. Please note, when taking the Master Certificate in Essentials of Hospitality Management, you do not also earn the certificate in Financial Management (despite overlap).

Is there an order in which the courses must be taken in a certificate?

While it is preferred that certificate courses be taken in the order that they are shown on our website, this is not always necessary. There are a few cases where earlier courses in the certificate are pre-requisite for getting the most out of later ones. If you have any questions about a specific order, please contact our office to speak with a counselor via email at Exec_Ed_Hotel@cornell.edu or phone at 607-255-4919.

What do I receive upon completion of a certificate program?

Successful completion of a series of online courses earns you a certificate, suitable for framing from eCornell and Cornell University.

When will I receive my certificate?

It typically takes 4-6 weeks to receive your certificate via the US postal service.

Can my certificates be authenticated?

Yes, for a fee. Please contact our office for more information about this procedure.

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Beyond Online Courses

Do you offer other Executive Education courses?

Yes, for more information see: Current Executive Education Offerings

Does the Hotel School offer degree programs?

Yes, for more information see: Academic Programs at the Hotel School