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All students are required to meet the qualification requirement of one language other than English. Any one of the following meets the requirement:

1. Three years of high school study of one foreign language.
2. A score of 560 on the Cornell Placement Test (CPT).
3. Passing language 121 and 122, or the equivalent, and attaining a minimum grade of at least C- or Satisfactory in each (C or above for transfer credit from other institutions).
4. Passing language 123, or the equivalent.

Placement exams are offered at the beginning of each semester, and students may receive up to 6 credits in free electives, depending upon the results of these placement exams.

The Nestlé Library provides information resources and services to the students and faculty of the Hotel School as well as the rest of the university. It houses one of the world's largest collections in the hospitality industry and also maintains a core collection in business. Many databases are available, and students are encouraged to make use of these as well as the many other resources available in the library.

As a participant in the Management Intern Program, a six- to eight-month work-study experience, a student will receive academic credit in free electives, one unit of practice credit, and a variable weekly salary from the sponsoring company. To be endorsed as a management intern, the student must meet the following requirements:

1. Be in good academic standing, have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and have two faculty recommendations;
2. Have completed four semesters of study in the Hotel School;
3. Have processed required Practice Credit to date (at least one full unit of 400 hours of Practice Credit);
4. Receive approval by the faculty at large and MIP administrators.

The application process begins the semester before the internship. If you are accepted for a management internship, you pay 75 percent of full Cornell tuition and 100 percent of Cornell's administrative fees for the semester you are away.

Degree Requirements

You must complete 48 credit hours, including 33 hours of required core courses, 12 credits of required career track courses, 3 credits of additional electives, and 2 units of professional development activities.  You must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Career Tracks

Students will choose one of four career track options. The career track options are: Human Resources Management, Marketing Management, Operations and Revenue Management, and Real Estate Finance and Investments. You will be required to complete 12 career track credit hours as specified.

Residency Requirement

You must complete three semesters in residence at Cornell University, enrolling in at least 12 credit hours each semester. As with most graduate-level degrees, it is not possible to transfer residency from other universities.

Registration

At the beginning of your first semester you will need to complete the Nomination of Special Committee form for the Graduate School. (This form is in your orientation packet.) The MMH program is one of ninety-five graduate programs at Cornell University administered through the Graduate School.

Unlike other fields, however, you will not be asked to choose Special Committee members. All MMH students will have one committee member and chair, the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). Over the course of the year you will be asked to complete other forms too, so please take note:

Field: Hotel Administration
Major: Hotel Administration
Chair: Current Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

All forms must be submitted and approved by the Office of Student Services, 180 Statler Hall, prior to their submission to the Graduate School.

Elective Credit

Additional electives may be taken at the Hotel School, the Johnson School of Management, the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and other schools and colleges at Cornell University. Please be aware that other colleges and schools at the university, just as at the Hotel School, may give enrollment preference to their own students.

If you cannot pre-enroll, you may want to contact the professor individually and discuss your interest in the course and/or wait until the registration period prior to the start of courses to enroll. Qualified students who earnestly and sincerely express their interest in a course are rarely turned away.

CAUTION: Graduate elective credit is not given for 1100- or 2200-level courses.  Additionally, students will not receive elective credit in 3300- or 4400-level courses if there is an equivalent graduate course.

Notes:

1. Students must receive permission from their faculty advisor to receive credit for undergraduate courses taken outside the Hotel School.
2. Physical education credits do not count toward your MMH degree.
3. Foreign language courses, at the introductory level, may be taken for elective credit with permission from your faculty advisor.

Remember that neither Cornell University nor the Hotel School is able to offer all courses each semester.

Independent study is another option for earning elective credit. You must submit a specific proposal to a faculty member for approval. Once approved, you and the participating faculty member must complete the Independent Study Project Application Form, and submit it to the Office of Student Services. Independent study courses allow you to gain expertise in a specific area of interest, and they often evolve into publishable papers. Graduate students are not limited in the number of independent study courses they may take.

Taking courses as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) is limited to 3 credit hours each semester not including those only offered S/U.
Core and career track courses must be taken for a letter grade.

MMH students may choose to audit courses at the Hotel School. Students must formally register to audit Hotel School courses.  Requited core and career track courses cannot be audited.  An auditor may never take the place of a student who would take the course for credit, so you may not be able to audit a course with limited enrollment.

A maximum of 20 credits may be taken each semester.

Transfer credit is not accepted.

Academic Deficiency

The minimum GPA for continuation in the MMH program is 2.5 in each semester of the program. If a student has a semester GPA of less than 2.5 at the end of each semester (at the end of the two summer sessions, the end of the fall semester, or the end of the spring semester), the student will be automatically dismissed from the MMH program. This dismissal is subject to appeal to the Graduate Committee, as delegated by the graduate faculty.

Faculty Advising

One of the most significant parts of graduate school is your relationship with the faculty. The Hotel School faculty is uniquely positioned to offer you not only academic advice but also career planning and networking contacts. Your faculty advisor is the faculty director of your particular Career Track.

Career Advising

Equal in importance, and more specifically the objective of your education, is a promising and fulfilling career in the hospitality industry. Career Management, located in the Office of Student Services, is a resource for your winter externship and permanent job search. Additionally, the MMH Professional Development course guides you through the many crucial steps and skills necessary for a successful job search and provides you with best practices for lifelong career management.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

Occasionally students need to interrupt their studies by requesting a leave of absence because of extenuating circumstances beyond their control. Three types of LOA's are available to graduate students:

1. Medical leave
2. Personal leave
3. Part-time study leave

To apply for a LOA, you must complete and submit the LOA form to the Office of Student Services. Your request is reviewed by the Graduate Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies. If approved, it is forwarded to the Graduate School for approval. Approval is not automatic and only students in good academic standing may request a LOA.

To be readmitted, you must submit the request in writing to the Office of Student Services.

The Multicultural Programs Office is responsible for the administration of programs that will assist in the successful recruitment, admissions, retention, and graduation of African American, Latino, Native American, and Asian American students. This office is located in Room 180 Statler Hall, and works closely with the Office of Student Services, the Admissions Office, and the Office of Alumni Affairs.

The Assistant Director for Multicultural Programs serves as the advisor to the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, whose mission is to promote the importance of multiculturalism in the hospitality industry.

NSMH is a nonprofit organization that seeks to promote hospitality education and professional advancement for minorities. NSMH serves as a mechanism to meet the needs of minority students and professionals of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American descent.

New York State Contract colleges receive a portion of their operating funds from the state of New York. The undergraduate contract colleges are the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Human Ecology, and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

The Office of the University Ombudsman, open to all members of the Cornell community, can help resolve problems or complaints within the university and achieve equitable settlements.  Its services are independent of the university administration and are confidential.  It can provide information on university policies and practices, help examine alternatives, and find the proper authorities to resolve the situation.  As an unbiased "third party," the office can frequently find solutions that have eluded the interested parties.  The office is located in 118 Stimson Hall.  Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or other times by appointment.  Please call 255.4321, or email ombudsman@cornell.edu.