The Cornell University Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS)

Contents

Degree overview

The Cornell University Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) is designed for adults who want to complete their undergraduate degree without putting their life on hold.

This part-time, fully online degree program combines the flexibility of virtual learning with all the benefits of a Cornell education and degree.

As a BPS student, you’ll join a diverse community of learners and gain skills that matter, all while applying what you learn to your career and community. You’ll have access to:

  • Dedicated academic advising
  • Career services tailored for adult learners
  • Technical support for online learning
  • Networking opportunities with Cornell faculty and peers
  • The vast Cornell alumni network

Applications for the first major in this program, a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Organizations, Markets, and Society, will open in January 2027. The first cohort of students will start their degree in August 2027.

Eligibility

The Cornell BPS is designed for

  • Adults who wish to complete their degree at Cornell
  • Community college students and alumni
  • Cornell employees and other working professionals

To be eligible

  • You must be at least four years beyond high school or secondary school graduation. (An exception may be made if you earned your GED at least four years after you would have completed traditional secondary school.)
  • You must have earned 45 to 60 transferable college credits from a regionally accredited institution. (Please note that dual-enrollment course credits might not transfer.)
  • We recommend that you have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Applicants with a lower GPA may be considered based on professional experience and a statement of academic readiness.

Are you an international student? Please contact us to determine your eligibility to apply for this degree. Note that as a part-time, online program, we cannot issue visas.

Instructional format

BPS degree courses are Cornell undergraduate courses delivered online, mostly asynchronously.

The asynchronous format means you'll access lectures, readings, and assignments on your own schedule, allowing you to better balance study with work and family responsibilities.

Faculty are drawn from across Cornell’s schools and colleges and collaborate closely with SCE and eCornell to develop and deliver high-quality, engaging online learning experiences.

You may enter during a Fall or Spring semester and are expected to complete your degree within five years.

The BPS degree is administered by Cornell University’s School of Continuing Education (SCE).

What you'll learn

The BPS program will launch in August 2027 with a major in Organizations, Markets, and Society.

Most of the courses below will feature asynchronous learning for flexibility along with optional live sessions for discussion and networking.

All students will graduate with a curated digital portfolio showcasing their academic and applied work, which will culminate in a community-engaged capstone project bridging theory and practice.

You'll also build a toolkit of data-driven approaches and problem-solving strategies drawn from Cornell’s leading academic units—resources you can apply immediately and carry forward into future professional contexts.

The Organizations, Markets, and Society (OMS) major

The OMS major integrates business, policy, and social science perspectives to prepare you for leadership roles in diverse sectors.

The curriculum includes coursework in

  • Business fundamentals
  • Management
  • Economics and finance
  • Marketing
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Data analytics
  • Sustainability
  • Global development
  • Social equity

OMS learning outcomes

With a BPS graduate with a major in Organizations, Markets, and Society, you'll be able to

  • Apply fundamental skills in business and management including finance, accounting, and marketing.
  • Demonstrate theoretical knowledge of organizations, markets, and society, with applications to global development, sustainability, and social inequities.
  • Analyze emergent challenges and opportunities facing organizations, markets, and society, and/or propose data-driven solutions.
  • Demonstrate effective written, oral, and visual communication skills to convey concepts and ideas using relevant technology and media.
  • Apply quantitative tools and reasoning to analyze organizational and social issues.
  • Demonstrate the ability to responsibly review, critically analyze, and ethically use data and information from appropriate, reliable sources.
  • Describe the relationships among organizations, markets, and society in the context of specific, local community-based issues.

Tuition and aid

Cornell is committed to making this degree as affordable as possible to a wide range of students.

Preliminary tuition and aid information, subject to change (check back often for updates):

  • Tuition: $925 per credit hour

For example, if you take two three-credit courses per semester (for a total of six credits), your tuition before aid would be $5,550 per semester. If you take three three-credit courses (for a total of nine credits) per semester, your tuition before aid would be $8,325 per semester.

  • Financial aid is available to those who qualify: Please visit Federal Student Aid to review your eligibility. State aid may also be available, and Cornell SCE will offer need-based financial aid to eligible students. In addition, we encourage you to explore employer tuition benefits and scholarships. Note: Financial aid for this program will differ from that for full-time, on-campus Cornell undergraduates.
  • Payment flexibility: Part-time enrollment means you take courses at our own pace and can pay as you go. pay as you go.

Sign up to receive more information about tuition and aid as it becomes available.

Applications

We plan to launch applications in January 2027 – stay tuned! In the meantime, you may want to start preparing the following materials:

  • Your high school and college transcripts
  • Your resume
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • English Language Proficiency scores (if applicable - see ELP requirements)

You may also want to start thinking about the two required essays: One addressing your interest in and preparation for the program, including any experience with formal or informal online learning, and one addressing Cornell’s ethos of “... any person . . . any study."

More information about admissions requirements, deadlines, and financial aid will be available in the coming months.

Ready to take the next step?

Join our email list for updates and start planning to apply today!