There’s no other full-time MBA program quite like the Johnson School’s. Led by a world-class faculty, supported by industry-leading practitioners, and packed with immersion opportunities, our one-of-a-kind approach to graduate business education will empower you to make an impact.
With a one-of-a-kind curriculum, immersive learning opportunities, and a supportive campus community, the Johnson School’s residential MBA prepares you to hit the ground running and stand out among your colleagues—first during your internship and again as you begin your new career.
Degree Awarded
MBA from Cornell University
Program Location
Ithaca, NY (with course options available in New York City)
Program Format
Full-time residential
Program Length
2 Years
Whether you’re looking to enhance your existing career or switch to a new one, the Johnson School’s STEM-designated residential MBA program will prepare you for what’s next.
The Johnson School’s two-year MBA curriculum provides a comprehensive foundation in key business fundamentals while offering the flexibility to customize your studies. You’ll get to choose electives, minors, immersion areas, and other learning experiences that align with your career goals.
Opportunities to put business concepts into practice abound at the Johnson School, whether collaborating with classmates on a consulting project, trekking the globe on a faculty-led study trip, or embarking on a summer internship with a dream organization.
A residential MBA program is more than academics. Johnson School students love being part of the greater Cornell community—so much so that the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management was rated No. 1 for Best Campus Environment in The Princeton Review’s 2023 B-School rankings.
Technology touches nearly every business role and function today, and top full-time MBA programs are already built with that reality in mind.
An official STEM designation recognizes the real-world relevance of our MBA’s management science path: Its curriculum emphasizes data analytics, technology, and other subjects integral to contemporary business leadership.
For international students considering two-year MBA programs in the United States, it might be helpful to know that the Johnson School’s STEM designation has benefits beyond high-quality, career-focused academics.
Students with the F-1 visa who are enrolled in a STEM-designated program become eligible for a STEM OPT (optional practical training) extension, allowing them to work in the US in an approved STEM field for up to 36 months. This two-year extension:
At the Johnson School, you’ll be in good company. Our students are bright, ambitious, and serious about their future. They arrive on campus with a hardworking ethos that only gets stronger as they grow academically, personally, and professionally.
As a student in our two-year MBA program, you’ll benefit from a robust business curriculum and practical learning experiences that will prepare you to succeed in today’s interconnected marketplace. More than 96 percent of the class of 2022 received and accepted job offers within three months of earning their MBA—and many of these offers arrived well before graduation.
You’ll also learn from a world-class faculty that ranked No. 3 for Best Professors in The Princeton Review’s 2023 B-School rankings and receive personalized career advising from a caring team of experts.
One of the most effective ways to help determine the best full-time MBA program for you is to speak with current students about their experiences.
We’d love to link you up with a current Johnson School MBA student—perhaps someone with similar career interests or from your home state or country—so that you can chat about academics, extracurriculars, life in Ithaca, and other relevant topics.
Our core curriculum, designed with input from alumni and industry partners, provides a comprehensive foundation in key business fundamentals. Covering topics such as strategy, leadership, marketing management, financial accounting, and data analytics, the Johnson School’s core sets you up for success for your immersive courses, internship, and, ultimately, your career.
Combining cutting-edge coursework with real-world business conditions, immersions are career pathways of sorts—and a hallmark of the Johnson School’s two-year MBA program.
Led by outstanding faculty and supported by leading industry practitioners, this hands-on program will deepen your knowledge, expand your skills, and build your confidence in a specific area, such as:
Corporate Finance
Digital Technology
Investment Banking
Strategy & Consulting
Strategic Product & Marketing
Customized Immersion
Summer internships are a signature experience of the Johnson School’s two-year MBA program. Our Career Management Center provides personalized coaching to help you develop into a strong candidate for internship placement and employment.
During your internship, you’ll gain valuable on-the-job experience in your desired field and make professional connections that will last long after your placement ends. Johnson School students intern with organizations such as Amazon, EY, Microsoft, pwc, J.P. Morgan, and Johnson & Johnson.
Recruiters for top companies and organizations repeatedly say how our rich, immersive learning experiences, including these coveted internships, set Johnson School MBAs apart from other applicants.
In addition to your MBA core and professional internship experience in your internship, you’ll round out your Johnson School experience with electives, cocurriculars, and even weekend-long intensive classes at Cornell Tech in New York City.
Within the college of business, you’ll find more than 100 electives to choose from. You’ll also have access to courses across Cornell University, where you can learn from world-renowned educators in other disciplines.
Gain leadership and cross-cultural experience through global treks, leadership expeditions, and other professional development programs. Plus, many campus clubs and organizations offer ways to gain skills and experience—and make lasting friendships.
As a student in the Johnson School’s two-year full-time MBA program, you’ll have the option to enroll in weekend-long courses at Cornell Tech in New York City. Offerings will vary by semester but often include classes where business and technology intersect.
Intensives allow you to gain even more specialized skills and knowledge—and gain an edge in today’s competitive marketplace. Typically completed during your final year at the Johnson School, this innovative program combines coursework, collaborative learning, and co-curricular experiences.
Based on emerging and high-demand business specialties, intensives may vary from year to year. Here’s a look at current options:
Explore the large-scale technical advances in the financial services industry.
Learn about audience engagement and customer retention in the digital world.
The Johnson School’s two-year MBA has a long history of collaboration and support—and that shines through in how our students engage with classmates and faculty on a day-to-day basis. In this student-led video, a group of Johnson School MBAs share what they love most about the program and the greater Cornell community—including transformative internships, personalized advising, and how they unwind outside of class.
Johnson School MBA students are smart, savvy, and highly motivated. And when they come together as a close-knit cohort, their individual ambition drives their collective success after graduation.
Our size contributes directly to a thriving, supportive learning environment:
We love sharing the accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. BusinessFeed offers stories, industry insights, news items, and more.
The Cayuga Fund Program at the SC Johnson College provides students with hands-on experience in preparing real-time proprietary industry reviews in a single semester.
Cornell’s Emerging Markets Institute honored Eduardo Padilla Silva, MBA ’81, former CEO of FEMSA, with the 2024 Cañizares Award for Distinguished Alumni.
10 Under 10 honoree and investment banker turned healthcare entrepreneur Raj Davé is passionate about building innovative companies.
Before you apply, we encourage you to explore our admissions and degree requirements to ensure Johnson School’s two-year residential MBA is the right fit for you. Our website is full of information, and you may also take a campus tour, attend an information session, or connect with a student ambassador.
Take note of these key dates, including application deadlines and decision announcements:
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis. Stay up to date with application deadlines for the Johnson School’s MBA programs to make sure you are on track.
In the process of selecting the best MBA program, some questions may arise, and you may not be the only one who has them. Read through our frequently asked questions (FAQ) below to learn more about the Johnson School’s two-year MBA program.
You’ve read about our innovative curriculum, immersive learning experiences, and tight-knit community. If the two-year Johnson School MBA program sounds like the right fit, we can’t wait to learn more about you!
Please consider applying via the Cornell MBA Future Leaders Program for deferred admission in a few years.
