Engaged faculty. Interdisciplinary graduate fields. Commitment to inclusion. Resources for your success.
Engaged faculty.
Why Cornell?
Cornell attracts researchers, thinkers, scholars, inventors, scientists, humanitarians, and thought leaders from around the world.
A genuine sense of camaraderie—particularly between faculty and students—fosters collaborations and community, while supportive staff help guide students through their life at Cornell.
- ROur engaged faculty
- ROur interdisciplinary graduate field system
- ROur historic commitment to inclusion
- ROur scenic location, within reach of several major metropolitan areas
- ROur programming to help you succeed, explore career options, and prepare for your future
Our Degrees and Fields of Study
Cornell’s graduate field structure is cross-disciplinary by design, and truly unique. We offer more than 80 different fields of study, many of which rank in the top 10 nationally.
Graduate Research Degrees
- =M.A. (Master of Arts)
- =M.S. (Master of Science)
- =M.A./Ph.D. or M.S./Ph.D (joint Master's/Doctor of Philosophy)
- =Ph.D (Doctor of Philosophy)
- =D.M.A. (Doctor of Musical Arts)
- =J.S.D. (Doctor of Science of Law)
- =M.F.A. (Master of Fine Arts)
Graduate School Professional Degrees
For professional degrees, the focus is on project and coursework and demonstrating learning objectives have been met.
A Historic Commitment to Access, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
As the university’s co-founder, Ezra Cornell, famously wrote, he envisioned Cornell as a university…
“where any person could find instruction in any study.”
Today, Cornell University continues to seek highly motivated and engaged students, both domestic and international, from across backgrounds. The Graduate School is committed to actively fostering an environment where the diverse perspectives, identities, and lived experiences of our students are recognized and valued. We prioritize providing pathways to graduate education and actively recruit, welcome, and support students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in academia.
Today, Cornell University continues to seek highly motivated and engaged students, both domestic and international, from across backgrounds.
The Graduate School is committed to actively fostering an environment where the diverse perspectives, identities, and lived experiences of our students are recognized and valued.
We prioritize providing pathways to graduate education and actively recruit, welcome, and support students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in academia.
Our Faculty
Cornell’s talented researchers and scholars engage in radical collaborations and push the boundaries of discovery.
Praveen Sethupathy
Professor of Biomedical SciencesApplying molecular and genome-scale approaches, Dr. Sethupathy’s research seeks insight into normal physiology and the causes of disease, with a focus on diseases of the digestive system such as diabetes, Crohn’s, and fibrolamellar carcinoma.
Jamila Michener
Associate Professor of GovernmentDr. Michener explores the ways public policy and political institutions shape the material and political lives of people who are economically and racially marginalized—and the ways that members of such groups gain power to affect policy.
50 Nobel Laureates have been associated with Cornell as faculty members or alumni.
Neil Lewis, Jr.
Associate Professor of CommunicationDr. Lewis’s research examines how people’s social contexts and identities influence how they make sense of the world around them and the implications of those meaning-making processes for their motivation to pursue a variety of goals in life.
K. Max Zhang
Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringLooking ahead to a low-carbon economy, Dr. Zhang and his team study sustainable energy systems, seeking ways we can transition to a reliable, secure, efficient, and clean power system.
Ananda Cohen-Aponte
Associate Professor of History of ArtDr. Cohen-Aponte’s research focuses on the visual culture of colonial Latin America, with special interests in issues of cross-cultural exchange, historicity, identity, and anti-colonial movements.
Cornell Faculty
9
Macarthur “Genius Award” recipients
Cornell Faculty
211
faculty memberships in the national academies
Cornell Faculty
8
President’s National Medal of Science recipients
Our Research
Cornell is one of the top research institutions in the world.
Our outstanding research and teaching facilities include state-of-the-art buildings for life sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and art, architecture, and planning. Laboratories at Cornell foster research in sustainability, nanotechnology, energy, creativity, arts, social sciences, and human and animal health.
$1.18
billion in research funding
NO. 5
in NSF university research
funding
Our Students
Our graduate student body is global and diverse.
%
Asian or Asian-White (U.S.)
%
Black, Hispanic/Latiné, and/or Indigenous (U.S.)
%
White (U.S.)
%
International (any race/ethnicity)
%
Female
Countries Represented
Research Master's Students
Professional Master's Students
Ph.D. Students
What Cornell Offers You
Cornell provides personal and academic support for all facets of your student experience.
Funding and Fellowships
99.9% of Ph.D. students are fully funded to pursue their degrees through a combination of competitive internal and external fellowships, and research and teaching assistantships.
Doctoral student funding packages include:
- Stipend
(12-month funding plans) - Full tuition
- Health insurance
Programming and Resources to Help You be Successful in Graduate School
Cornell offers graduate and professional students an array of programs and services to help them meet personal challenges and support their health and well-being.
The Office of Graduate Student Life
Graduate school is a fulfilling and rewarding experience, and sometimes challenging. Staff from the Office of Student Life can provide valuable information and caring support to help you navigate to academic success.
The Big Red Barn Graduate and Professional Student Center is a central place where students can gather to socialize, eat, relax, and engage in a variety of programs. The Barn hosts more than 500 events every year, including trivia night, study/writing breaks, cultural celebrations, and the ever-popular T.G.I.F. (Tell Grads It’s Friday) weekly happy hours.
Resources to Help You Build Your Community
It is important for our students to engage in activities that support their sense of community and belonging.
The Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE) fosters environments where all scholars, especially those from backgrounds historically excluded from and underrepresented in the academy, can find community, experience positive mentoring relationships, and engage in professional, leadership, and academic development opportunities.
The Office of the Dean of Students Identity-Based Centers & Offices comprises resource centers, advising units, and affinity groups that focus on identity development, student empowerment, support, and advocacy.
- Asian & Asian American Center
- First Generation & Low-Income Student Support
- LGBT Resource Center
- Multicultural Student Leadership and Empowerment
- Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making
- Undocumented & DACA Student Support
- Women’s Resource Center
All identity-based programs and resources are available to Cornell community members with the knowledge, related experience, and/or demonstrated commitment to contribute to the program’s objectives.
Career and Professional Development Programs
Cornell offers programs and one-on-one advising to help you explore and prepare for your future career goals. Our staff are at the ready to help you achieve your goals.
Where to Begin
Visit the Graduate School Admissions website at https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/
Questions should be directed to your graduate field.
