Student Opportunities
Intensives and Field Treks: Getting Offline and In Person
Residential intensives allow EMPA students to have an in-person learning experience, connect with their peers across two EMPA cohorts, and enjoy the beauty of Cornell’s Ithaca, New York campus. Furthermore, a unique seminar in Comparative Public Administration offers the opportunity to take a joint course with residential MPA students and undertake a field trek abroad to learn from, and network with, senior practitioners across sectors.
What you will studyCapstone Project
The EMPA Capstone is the culminating project of the EMPA degree. The Capstone, which is overseen by a dedicated faculty member and a team of three Executives-in-Residence, brings a substantial project from a student’s practice into the program. This experience allows them to leverage the program’s faculty and networks to solve a pressing challenge their organization is confronting.
EMPA CapstonePractitioner-Led Courses
Alumni and senior practitioners teach in the program to ensure students are at the cutting edge of the field. Examples include coursework authored and taught by leaders in federal, state, and local government, as well as former United Nations executives.
Our EMPA Team
As a seasoned nonprofit executive, I always felt like something was missing from my professional toolkit. Based on my experience, passion and future plans, I decided to pursue an MPA. As a passionate lifelong learner, I knew I wanted a program that would stretch me intellectually and give me frameworks and techniques for solving professional problems. The Executive MPA at Cornell fit with every one of my goals.
– Ashlie M. Bryant EMPA ’22, CEO and Co-Founder, 3Strands Global Foundation
Benefits of getting an EMPA Degree
Interdisciplinary Curriculum
The curriculum of the EMPA degree acknowledges the reality that solutions to complex policy problems are crafted by mission and profit-oriented professionals working together. For this reason, EMPA students develop a suite of core skills integral to public affairs practice, as well as unique offerings in corporate responsibility, public-private partnerships, and strategic nonprofit management.
Great for working professionals
The EMPA degree blends synchronous and asynchronous online coursework with campus-intensive opportunities. We meet busy working professionals where they are in their careers while providing them with the flexibility to meet their academic and professional objectives.
Strong Alumni Network
EMPA graduates join a community of more than 250,000 alumni around the world. The global community of Cornell alumni represents unparalleled opportunity for regional and local networking, both during EMPA studies and beyond.
Organizations students are coming from
Example employers of current students:
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