If you want to be the best, learn with the best. At the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, we’ve been pioneering, reimagining, and perfecting hospitality education for a century. We push boundaries in the pursuit of excellence and define the future of our industry. Our AACSB-accredited degree immerses you in a business education infused with the foundational knowledge of hospitality, services, and real estate. The Cornell Nolan School experience combines world-class classroom instruction with hands-on experiential learning and is the only Ivy League program of its kind. You’ll join the ranks of our proud Hotelie community, which includes foremost leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in one of the most exciting industries around the globe.
The SC Johnson College of Business and the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration remain committed to the ideals and values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are aligned with President Pollack’s messages denouncing terrorism and condemning remarks that glorify it. In the face of antisemitic messages threatening violence to our Jewish community at Cornell, the university has taken proactive measures to ensure that our students and community members are safe. Threats of violence are absolutely intolerable, and we are working closely with law enforcement to ensure that those who make such threats are held accountable. As a college, our community remains committed to respectful, civil discourse, and our immediate focus is on keeping the community safe. The SC Johnson College of Business and each of our three schools echo Cornell University President Pollack’s messages to support one another in standing against hatred.
Check here for critical announcements from the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.
Cornell Nolan School Celebrates A Century of Hospitality LeadershipThe Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration announces a yearlong celebration to commemorate the 100th anniversary of it’s founding. Please join us as we enter a new century of impact and leadership.
$30 Million Gift Names Paul Rubacha Department of Real EstateA gift from Paul Rubacha ’72, MBA ’73, co-founder of one of the largest privately held industrial real estate investment companies in the U.S., will establish the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate. The $30 million commitment includes $25 million to name the new department and a $5 million challenge fund to incentivize additional philanthropy.
Nolan School Ranked #1 by CEOWORLD MagazineThe Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration was ranked the number one hotel management school by CEOWORDLD Magazine in the publication’s list of “Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools in the World for 2022.”
Landmark Gift Establishes Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel AdministrationA historic $50 million gift from Peter Nolan ’80, MBA ’82, and Stephanie Nolan ’84 will establish the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.
Simply put, our school provides a world-class student experience — the most advanced and innovative of its kind. If you have intellectual curiosity, creativity, and a passion for service, we’ll help you develop the knowledge and skills to thrive and succeed in your career of choice. All powered by an unmatched alumni and industry-leader network. Ours is a special and close community. As our alumni like to say, once a Hotelie, always a Hotelie!
“Transferring to SHA [Nolan School] was the best decision I have ever made as a student. SHA [Nolan School] is such a tight-knit and supportive community, classes are not just segmented to operations as many might assume from the outside. If you enjoy hospitality or even appreciate it, you will be able to find a path within the school that fits your personality and skills.” – Kassie Henderson ’22
“I really like how SHA [Nolan School] encourages independent work and exploration. I wasn’t sure what field I wanted to go into, but opportunities like HLDP, working at Statler, and the hands-on experience attached to the course work allowed me to explore different areas of the industry.” – Jenniviv Bansah ‘22
“Through the exposure to fields like finance, real estate, and development in my classes and clubs, I was able to unlock a different career interest. Having such a wide variety of opportunities for career and professional development has truly allowed me to explore so many fields that I had no knowledge of prior to Cornell.” – Kyra Roach ‘22
Service Excellence in All They Do
Nolan School alumni are a powerful, global network of more than 15,000 Hotelies in every imaginable hospitality industry, united by their dedication to making a difference in others’ lives through service excellence. Whether they work in technology, real estate, food and beverage management, hotel management, or other fields in the business of hospitality, they are leading with innovation, emotional intelligence, and a passion for service.
The Nolan School offers hospitality degrees and programs to fit any stage of your career, whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, or an executive professional seeking to sharpen your knowledge of a certain field or industry. Access Bachelor of Science, Master’s, PhD, and executive education custom and online program offerings below.
Our signature Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration undergraduate AACSB-accredited degree offers a variety of hospitality management courses, including real estate, marketing, finance, operations, and more.
Your entrée into a fulfilling career in the world’s most exciting industry, our hotel administration degree is a rewarding, fully rounded student experience that melds classroom instruction with relevant hands-on experience to put your learning into practice. The full-time, residential program is conducted on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York.
Our unique, Ivy League master’s programs seamlessly tie a rigorous business education into the context of hospitality, accelerating your career in hospitality, and preparing you to become a leading force in the industry. The Nolan School’s master’s programs include a Master of Management in Hospitality, a Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate, and a Master of Science in Hotel Administration. Or, take your MS degree in Hotel Administration one step further with the PhD in Hotel Administration. The time requirements of these individual graduate degrees vary.
Experience Cornell excellence, with carefully focused content designed specifically for the global hospitality professional. Whether you want to study as an individual or sign up a team from your organization, we guide you through the process and ensure you find the perfect program for your unique needs.
To provide you with the highest level of convenience, we offer three modes of instruction. Choose classroom programs on Cornell’s campus, where you can network with industry peers and world-class Cornell faculty. Select online learning to study and network with peers from around the world. Or opt for custom programs to tailor content to your organization’s specific needs — you can study on the Cornell campus, or have our faculty teach at your facility.
“At the Nolan School, Hotelies find like-minded students who lift each other up, caring faculty who guide our students to discover their passions, and dedicated alumni who stand ready to open their doors. It’s a powerful close-knit community—unlike any other—and it’s why our students go on to become leaders shaping the future of global hospitality.” —Kate Walsh, Dean of the Nolan School
Nolan School faculty are distinguished industry specialists and thought leaders who focus directly on research that benefits the hospitality industry, whether it’s real estate, finance, services management, human resources, food and beverage management, or organizational behavior. Expert and caring instructors, they prepare students to be emotionally intelligent, culturally aware, skilled, and technologically proficient professionals dedicated to delivering service excellence.
Designed to promote industry growth and enrich the educational curriculum, the Nolan School’s six centers and institutes provide exceptional opportunities for students to work directly with our corporate members via research and internships, putting their learning into practice: Center for Hospitality Research, Center for Real Estate and Finance, Cornell Center for Innovative Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations, Cornell Institute for Food and Beverage Management, Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures, Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Leadership.
By Dhruv Jetley ’26 and Amber de Saint-Exupéry ’26 In October 2023 the Cornell Real Estate Club (CREC) traveled to Boston, Massachusetts to engage with real estate industry professionals at […]
Jonah Gershon ’24 won the eighth annual Hospitality Pitch Deck Competition for his pitch to develop spekld, brown butter in a stick.
Leveraging real-life data from Hilton, the 63 student participants were asked to develop an “exceptional experience for the hotel guest of the future.”
Visit us or explore photos online to see how our school of hospitality can transform your life and set you on course to an exciting, rewarding career. Experience the culture of an Ivy League university and see how the Nolan School has pioneered education and innovation in hospitality, the world’s largest industry. Situated in the heart of the beautiful Cornell campus, the Nolan School is located among the hills and gorges of Ithaca, consistently named one of the best college towns in the US.
Take the first step toward a rewarding, fulfilling career in the world’s largest and most versatile industry. Experience the Nolan School’s expert instruction, hands-on learning, outstanding student experience, challenging but caring faculty, and loyal Hotelie community. Add Cornell credentials and our century of shaping hospitality education, and you have the best start to your adventure in hospitality management.