Discover the Cornell Nolan School:

The World’s Premier School for Hospitality Business

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.


Announcements from the Nolan School

Check here for new announcements from the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

Kate Walsh, Dean of the Nolan School, speaks at a past Icon & Innovators event.15th Annual Cornell Hospitality Icon & Innovator Awards

The awards will be held on June 4, 2024 in New York City. The Cornell Hospitality Innovators of the Industry are Chef José Andrés and Rob Wilder, Co-Founders of José Andrés Group and World Central Kitchen. The Cornell Hospitality Icon of the Industry is Keith Barr ’92.

CELEBRATE WITH US

Picture of the front of the Statler with the number one in front of it.Nolan School Ranked #1 by CEOWORLD Magazine

The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration was ranked the number one hotel management school by CEOWORLD Magazine in the publication’s list of  “Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools in the World for 2024.”

More on the award

Paul Rubacha$30 Million Gift Names Rubacha Department of Real Estate

A 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., established the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate.

Read the Cornell Chronicle Article

Peter and Stephanie Nolan hold hands and smile as they walk.Landmark Gift Establishes Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration

A historic $50 million gift from Peter Nolan ’80, MBA ’82, and Stephanie Nolan ’84 named the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

READ THE CORNELL CHRONICLE ARTICLE


School Highlights

  • 1922 year founded
  • 60 faculty
  • 1,000+ undergraduate and graduate students
  • 15,000+ alumni worldwide
Two SHA students unloading produce from a car trunk

Why Study at the Nolan School?

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!

Why You Should Choose The Nolan School


What Our Students Say

Headshot of Kassie Henderson

“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

Jenniviv Bansah Headshot

“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

Kyra Roach Headshot

“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


Alumni Highlights

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.

Elizabeth Blau ’97

FOUNDER AND CEO OF RESTAURANT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY BLAU + ASSOCIATES
The Nolan School
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Biography for Elizabeth Blau ’97

Recalling the impact of the Nolan School on her illustrious career in the hospitality industry, alumna Elizabeth Blau said, "SHA [Nolan School] truly changed the course of my professional career! The access to students, faculty, alumni and an extraordinary host of guest speakers is incomparable!"

Keith Barr ’92

CEO OF IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS
The Nolan School
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Biography for Keith Barr ’92

"My time at SHA [Nolan School] gave me a deep understanding of the hospitality industry that was underpinned by a comprehensive business curriculum and helped me form critical industry relationships," said Keith Barr, Nolan School alum and CEO of IHG Hotels and Resorts. "These factors combined to set me on the path to be a successful leader in business."

CHRISTINA HEGGIE ’10

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS LEAD FOR GOOGLE TRAVEL
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Biography for CHRISTINA HEGGIE ’10

Christina Heggie '10, is currently Global Partnerships Lead for Google Travel, she believes the Nolan School has impacted her entire career. "Attending the Hotel School [Nolan School] expanded my purview, jump started my career, and established my skill sets of communication, problem solving, and people management that I’ve used throughout life since," Heggie said.

Jess Petitt ’05

Vice President of Analytics at Hilton
The Nolan School
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Biography for Jess Petitt ’05

"The Hotel School [Nolan School] helped me build a connection between what matters most - the spirit of hospitality and taking care of fellow team members - and how I could make a difference by pursuing my strengths in understanding complex problems through data. Every year I come back to recruit that mix of passion and analytical rigor and am constantly impressed."

Gilda Perez-Alvarado ’02

Global CEO of JLL Hotels & Hospitality
The Nolan School
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Biography for Gilda Perez-Alvarado ’02

“The Nolan School taught me my craft and helped me develop my passion – global hospitality. My four years at Cornell were very impactful, but the impact extends beyond that: the friendships and network I made because of the school are incredibly invaluable.”


The Nolan School’s Industry-Leading Hospitality Business Programs

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.

BS in Hotel Administration

Undergraduate

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.

Master’s & PhD Programs

Graduate

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.

Custom Programs

Executive Education

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.


Headshot of Kate Walsh

Hear from Our Dean

“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


Professor speaking in front of a class

Nolan School Faculty: Expert Instructors, Practitioners, and Researchers

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.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FACULTY


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Centers and Institutes for Industry Innovation

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.

EXPLORE The Nolan School’S CENTERS AND INSTITUTES


Nolan School News & Insights

Illustration of people of various ages and ethnicities sitting at a large round table in an office with a floor to ceiling window and a cityscape beyond.
December 5, 2024

So You Want to Join a Board … Are You Ready?

Career Corner: Assessing your readiness means asking if you have the right qualifications and whether you’re prepared to make a sustained commitment.

upper body photo of Fred Keller with the 20 for 20 graphic identifier placed on the photo background next to him.
December 5, 2024

Championing Change: Fred Keller’s Legacy of Sustainable Business

The Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise celebrates 20 for 20 honoree Fred Keller ’66, founder of Cascade Engineering.

A woman standing at a podium in front of a classroom of students, speaking, smiling, and gesturing with one hand.
December 4, 2024

Gretchen McCarthy Tells Students: Sustainability Is Part of Target’s Core Strategy

The chief supply chain and logistics officer discussed how her team at Target is reducing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.


Experience our Campus: The Nolan School’s Immersive Hospitality Experience in New York

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.

Students walking on the Cornell campus

EXPLORE CAMPUS


Upcoming Events


See Where the Nolan School Can Take You: Apply Now

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.

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