Frequently Asked Questions

Individual Course(s)

To enroll for individual online courses, view the course description by clicking on the course name from the Certificates & Courses page. Choose your date and add the courses to your shopping cart by selecting the ADD TO CART button. Next, select your method of payment and follow the checkout instructions.

Certificate Series

To enroll for a certificate series, view the desired certificate by clicking on the certificate name from the Certificates & Courses page. Next, using the link at the top of the page, add the certificate to your shopping cart by selecting the ADD TO CART button. After the certificate is added to your cart, click on the VIEW CART link, choose your method of payment, and follow the checkout instructions.

Courses are not for credit and there are no eligibility requirements. While many cultures enrich the online learning experience, English is the language of instruction. To participate fully and to receive the greatest benefit from the courses, participants must have well-developed English communication and reading comprehension skills.

There is no deadline to enroll, but for you to participate in a course, enrollment and payment must be received by 12 p.m. EST on the Friday of the week the course begins. In order for you to be approved for a course, payment in full must be received prior to the course start date.

Fees for online courses are $769 and $1,380 per course, $3,600 per prepaid 3, 5, or 6-course certificate, $4,800 per prepaid 8-course certificate, and $7,900 per prepaid master certificate (some exceptions may apply). Fees include access to all course materials including a printable PDF version of the course. Fees also include access to a learning support team and a course instructor, as well as to technical support. For the most up-to-date information, see the certificates & courses page.

Full payment is required prior to being approved into a course. To take advantage of the bundled discounted rate of $3,600 for a 3, 5 or 6-course certificate, $4,800 for the 8-course certificate, or $7,900 for a master certificate, full payment needs to be made when registering. For an additional charge we offer payment plans for our certificates. Please contact SHA-online@cornell.edu for payment plan options.

We accept credit cards, wire transfers, and checks in U.S. funds. Payment information is available in the checkout process.

Prepaid Certificate Program

You may request to drop out of your prepaid certificate program and receive a full refund if your drop request is received within 30 days of registration. No refund will be given after 30 days for a prepaid certificate program. All drop requests must be made by email to droptransfer@ecornell.com.

Single Course(s)

Students are allowed to drop out of a single course purchase or payment plan; however, no refunds for these purchases will be given at any time. All drop requests must be made by email to droptransfer@ecornell.com.

Incentive pricing is available when purchasing a certificate. Once you have completed a certificate, you are entitled to a 25% discount on subsequent prepaid certificates and a reduced fee for prepaid individual courses.

Cornell University alumni are entitled to a 25% discount off retail prices. Please contact us for additional information at SHA-online@cornell.edu.

United States veterans and military personnel are entitled to a 30% discount off retail prices. Certain certificates are approved for VA benefits. Please contact us for additional information at SHA-online@cornell.edu.

Our courses are not for credit and are not eligible for financial aid or federal Pell Grants.

Corporate pricing is also available for purchasing as few as 20 course seats. If your organization is interested in a corporate agreement, please contact Donna Sutton, manager of online programs, at SHA-online@cornell.edu.

The IDeaS Cornell Revenue Management and Strategic Leadership Scholarships are available for individuals interested in the Certificate in Advanced Hospitality Revenue Management: Pricing and Demand Strategies and/or the Certificate in Strategic Hospitality Leadership. Scholarships covering the certificate cost are awarded annually. More information and the application form can be found here.

Courses are authored by Cornell University faculty, designed in collaboration with eCornell’s instructional designers, and live instruction/interaction is provided by a staff of instructors who are industry experts.

Once full payment is received, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access the course.

All courses are assigned “start dates” and begin on specific Wednesdays. Access to the course begins at 9:00 a.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time) on the start date. Once the course begins you may log in and begin working at your own pace.

No textbooks or pre-course assignments are required. All the required material is contained within the course. Some courses do have prerequisites, or suggest having a strong background in the course subject matter. This information is provided in the course description.

All our courses, with the exception of our data analytics courses, are in session for a two-week period. Data analytics courses are available over a three-week period. Once the course begins, you will have two or three weeks of instruction with an online instructor. You must complete all elements of the course in the instructional time period. Should you be unable to complete 100 percent of the course by the course end date, you may retake the course for a reduced fee. You will have access to a PDF printable version of your course which will be available for download once the course begins. After the course ends, you will have one additional week of access to the content.

All of our courses are asynchronous, meaning that there are no times you are required to be logged on. Once a course begins you will be able to access your course at any time as long as you have a computer with a connection to the Internet. There are no formal class hours—you may work around your schedule.

See technology requirements.

Courses are self-paced, so you are never required to log in at any particular hour or on any particular day. Expect to spend three to five hours per week completing the learning activities, participating in online discussions, and working on course projects.

You will be given two weeks or three weeks (data analytics courses) in which to complete all of the required coursework.

We strive to be tablet-friendly, and we are continually working to ensure accessibility across platforms.

Certain elements within our courses may not be supported on tablets or mobile devices. For example, submitting assignments and the opening of some course documents are better suited for computer use. Also, you may be unable to download .zip files from the “Course Resources” page, as the iPad does not support this file type.

Keeping this in mind, your tablet should allow participation in most of the course. Flash is required when you use your webcam for recording / uploading your own videos, as well as uploading files or assignments to a course. Other than these features, Flash is not required to use most areas of Canvas. Please note that some browsers may no longer support Flash. Either a computer, a laptop, or a Flash-enabled device is necessary to submit the requirements of your course; or, another option is to install an app*.

* At your own risk, you can search on the App Store for Flash-player programs which allow viewing of Flash content within webpages. Before proceeding/purchasing, be aware that eCornell cannot, and does not, guarantee the course site will work with a third-party application. One suggestion is to search the App Store for “browser with flash player.” Many students have reported success with the Google Chrome browser or Puffin browser app, because the flash plug-in is included.

If you cannot find a way to make the course work on a tablet, you are responsible for finding/using a computer that meets the technical requirements.

See technology requirements.

Online courses are designed for working professionals. We recommend taking one course at a time, however, if you feel your schedule allows adequate time, you may take multiple courses at once. If you are considering this option, please remember that you must be able to complete the required coursework for each course in the allotted time frame. We also recommend that you make your instructors aware that you are taking multiple courses.

If you initiate the process no later than 5 p.m. EST of the day prior to the start of your course, you may request to transfer to a different start date.

1. Log in to your eCornell “Student Portal.”
2. Click on the “Enrollment History” link.
3. Under “My Courses” follow the “Request Transfer” link next to the appropriate course title.
   If you do not see an option to “Request Transfer” or if you have any difficulty, please contact the accounting department at droptransfer@ecornell.com.

Courses are instructed by knowledgeable, friendly subject-matter experts who facilitate online discussions, answer your questions, and help you relate the course concepts to your own organization.

You will receive a welcome message on the day your course begins, which will provide you with course-specific information.

You can reach your instructor in multiple ways: via live chat or email, seven days a week.

You may interact with other students in the course via the chat tool or the discussion boards.

Courses are pass/fail; no letter grade is given. Assessments are performed in various ways, through quizzes, assignments, and discussion forum participation, and are built into the modules within each course. You must obtain a 100% completion status for each requirement to successfully complete the course.

Yes, if you do not successfully complete a course, you may re-take it for a reduced fee. Please contact
course-operations@ecornell.com for additional information and to schedule a retake.

Upon successful completion of a course you will be able to download a “Confirmation of Completion.”

You may print or download a PDF printable version via a link found on your courses page.

You do not need to re-register to add courses. You may add courses by contacting our office via email at SHA-online@cornell.edu or at 607.255.6541.

Select online courses may be applied toward the completion of our 11 classroom-based Professional Development Program certifications. Please visit the PDP website or email us at Exec_Ed_Hotel@cornell.edu for details and eligibility requirements.

Online courses do not qualify toward membership in the Cornell Hotel Society.

Online courses are not for credit; however, courses each qualify for .6 CEUs.

Successful completion of a series of online courses in a particular field of study earns you a signed certificate from eCornell and Cornell University, providing you with a powerful credential to enhance your career.

You have up to two consecutive years from the completion of your first course to complete a certificate.

Full payment must be received to benefit from the discounted certificate price. Payment plans are available for an additional fee. Special promotions are not available with the payment plan. Please contact our office for a payment plan breakdown.

You are welcome to earn as many certificates as you wish. Once you have completed a certificate you are entitled to a 25% discount on subsequent prepaid certificates and a reduced fee for prepaid individual courses. This discount cannot be combined with any other discounts.

Certain certificates are designed to be taken in a specific order, while others can be taken in any order. Please read the certificate description for additional information. If you have any questions about a specific order, please contact our office to speak with a counselor via email at SHA-online@cornell.edu or phone at 607.255.6541.

Upon successful completion of a certificate you will be able to download your certificate from your eCornell account. The certificate is suitable for framing. You may also request to have eCornell print and mail your certificate to you for a fee of $35 plus shipping.

Once you have completed your online certificate, you may add it to your CV (Resume) by including the following information:

• Cornell University
• Certificate name, listed as “Certificate in [insert certificate name]
• Completion month and year

Once you have completed your online certificate, you may add it to your LinkedIn profile under Education. Select “Cornell University” as the school and under degree, list “Certificate in [insert certificate name].” Select the year of completion under “To Year (or expected)”.

A master certificate includes 18 non-credit online courses in multiple fields of study. A master certificate averages nine months to complete; however, you may take up to two years to complete a certificate. All courses are 100% online. The cost of a master certificate is $7,900 (subject to change). A master’s degree, referred to as a Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) at the School of Hotel Administration, is a credited degree program held on the Cornell University campus. Please visit the MMH page for additional information on this program.

Yes; for more information, see Videoconferencing and Webinars, or contact us:
SHA-Online@cornell.edu or call 607.255.6541.

Yes; for more information, see Executive Education Programs.

Yes; for more information, see Admissions and Programs at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration.