Executive MBA Americas format & schedule
The Executive MBA Americas hybrid program format mirrors today’s work environment. The combination of live, faculty-led weekend classes and residential sessions allows experienced professionals to continue advancing their careers while fully engaging in an Ivy League MBA. The program is structured in four terms. Each term begins with a residential session followed by class weekends.
Weekend class schedule
Attend online with synchronous instruction every other weekend on Saturdays and Sundays, delivered from the Cornell University campus.
Live, interactive class instruction
Every other weekend, you’ll attend a fully interactive class led by Cornell faculty from the Ithaca broadcast studio in the Breazzano Family Center for Business Education. You’ll engage in debates, case discussions, and team-based problem-solving alongside peers, building the skills to think strategically, lead with confidence, and drive results in your organization.
Collaborative environment
This engaging environment encourages deep trust among classmates. You’ll work on complex business challenges with diverse teams, gaining fresh perspectives from peers across industries and geographies. The experience sharpens your ability to make decisions under pressure, lead with confidence in uncertain environments, and build a lasting network that extends well beyond the classroom.
Residential sessions
Students attend four in-person sessions, held on the Cornell campuses in Ithaca and New York City. Residential sessions feature intense coursework and provide a unique opportunity for relationship-building with Cornell faculty and your international cohort. You’ll not only get to connect in-person with your classmates —but also experience the university campuses together as a cohort, much like residential MBA students do. When you aren’t exploring, you can focus on your coursework away from distractions.
Students in the Executive MBA Americas program must attend all four residential sessions. These week-long sessions are held at the start of each academic term. Accommodations and most meals are included in your program tuition.
Ithaca Campus
New York City Campus
Program timeline
| Term | Timing | Format | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | August | Opening residential session | Begin the program on Cornell University’s Ithaca campus; complete orientation activities, meet your cohort, and begin courses, which include Leadership and High Performance Teams and Critical Thinking for Business Leaders |
| Term 1 | August-December | Class weekends | Participate in live courses online from home, every other weekend; typically two courses per class weekend |
| Term 2 | January | Residential session #2 | Term 2 begins with a residential week on the Cornell Tech NYC campus; take two or three elective courses |
| Term 2 | January-May | Class weekends | Participate in live courses online from home, every other weekend; typically two courses per class weekend |
| Term 3 | July | Residential session #3 | Term 3 begins with a residential week on the Cornell Tech NYC campus. Here you’ll take Macroeconomics and kick off the Innovation and New Venture Creation project course, and a selected elective |
| Term 3 | August-December | Class weekends | Participate in live courses online from home, every other weekend; typically two courses per class weekend |
| Term 4 | January | Final residential session | Term 4 begins with your final residential week on Cornell University’s Ithaca campus; take three elective courses |
| Term 4 | January-May | Class weekends | Participate in live courses online from home, every other weekend; courses focus on global business and including traveling for the Global Business Study; degrees are conferred in May |