Curriculum: Fall 2022 and Beyond

Candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in ILR must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours, with a minimum of 105 credits taken for a letter grade.

Cornell University requires that undergraduates register for and complete two courses in physical education, one in each semester of the first year, unless illness or injury warrants postponement. Physical Education credit does not count toward the 120 credits required for graduation.

• Two PE classes and the swim test

The following introductory courses are taken during the first four semesters of enrollment in the ILR school. Although students (especially transfer students) are not necessarily required to take these courses in the order shown here, it is strongly recommended. Students are required to fulfill the following core requirements for a letter grade:

First Year

• Introduction to ILR - ILRID 1510 - 3 credits
• Introduction to U.S. Labor History - ILRGL 1100 - 3 credits
• Introductory Microeconomics - ECON 1110 - 3 credits
• Introductory Macroeconomics - ECON 1120 - 3 credits
• Introduction to the Psychology of Work I: Theories - ILRID 1520 - 1.5 credits
• Introduction to the Psychology of Work II: Applications - ILRID 1521 - 1.5 credits
  • Starting in fall 2024, students must take a combined version of ILRID 1520 and 1521: ILRID 1525 - Psychology of Work: Theories and Applications - 3 credits
• Introduction to the Sociology of Work and Labor - ILRID 1530 - 1.5 credits
• Introduction to the Sociology of Organizations - ILRID 1531 - 1.5 credits
  • Starting in fall 2024, students must take a combined version of ILRID 1530 and 1531: ILRID 1535 - Sociology of Work and Organizations - 3 credits

Second Year

• Labor and Employment Law - ILRGL 2010 - 3 credits
• Labor Relations - ILRGL 2050 - 3 credits
• Economics of Wages and Employment - ILRLE 2400 - 3 credits
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Choose 1 of the options below
  • Foundations of Diversity Dynamics - ILRID 2510
  • Intergroup Dialogue - EDUC 2610/ILRID 2610 - 3 credits
• Introductory International & Comparative Labor Course - ILRGL 2300 OR ILRGL 2350 - 3 credits
• Statistics Requirement
  • Fall 2024 and Beyond
    • Choose 7 credits from the ILR Statistics Requirement List
  • Fall 2022-Spring 2024
    • Choose 1 of the 5 sequences below
      • Statistics in the Social Sciences
        • Introductory Statistics and Data Science - ILRST 2100 - 4 credits OR Data Science for All - STSCI 1380 - 4 credits
        • Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences II - ILRST 2110 - 4 credits OR Causal Inference - ILRST/INFO/STSCI 3900 - 3 credits
      • Probability and Econometrics
        • Probability Models and Inference for the Social Sciences - ECON/ILRST/STSCI 3110 - 4 credits
        • Applied Econometrics - ECON 3120 - 4 credits
      • Statistics and Data Science
        • Introductory Statistics and Data Science - ILRST 2100 - 4 credits OR Data Science for All - STSCI 1380 - 4 credits
        • Applied Regression Analysis - ILRST 2130 - 2 credits
        • One additional course with a substantial data science/analytic component chosen from the list below
          • Choices and Consequences in Computing - INFO 1260 - 3 credits
          • Causal Inference - ILRST/INFO/STSCI 3900 - 3 credits
          • Introduction to Data Science - INFO 2950 - 4 credits
          • Integrated Ethics in Data Science - STSCI 3600 - 2 credits
          • R Programming for Data Science - STSCI 3040 - 4 credits
      • Programming and Data Science I
        • Introduction to R Programming - STSCI 2120 - 2 credits
        • Probability Models and Inference for the Social Sciences - ECON/ILRST/STSCI 3110 - 4 credits OR Data Science for All - STSCI 1380 - 4 credits
        • One additional programming course chosen from the list below
          • Applied Regression Analysis - ILRST 2130 - 2 credits
          • Causal Inference - ILRST/INFO/STSCI 3900 - 3 credits
          • Choices and Consequences in Computing - INFO 1260 - 3 credits
          • Introduction to Data Science - INFO 2950 - 4 credits
          • Integrated Ethics in Data Science - STSCI 3600 - 2 credits
          • R Programming for Data Science - STSCI 3040 - 4 credits
      • Programming and Data Science II 
        • Introduction to Computing: A Design and Development Perspective - CS 1110 - 4 credits OR Introduction to Computing: An Engineering and Science Perspective - CS 1112 - 4 credits
        • One additional course chosen from the list below
          • Probability Models and Inference for the Social Sciences - ECON/ILRST/STSCI 3110 - 4 credits
          • Data Science for All - STSCI 1380 - 4 credits
          • Causal Inference - ILRST/INFO/STSCI 3900 - 3 credits

Students are required to fulfill the following writing requirements for a letter grade:

• One First-Year Writing Seminar
• One ILR Sophomore Writing Seminar
• One ILR Advanced Writing Intensive Elective

Students are required to complete one Science and Technology course for a letter grade.

• Science & Technology

Students are required to take 40 ILR elective credits for graduation. Within these 40 ILR elective credits, students must take:

• A minimum of 24 credits must be taken within the ILR school
  • Including at least one, 3-4 credit course taken for a letter grade from the approved list in each of the following three areas:
    • Quantitative Policy Electives
    • International & Comparative Labor Electives
    • Labor History Electives
• Up to 16 credits may be taken outside ILR in the following areas:
  • Foreign language (Up to 12 credits)
  • Advanced mathematics (as approved by ILR Social Statistics department)
  • Out of College Advanced ILR Electives

Special Study Options to fulfill ILR Elective Credits

Part of the 40-hour ILR elective requirement may be fulfilled with internships, student research, approved study abroad work, and approved engaged learning opportunities.

Approved study abroad work through an Office of Global Learning program may be used to fulfill:

• Up to 9 approved out of college ILR elective credits for a single semester
• Up to 15 approved out of college ILR elective credits for a full year

Approved study abroad work through an ILR Exchange program may be used to fulfill:

• Up to 15 in-college ILR elective credits for a single semester

Approved study abroad work through the ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin program may be used to fulfill:

• A minimum of 12 in-college ILR elective credits for a single semester

ILR approved internships and student research may also be used to satisfy elective requirements:

• Maximum of 12 in-college ILR elective credits for a semester internship
• Maximum of 8 credits independent or directed study (research)
• Student research in the form of independent or directed study (ILR 4999) may be used to fulfill up to 8 credits

Note: Students are not required to take any out-of-college ILR advanced electives; ILR elective requirements may be completed with ILR courses only, if desired.

Any course at Cornell can be used to fulfill general elective requirements for graduation except for PE courses or academic support courses.

Upon graduation, students in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations should have the ability to

1. Engage in critical, reasoned analyses of issues and ideas
2. Explain ideas and analyses through written and oral communication
3. Evaluate and apply theories and assumptions of the social science disciplines to workplace issues
4. Analyze workplace issues from a variety of perspectives, including the historical, cultural, institutional and ethical perspectives
5. Access, evaluate and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, so as to enhance understanding and inform decision-making
6. Work independently and in cooperation with others

Test Credit (AP/IB Credit)

A maximum of 12 credits can be accepted either for approved required courses in the ILR curriculum or as general elective credit. AP credit may not be used to fulfil the first-year writing requirement. AP credit may be used to fulfil the science & technology requirement. AP Language courses are considered general elective credit.

Transfer Credit

Students who matriculate as transfer students may transfer a maximum of 60 credits from an accredited institution.

To earn transfer credit, students must take the course for a letter grade and earn a grade of C or higher. Transfer credits will only be accepted from an accredited institution. Transfer credits must be equivalent to Cornell courses. Equivalence will be assessed by these criteria:

• Course content (at least 80% of material covered in a similar Cornell course)
• The use of a textbook similar to that used in the parallel Cornell course
• The use of examinations, writing assignments, projects or other submitted work that is substantially similar to those required in a similar Cornell course
• Substantial similarity in meeting hours of the Cornell and non-Cornell course

Additional transfer credit limitations (beginning fall 2023)

Before matriculation, students who enter ILR as first-year students can apply a maximum of 15 transfer credits taken outside Cornell University, including up to 12 test credits.

Once matriculated, all students are limited to a total of 15 extramural credits throughout the course of their degree. Extramural credits include credits taken during the summer or winter session at Cornell or at another institution. These limitations do not apply to approved study-abroad programs. Total transfer credit cannot exceed 60 credits, including test credit and credit from approved study abroad programs.