EMHRM Program Policies

The Executive Master of Human Resource Management (EMHRM) program is designed for high-potential human resource professionals with 8+ years of work experience who wish to gain the advanced knowledge and skills needed to move into senior HR roles and develop and execute human capital strategy on a global scale. Students who complete all degree requirements are awarded a Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) degree.

The Executive Master of Human Resource Management (EMHRM) program is a hybrid HR master’s program tailored for seasoned HR professionals who aspire to progressively higher levels of executive leadership. The program is 30 credits taken over the course of 15 consecutive months through a mix of online and residential courses. Beginning each May, the EMHRM program consists of a series of 2-week asynchronous online courses and three 1-week residencies (July, March, July), providing a balanced learning experience that prioritizes practicality, expertise, and engagement.

The EMHRM experience builds an understanding of the essential links between business and people strategy and advanced skills in talent management, organizational design, change leadership, and other core elements of HR excellence.

The EMHRM program is intended to introduce you to the capabilities, skills, and knowledge related to leadership roles in the HR function, with a specific focus on building competencies required to be successful in higher-level HR leadership roles. The program is designed to provide you with the
frameworks, tools, experiences, and theoretical grounding that are foundational to leading the HR function in organizations of all sizes.

We will cover an array of foundational knowledge required to successfully develop and implement HR strategies and practices that have a tangible business impact. Topics include strategy thinking, talent management, organizational design and change, using data to drive decisions, and the host of relational competencies necessary to lead the HR function and work closely with senior leaders (coaching, leading with courage, handling difficult conversations, providing difficult feedback, influencing others, managing organizational politics, and managing conflict). You will gain practice applying these learnings to real-world settings and identify areas for personal growth as future HR leaders.

The graduate field faculty of Industrial and Labor Relations administers the general requirements for the EMHRM degree through the ILR graduate committee. This committee reviews applications, administers the program of study, and recommends the degree for those who satisfactorily meet the requirements.

Cornell employees are eligible to apply to the Executive Master of Human Resource Management program. If accepted as an Employee Degree Program student, you must be complete the EMHRM program in the standard 15 consecutive months timeframe. The EMHRM cannot be completed over time (e.g., 1 or 2 courses per semester).

A central component of the Executive Master of Human Resource Management program is the Capstone project. The Capstone provides you with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learned on campus and online to a challenge facing your organization. The primary objectives of the capstone project component are:
 

• To apply learning from the program to your real-time challenges
• To ground your learning in practical, on-the-job, and business-related experience
• To provide concrete steps for the practical application of program content
   

During the first residential session, you will begin to define a project that addresses a critical business issue within your organization. You will further develop your project over three phases spanning the length of the program.

Each student’s course of study, including the capstone project, is supervised by one member of the ILR graduate faculty, and an executive advisor, selected by program administration, who acts in support of the assigned practitioner advisor.

Although students will work on their own Capstone independently, they will receive ongoing guidance from their assigned advising team. Each advising team consists of a Faculty Advisor (a tenured professor in the ILR School) and an Executive Advisor (current or former HR leader). You will meet multiple times over the course of the program with your advising team to help you develop and refine your Capstone Project. Your advising team will also help you adapt your Capstone around any job or career changes that may occur during your time in the program. 

The 30 credits required for the degree are completed in 15 months: 10.5 in online coursework, 10.5 during 3 weeklong residential sessions on the Cornell Ithaca campus, and 9 for the case project. Students take each course in a lock-step format with all course enrollment managed by the ILR Graduate Office and ILR Registrar.

EMHRM Curriculum: Total 30 Credits

Summer 1 Semester (May - August of First Year) – 5.5 credits
ILRHR 8108 Business Strategy for HR Leaders (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8105 HR Strategy (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8604 Strategic Decision Making (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8109 Finance & Accounting Principles (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8201 Strategic Human Resource Management (3.5cr) - on campus
 

Fall Semester (August - December of First Year) – 6.5 credits
ILRHR 8703 Agile Project Management Approaches (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8702 Using Design Thinking in Human Resources (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8412 Analyzing Formal Organizational Structure (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8402 Results Through Talent Management (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8107 Strategic Talent Analytics (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8410 Valuing HR Initiatives (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8413 Facilitating Staffing Decisions (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8704 Faculty-led Seminar Series* (0.5cr)
ILRHR8901 Capstone Pt1: Identifying the Business Case and HR Challenges (2.5cr)

Spring Semester (January – May of Second Year) – 9.0 credits
ILRHR 8411 Diversity & Inclusion in Practice for HR (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8414 Adopting Inclusive Hiring Practices (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8409 Executive Compensation Essentials (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8601 Human Resource Leadership (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8501 Talent Management (3.5cr) - on campus
ILRHR 8404 Managing and Leading Hybrid Teams (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8408 Coaching Skills for Leaders (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8902 Capstone Pt2: Developing an HR Intervention and Change Plan (2.5cr)

Summer 2 Semester (May - July of Second Year) – 9.0 credits
ILRHR 8309 Navigating Power Relationships (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8313 Navigating Labor Relations (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8314 Preparing for Labor Negotiations (0.5cr)
ILRHR 8801/8802 HR Leadership & Conflict Resolution (3.5cr) - on campus
ILRHR 8903 Capstone: Final Report (4.0cr) 

All courses must be taken for a letter grade. A minimum course grade of C (2.0) is required for credit toward the degree, and students must maintain a grade average of not less than B- (2.7) per semester and cumulatively. Failure to maintain these standards may be grounds for dismissal from the program. At the end of each term, the student’s advisor or the Director of Graduate Studies will review the grade records and issue warning notices or recommendations for dismissal, as appropriate.

Students who receive a grade below a C (2.0) in a course must retake the course to meet the degree requirements for the program. The course must be retaken before the 15 months of the program is complete. The original course grade and grade of the retaken course will both appear on the student’s transcript.

Incompletes (INC) are appropriate only when two basic conditions are met: (1) the student has substantial equity at a passing level in the course with respect to work completed, and (2) the student has been prevented by circumstances beyond the student's control, such as illness or family emergency, from completing all the course requirements on time. If a grade of INC is given, it is understood that the work will be completed before the end of the final enrolled EMHRM summer term. If the coursework is not completed by this time, the grade automatically becomes an F unless otherwise stated by the faculty instructor.

By matriculating into the EMHRM program, students affirm their commitment to complete the 15-month program in its entirety. This includes all online and on-campus courses, the case project, and all other activities associated with the program curriculum.

All program requirements must be completed to earn the degree. In cases where an unanticipated illness or major business or personal event may prevent a student from attending and/or completing a course or other required program activity as scheduled, the student should notify the program director as soon as possible. Options for making up missed coursework will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Program staff will make every effort to allow students to fulfill missed requirements ahead of their original expected graduation date. In some cases, requirements may have to be fulfilled the following year, and graduation may be delayed.

If a student requests a leave of absence or withdrawal, tuition amounts paid for by the student may be refunded on a prorated schedule, as outlined on Cornell University Office of the Bursar's Leaving and Withdrawing page.

Recommendations for the EMHRM degree are made by the ILR graduate committee to the faculty of the field of Industrial and Labor Relations on the basis of satisfactory completion of all course requirements. The Cornell University graduate faculty approves the awarding of degrees. Students who complete all degree requirements are awarded a Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) degree.

In rare circumstances, ILR graduate students may find it necessary to postpone their studies for a while. Reasons to take a leave of absence may include: personal or family health circumstances, financial difficulties, or professional changes. A Leave of Absence (LOA) is requested if/when you must leave the University and plan to return at a later time to resume your program of study. A leave is typically granted for people who are in good academic standing, for one semester. A request for extension of the leave for an additional semester should be provided before the end of the first semester of leave.

Leaves of absences may be approved for one semester or one academic year at a time. While sometimes appropriate, extensions to leaves of absence are unlikely to occur. A leave of absence granted during the semester goes into effect based on the last day a student makes academic progress, including but not limited to: submissions of course materials, participation on a discussion board, and logging into a Canvas course.

A Leave of Absence requested before the beginning of the 8th week in the semester carries two implications:

• that the student on Leave may request return in the next semester
• that there will be no record of classes and grades for the semester

After the beginning of the 8th week, the notation "W" will be entered for the courses in which a student is registered, and the student may not expect to return to classes until an entire semester has elapsed.

Personal (Voluntary) Leave

May be taken if a student is in good academic standing and takes the leave for the up-coming semester or within the first 7 weeks of the current semester. Personal (voluntary) leave must be requested in writing to the ILR Graduate Office for a specified period of time. Individual circumstances will determine what kind of leave a student may take (personal or health related). Students will receive written confirmation of their leave from the ILR Registrar.

Students may return from a personal leave whenever they wish (typically within two years). Exceptions may be granted given individual circumstances. This must be requested in writing by the student.

Health Leave

A health leave may be taken if a student consults with Cornell Health about this option; the ILR School will grant and readmit a student from a medical leave only upon the recommendation of Cornell Health. Please contact Cornell Health if you are seeking a Health Leave of Absence.

If a student is taking a leave for emotional or psychological reasons, it will usually be for at least six months. Cornell Health will devise a plan with the student to be undertaken while on health leave. Therapy, work, and academic endeavors may be part of the plan. The ILR School will determine what academic endeavors a student may be required to meet while on health leave.

If a student taking a health leave is on Academic Warning, the ILR School may stipulate additional conditions for the leave.

Withdrawal

If, in mid-semester, a student decides to withdraw from Cornell University, with no intention of returning, they must submit a letter to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), stating their intention to withdraw. This letter should be on file prior to their departure.

If a student requests a Leave of Absence or withdraws, it is their responsibility to contact the following offices prior to leaving to find out about possible implications of doing so:

• ILR Graduate Programs Office, 218 Ives Hall
• Cornell Health (if the leave is health related)
  (607) 255-5155
• Bursar's Office, 260 Day Hall
  (607) 255-6413
• Financial Aid Office, 203 Day Hall
  (607) 255-5145
• Cornell Dining, 206 Robert Purcell (if you have a dining plan)
  (607) 255-8582
• Residence Life, 119 Robert Purcell (if you live in University housing)
  (607) 255-5511

In Absentia

In absentia status is not approved for the EMHRM program.

The Graduate Office is here to support your personal and academic success. However, there are many types of assistance available to students. Here are some links to university resources that help students manage academic, financial, emotional, and social issues.

Program contacts:
 

• EMHRM Faculty Director: JR Keller jhk296@cornell.edu
• EMHRM Coordinator: Heidi Russell hjr27@cornell.edu
• Director of Graduate Enrollment & Student Services: Marissa Porter map457@cornell.edu 
   

Students should contact:

• the course instructor for questions related to online courses
• the ILR Graduate Office at ilrgradprograms@cornell.edu for course enrollment, academic, personal, or leave concerns
• Canvas for assistance with Canvas related questions: canvas@cornell.edu
• IT for technical assistance: https://it.cornell.edu/students
• The Bursar for tuition payment questions: bursar@cornell.edu
• Financial aid for questions related to funds available: finaid@cornell.edu