The Cornell Institute for Public Affairs is dedicated to helping you plan your day--perhaps your life--around effecting positive change in the public interest, helping to create a world more of us can enjoy.
For more than a century, Cornell has been committed to preparing students for public leadership roles. Now, more than ever, opportunities are expanding for creative leaders capable of managing in a world of rapidly evolving issues, who seek to influence and formulate public policy, both in the United States and throughout the world.
A Program Distinguished by its Extraordinary Depth and Breadth...
CIPA offers a two-year public affairs program, leading to the Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree. The interdisciplinary nature of this M.P.A. program is one of its distinguishing features. CIPA Fellows (graduate students) have the flexibility to design an individualized course of study using faculty resources from across the university. This extraordinary breadth of opportunity, complemented by the wealth and diversity of public policy expertise that exists on the Cornell campus, serves as a catalyst for innovative thought and study. The M.P.A. Program Handbook and Course Guide offers detailed information on this degree.
...And Unparalleled Flexibility
Fellows are welcomed to Cornell by more than ninety faculty members in the field of Public Affairs. These faculty represent more than 25 schools, colleges and programs from across campus. Fellows frequently take courses in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Architecture, Art and Planning, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, the School of Hotel Administration, the College of Human Ecology, the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the Johnson Graduate School of Management, the Law School, and the Division of Nutritional Sciences. To connect to Cornell’s comprehensive course listings in all colleges, schools, and divisions, click here.
Students can also pursue complementary degrees with the Law School, Hotel School, or with the Department of City and Regional Planning. An Accelerated Master’s Program for Cornell undergraduates allows students to apply to CIPA in their junior year, begin coursework in their senior year, and complete the M.P.A. in just one year beyond their undergraduate studies.
Summer internships complement the coursework, and place students in work situations where they can participate in the process of policy development. Students have worked with a variety of impressive organizations, including the United Nations and the World Bank.
CIPA offers Fellows a variety of venues for developing practical professional development skills. Students manage the weekly Colloquium Series, the television program Point of View, and the CIPA public policy research journal The Current. In addition, there are two student policy organizations to provide further opportunities for professional development: the Cornell Public Affairs Society (CPAS) and Women in Public Policy (WIPP).
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