Solve an industry-specific problem to grow your career in one year.

Gain new skills and competencies as you solve a challenge specific to your organization or industry with this one-year program for working professionals.

In the Master of Professional Studies (Human Ecology) program, you will be guided by an advisor as you design your problem-solving project and determine what kind of work will help you find a solution. You might conduct research to find an answer to an industry problem, come up with a strategy to overcome an ongoing challenge, or create materials that move your industry forward.

Whichever path you choose, you will build professional momentum and prepare to advance your career.

Fiber Science and Apparel Design

This program is offered through the graduate field of Fiber Science and Apparel Design.

Curriculum

The MPS (Human Ecology) is a flexible program that students can design to primarily focus on a subject or problem area related to their professional career. Students will work with an advisor. They must complete 30 credit hours as agreed upon in consultation with the advisor.

Students must complete 30 credit hours of courses and a problem-solving project approved in advance by the advisor and pertinent to the subject matter of the field of the focused elective.

  • 20 of these credit hours must be within the College of Human Ecology.
  • All of the 30 credits must be in graduate-level courses, numbered 5000 or higher.
  • Up to 6 of the 30 hours of required credit may be earned in connection with the problem-solving project.
  • No more than 6 of the 30 course hours may be in courses that are graded S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory).
  • No more than 6 of the 30 course hours may be earned outside the program (in non-affiliated graduate fields at Cornell University or at other universities). Acceptance of these courses is at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies. These transfer credits must be appropriate to the subject of the chosen field of study and must have been completed no more than five years prior to admission to the program.

Students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.5.

The project may be one of the following:

  • The execution of a professional action program designed under the guidance of an advisor
  • The development of a professional plan of attack on a pertinent problem
  • The development of professional materials suited to the student's interests
  • The development and execution of research appropriate to the profession.

The written project report must be approved by the advisor.

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How to apply

To be eligible for the MPS (Human Ecology) program, the applicant must have a bachelor's degree and fluent command of the English language and have demonstrated competency in a professional field related to human ecology. To meet admission standards of the Cornell Graduate School, the applicant must show evidence of intellectual and personal development as measured by his or her undergraduate record, the Graduate Record Examination or other appropriate tests, and recommendations, as well as evidence of professional accomplishments. Professional performance and potential are weighed heavily in evaluating the applicant for admission.

The fall admission deadline is May 1 to be guaranteed consideration for available financial aid. We do not admit for spring. 

Graduate study applications are submitted directly to the Graduate School. A complete application includes:

  • a statement of purpose
  • a personal statement
  • unofficial transcripts
  • two (preferably three) letters of recommendation

Please do not include copies of certificates, passports or other documents.  We will not review your application until it is fully complete, including TOEFL/IELTS test scores. No individual faculty member can offer you admission. A graduate admissions committee will read your application when it is complete and make the decision. 

Please fsad_grad [at] cornell.edu (email the Graduate Field Assistant) for pre-application information.

International applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by taking a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam. Minimum TOEFL scores are as follows: Writing 20, Listening 15, Reading 20, Speaking 26, as well as a minimum total score of 100. If ALL of these scores and the total are not met, applications will not be reviewed. The Graduate School requires an overall band score of a 7.0 or higher on the IELTS.

For more information, including waiver information, see the graduate school’s website.