Hospitality

Smart hotel asset management deals are win-win situations. To create well-structured agreements, you need to understand what is motivating the property owners, operators, and lenders. But successful hospitality and real estate management doesn’t end with a successful deal; it requires managing the agreement’s execution effectively to achieve strategic asset goals. This certificate consists of six two-week courses that will give you the knowledge needed to understand the financial and operational aspects of hotel asset and real estate investment management. You’ll examine leasing agreements to learn about valuation and explore financing, equity structuring and exit strategies. By the time you’ve completed the program, you’ll know how to develop a superior hotel real estate management and execution plan.  The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

A career in hospitality management means that you are involved in every aspect of your property’s many moving parts. From the front of the house to the back, you need a firm grasp on finance, marketing, and managing employees to succeed. Build your credibility and learn how to manage a world-class operation with a foundation in essential industry best practices and skills. By taking this certificate program, you will learn how to improve in your role as hospitality manager by developing strategies that can be applied to your teams in the workplace. This program covers a wide range of content, from building a loyal guest base to finances to team building, giving you a set of skills needed to be successful in a management role. Knowing how to handle multiple facets of the hospitality industry will help you manage your organization to its fullest potential as well. Whether you are a manager currently, positioning yourself for a management position, or have recently been promoted, make your mark today by learning from experts in the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, one of the world’s most prestigious hospitality schools. You can finish all of the courses in this program and earn your certificate in as little as three months, spending about three to five hours per week. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the marketing and hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

In this certificate program, you’ll learn key concepts, strategies, and practical skills necessary for managing, owning, and operating a successful restaurant, bar, or other food and beverage business. Develop confidence in your ability to manage your business’s finances and learn key operational functions like menu design, income statement analysis, pricing, margin analysis, supply chain management, guest service processes, and employee engagement and performance. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

Make a lasting impact at your organization by employing revenue management techniques and strategies for your hotel operation and earn a highly recognized credential from Cornell University’s world-renowned School of Hotel Administration. This program provides you with in-depth training in the most critical revenue management techniques and strategies that you can apply on the job immediately. This program was developed by hotel revenue management expert and pioneer Sheryl E. Kimes, PhD, professor of operations management in the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Course content is structured around relevant case examples and interactive exercises, giving you the experience you need to translate theory into practice. You can complete all 5 courses and earn your certificate in as little as 2.5 months, spending about five to seven hours per course. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

The hospitality business has more moving parts than most people realize, and more customer touchpoints than any other industry. Teamwork is essential. Whether you aspire to management, have recently been promoted, or are currently in a management position, this certificate program positions you to make a bigger impact in your organization and your career. This certificate consists of 18 two-week courses – 14 core and 4 elective courses – and provides the essential skills you need to ensure that your organization runs like a well-oiled machine. You’ll quickly develop the technical expertise and broad, strategic focus needed to become a top-level hospitality manager. You can complete all of the courses in this program and earn your certificate in as little as 9 months, spending about three to five hours per week. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the marketing and hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

Through the five courses in this certificate program, owners, developers, and designers of full-service hotels will learn to plan and design effective, financially viable hotel properties and successfully perform their roles in the hotel development process. The program begins with a look at hotel types, marketing concepts, branding practices, and development roles, followed by a study of initial planning decisions, the application of marketing requirements to functional areas, and the use of planning metrics. The focus then turns to specific design considerations for guestrooms, public spaces, and “back-of-house” areas. The courses feature a set of downloadable tools containing guidelines and reference material for hotel developers and designers. A progression of course projects give participants an opportunity to apply their learning to specific hotel development scenarios. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

The hospitality industry experiences challenges and uncertainty like any other, yet successful organizations continue to grow despite these setbacks. One major reason for this growth is the agility that successful hospitality leaders exhibit when confronted with unexpected problems. This includes the ability to respond proactively to changing trends, which can only emerge from teams grounded in a culture of learning, active listening, and clear processes. In moments of uncertainty, the ability to develop a leadership mindset that fosters innovation and transformation is essential. In this certificate program, you will explore the critical skills and traits that make leaders effective in today's hospitality organizations. You will develop a practice of curiosity-focused inquiry; determine how to set purpose-driven priorities; engage your team to its fullest creative potential; and bring authenticity, vision, and strategic thinking to your leadership role. You will also gain insight into strategies that will help you increase your team's skillful collaboration and self-organization, developing the ability to anticipate and address future risk and inspiring a culture of ongoing learning. In the final course, you’ll have an opportunity to discover and assess your ability to facilitate change through a comprehensive organizational change management simulation, where you will practice applying the skills required to make strategic change happen in your organization and beyond. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear. This program includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program

This certificate program provides an understanding of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), which sets forth the reporting guidance and analysis for the unique operating environment of the lodging industry. While there are some differences, the Uniform System is intended to be consistent with U.S. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) with reference to IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). Whether you hold a position as an owner, operator, general manager, staff member, or department head in a hotel property, the coursework will enhance your accounting knowledge and boost your confidence in decision making. Throughout the program, you'll gain hands-on experience in benchmarking various hotels and lodging units. This practical exposure will enable you to assess your own hotel's performance relative to competitors within the lodging industry. You'll be better equipped to make informed choices in areas such as procurement, staffing, operations, and marketing budget allocation. Regardless of your background in the hotel industry, this course will quickly familiarize you with USALI accounting, allowing you to actively contribute to impactful business discussions and add value to your organization. The central focus of the program is on decision-making skills, including accurately interpreting financial statements, benchmarking against competitors, and drawing precise inferences to optimize your hotel's decisions. All case studies and examples provided are directly relevant to the lodging industry. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear. This course includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing hospitality topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Take a tour around the world through your wine glass! In the Wines of the World certificate, you’ll have the opportunity to establish a strong understanding of viticulture, winemaking, and wine evaluation, followed by a deep dive into the wine classification systems, varietals, and climates of the major wine-producing regions of the world. You’ll also have the opportunity to taste, share, and compare wines from each region you discover, which will enable you to select and recommend wines from practically anywhere in the world! Whether you’re a restaurateur, hospitality professional, or wine retailer looking to expand your knowledge, a professional looking to impress their next client, or someone who simply enjoys learning about wine, this program will provide you with the tools you need to serve, discuss, and buy wine with confidence. To be successful in this program, you are required to start with the Wine Essentials course. You may then continue on to any region, maintaining the course order within the region.

Generative AI is transforming the hospitality industry by greatly enhancing efficiency, streamlining operations, and guiding better decision making. The business of hospitality is increasingly data rich, but the data comes from a variety of sources which need to be collected, assessed, and acted upon on a frequent basis. Data sources include archival data on third-party platforms and transactional systems which are often behind user logins, in-house data collections systems, human resource software, and key online platforms such as Google and Tripadvisor. Now, hospitality providers can access, compare, and analyze this data through the use of predictive and generative AI — without extensive data analysis training. Throughout this program, you will use machine learning methods and generative AI to build predictive models, analyze data, evaluate forecast data, and assess and categorize customer reviews as you work through common hospitality scenarios. These skills can be immediately applicable to your organization’s marketing, training, pricing, forecasting, user-generated content management, communications, and guest experience enhancement efforts. You will also have the opportunity to use several AI tools to help automate operational activities, including data collection, transfer and analysis, and internal and external communications, freeing up employees to perform value-add activities and focus on the customer experience. By the end of the program, you will be able to strategically implement AI solutions to optimize operations, enhance guest satisfaction, and drive innovation within your hospitality organization. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear. Coursework will require access to Microsoft Excel, the purchase of a UDS$30 one-month license to BigML, and free versions of ChatGPT, Zapier, and Botster. Additionally, for the course, Streamlining Hospitality Operations With Automation, access to a PC with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Power Automate is highly encouraged to maximize the learning experience, though it is not required. Microsoft Power Automate is not available for Mac users. This program includes two years of free access to both the Hospitality Symposium and the AI Symposium! These events feature live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Are you interested in developing a more nuanced appreciation of wine? In this certificate program, guided by renowned wine expert Cheryl Stanley, you will expand your knowledge of wines from the four major wine-producing regions of the United States: California, Washington, Oregon, and New York. You’ll begin your journey by exploring wine tasting and evaluation techniques to identify distinct aromas and flavors in wine. With this foundation, you’ll have the opportunity to discover each region’s own unique history and landscape, connecting flavor profiles to the geographic features and production factors that influence them. You’ll also learn to interpret wine labels in order to confidently navigate a wine list, select better wines from each region, and pair food with wine successfully. Your experience will culminate with an at-home wine-tasting experience. During this event, you’ll be able to observe how people interpret different wines, and compare your expectations and perceptions of wine, from grape to glass. This program is intended for use by persons of legal drinking ages under the relevant applicable laws where they reside. Purchase of wines is required to enjoy the highly experiential nature of this course. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Build a culture that positions your team and organization to deliver customer service excellence, every time.

Revenue management is cross-functional and cross-disciplinary. The courses provide the skills you need to maximize revenue in today’s complex global market. Take a strategic approach that enables your team to push the levers that drive profits and performance. This certificate consists of 18 two-week courses – 14 core and 4 elective courses – and provides you with in-depth training in the principles of revenue-cycle analysis and management and practice applying these principles. Create and manage customer demand, establish a marketing strategy built around well-designed control systems, and fine-tune yield management in your market. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality and Marketing industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Strategic restaurant revenue management is a critical ingredient in your recipe for profitability. But using a proven system to manage key variables has impacts beyond revenue — it has a ripple effect on customer service. Creating optimal table mixes and pricing helps you meet customer needs better than ever before. This certificate program consists of five two-week courses that cover the fundamentals of successful revenue management, providing practical guidance for implementing a restaurant revenue management strategy. You’ll learn to optimize occupancy, table mix, meal duration, reservations and pricing, as well as use proven processes to diagnose operational problems and improve the customer service experience. Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to bring your new knowledge together with a collection of tools for implementing a revenue management strategy that boosts profits depending on whether your restaurant is busy or slow. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

To achieve sustained success and survive unpredictable economic challenges, hospitality organizations need to set themselves apart from their competitors. That differentiation requires an effective strategy. In this certificate program, you will carefully examine the key elements in the strategic management process, which consists of two equally important parts: strategy formulation and strategy implementation. You will first investigate the fundamentals of strategy, including what makes a good strategy, how to think like a strategist, and which of your organization's resources and capabilities will lead to a sustainable competitive advantage. Next, you will explore strategy formulation, which involves planning strategies that define where and how your company will compete. More specifically, you will explore the key elements of direction setting and develop a strategic vision and mission. You’ll also study business-level and corporate-level strategies to compete and create value. You will then examine strategy implementation, which focuses on the shorter-term actions and choices intended to carry out the strategic plan. Even if your organization has carefully formulated and articulated its strategy, your organization won’t get far without the ability to implement it, so you will determine how to put strategy into action. You will look at how to set priorities and objectives to build a strategy-supporting structure and culture. You will also analyze how to evaluate performance and control actions. Finally, you will delve into the details of action planning and master the tools and concepts needed to develop and lead strategic organizational change. You’ll come away from the program better prepared to position your hospitality brand for success in even the most competitive and volatile markets. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Marketing in the hospitality industry involves effectively communicating and differentiating your brand promise to target customers. A strong digital strategy is essential, as today’s consumers increasingly rely on online resources to make purchase decisions based on their needs and preferences. Developed by faculty from Cornell’s renowned Nolan School of Hotel Administration, this certificate program equips you with foundational hospitality marketing concepts and principles designed to help you better integrate your company’s brand communications across various media channels. Working through a detailed case study, you will develop an integrated marketing communications (IMC) strategy for a hospitality brand. You’ll have the opportunity to identify and assess the brand’s target market, plan and implement creative strategies, and optimize the organization’s online presence. The program delves into search engine marketing, social media marketing, user-generated content, community management, traditional media, and mapping your IMC strategy to the consumer engagement cycle. You will also discover how to identify key performance indicators, interpret marketing data, and make data-driven decisions to align with business goals, preparing you to evaluate and execute an IMC campaign strategy for your organization. This program includes two years of free access to both the Hospitality and Marketing Symposia! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore pressing industry topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming sessions. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

As a leader at your hotel, it is critical that you have a successful working relationship with the ownership group. The owner of the asset relies on you to deliver a positive return on investment. This program provides you with in-depth training on crucial skills required when working with ownership and asset managers. This certificate program provides you with the context of how ownership and asset managers approach their market. From property investment and achieving key financial objectives to learning about the competitive landscape, these courses enable you to view the partnership from the owner perspective. Your elective courses build upon the necessary skills for a stronger, more productive relationship between you and the ownership group to ensure your long-term success. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

Hospitality industry labor laws have become increasingly complex to follow, as regulations were largely designed with other industries in mind. Yet it has never been more critical for employers to ensure that they are in compliance with both federal and state laws, which are rigorously enforced. This certificate program begins by providing you with a framework for discrimination law to help you identify the seven protected classes under federal law and defines employers’ obligations in accommodating these classes. You will delve into the specifics of discrimination laws, including sexual harassment and organizational liability under the law. Throughout the courses, you’ll have the opportunity to examine your organization’s current HR policies and practices to help recognize and minimize discriminatory behavior in the workplace. You‘ll also study the nuances and complexities of wage and hour law and explore traditional labor law, including the National Labor Relations Act, the purpose of unions, and strategies to manage in a union environment. At the completion of the program, you will come away better prepared to adhere to employment laws to avoid costly risks, exposure, and damages. Note: This certificate program does not assume any legal knowledge nor accreditation on your part. Rather, it serves as an educational framework for managing. None of this content should be taken as legal advice. For legal guidance, please consult your own attorney or legal department. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Thriving hospitality enterprises recognize the pivotal role of human resources in their organizational success. As part of an industry that prioritizes people, the competitive edge in service organizations lies in comprehending the influence of their employees on business performance and long-term advantage. Empowered employees with the right skills set the foundation for remarkable customer experiences. Consequently, hospitality providers need to focus on attracting, developing, and retaining skilled individuals who are committed to delivering a uniform, brand-focused customer experience across all roles. In this certificate program, you will assess and apply relevant policies, systems, and procedures designed to help your organization hire, nurture, and engage quality employees in today’s increasingly competitive hospitality landscape. Throughout this journey, you'll explore and strategize the management of key factors that impact employee performance and overall business operations. As part of the coursework, you will conduct a thorough labor market analysis to align your HR function's competitive position and priorities with your organization's mission and strategic objectives. You’ll have the opportunity to craft a sustainable system for talent attraction and selection that prioritizes job needs, brand consistency, and fostering of the brand culture. Finally, you’ll build a strategy for employee development and retention targeted at keeping hold of talented staff. You will also delve into discrimination law and the seven protected classes, bolstering your understanding of crucial legal concepts related to labor and employment in the hospitality sector. Upon completing the program, you will have honed the skills required to align HR strategies with a hospitality business’s values, brand, and organizational priorities. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the two years, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Increasing sales and profits entails a comprehensive revenue -management strategy that includes creating and managing customer demand and establishing a marketing strategy built around rigorous control systems. Doing this better than the other players in the market will produce a clear, competitive yield advantage. This certificate program consists of five two-week courses. The series builds on the fundamental principles of pricing and revenue management to give you advanced tools and techniques to make strategic hotel pricing decisions, set inventory controls, and encourage demand manipulation to drive profits and overall organizational performance. You can complete all five courses and earn your certificate in as little as three months, spending three to five hours per week. This program was developed with revenue-management expert Christopher Anderson, PhD, associate professor in the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Professor Anderson’s research focuses on revenue management and service pricing, and he advises world-renowned hospitality, service, and consumer-goods firms on optimizing and executing their revenue-management strategies. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Running for over 30 years, the General Managers Program is the world’s premiere transformational learning experience for hotel general managers and their immediate successors. As an experienced hospitality professional, you know that the industry is constantly evolving. To be successful, you must lead your team with purpose, embrace the industry’s evolutionary path, and seek opportunities to keep your organization at the forefront. Through GMP, you will hone strategic thinking skills, explore how to create value, and plan for action to tackle today’s most urgent business challenges and opportunities. The program consists of two learning modalities. First, you’ll complete two live virtual courses, choosing topics that best meet your individual development goals. Topics are offered monthly and will be led by Cornell University faculty experts. Each course will include four 3-hour sessions and be limited to 35 participants to ensure high levels of engagement and networking. Next, you will come to Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York to complete the program. The on-campus experience kicks off with a reception and orientation dinner, followed by five days of intensive, interactive, and engaged learning with peers from around the world. Led by senior Cornell faculty, you’ll take on strategic property-level issues with depth and precision. You’ll concentrate on hotel management issues and collaborate to expand the foundation of your knowledge, broaden your viewpoint, and produce new solutions to the challenges you face. As business transcends continental boundaries, so do we at Cornell. Through our interactive program, participants dissect theory-based ideas and learning, then relate these to current issues in the industry. If you’re looking for specific, applicable, and workable solutions to your real-time issues and demands, this program offers a management and strategic-thinking toolkit designed to take your property to the next level.

Changing consumer expectations and rapid advancements in digital technology are redefining how restaurants connect with guests and deliver their offerings. As new distribution models, including online ordering and delivery platforms to ghost kitchens, subscriptions, and consumer packaged goods, reshape the industry, restaurant operators face both exciting opportunities and complex decisions about expanding their reach and strengthening their brands. Throughout this program, you will analyze evolving restaurant-customer interactions and assess the impact of emerging digital tools, such as online reservation systems and user-generated review sites. You’ll evaluate the business potential of diverse distribution channels and determine how each aligns with your unique operational and strategic goals. By exploring the influence of menu design and floor plan layout on new distribution strategies, you’ll uncover ways to optimize both customer experience and operational efficiency. The program also guides you in leveraging these innovations to foster customer loyalty and long-term business growth. By completing this certificate, you will be equipped to critically evaluate, implement, and manage new distribution strategies that enhance your restaurant’s competitiveness in a dynamic marketplace. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

When you’re marketing your services, success depends on knowing what target customers want and aligning it with the value your company delivers. This requires an integrated strategy that includes market analysis and demand management, marketing strategy, brand management, and marketing communications. By adopting this customer-centric approach to marketing, you’ll be better prepared to deliver memorable experiences, exceed customer expectations, gain competitive advantage, and ultimately position your company for success. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the marketing and hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

In recent years, the craft beer industry has rapidly expanded, and the number of breweries worldwide has skyrocketed. For bar and restaurant operators, this means customers now expect different beer choices than they’ve traditionally been offered. For customers, enthusiasts, and home hobbyists, the result is a broader selection of ingredients to brew beer and expansive flavor profiles to taste and explore. This certificate program provides the end-to-end understanding of beer production, tasting, and selection needed to establish an effective beer program in a commercial setting or simply increase your knowledge, understanding, and ability to appreciate beer. From ingredients and process to sensory analysis, to serving, training, and sales, you will gain meaningful insight into today’s evolving beer industry from leading experts. This program is intended for use by persons of legal drinking ages under the relevant applicable laws where they reside. The purchase of supplies, such as beer malt, is required to enjoy the highly experiential nature of this course. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

Expand your knowledge of and appreciation for French wine.

Many people associate Germany and Austria with excellent beer, but wines? Yes! The wines of Germany and Austria are well balanced and pair wonderfully with food. The rivers, hills, and valleys of these countries are beautiful and fruitful for growing Vitis vinifera, despite their northern locations. Their cooler climates enable Austria and Germany to grow high-acid white and red grape varieties that produce myriad styles, including some of the driest and sweetest wines available. In this program, you will explore the wine-producing areas of Austria and Germany and discover many unique wines, including the famous riesling, spätburgunder (pinot noir), and eiswein, as well as lesser-known wines like scheurebe and dornfelder. To prepare for this journey, you will first complete the “Wine Essentials” course. You will then examine the structure of German and Austrian wine classifications and nuances of their labeling terms, the varietals of the regions, and how the various climates affect the grape and wine outcomes in the specific styles produced there. In the third and final course, you will have the opportunity to use what you have learned to select wines to taste, share, and compare. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Italian wines come in many different styles and are constantly evolving, making them an exciting combination of old-world tradition and modern innovations in grape growing and winemaking. From traditional nebbiolo, to the world-renowned sangiovese, to lesser-known grape varieties like trebbiano and brachetto, the Wines of Italy certificate program will take you through four major geographical zones within the country to not only explore the history of viticulture and winemaking in each of Italy’s major areas, but also to analyze the unique regional geographic features that impact the wine. To prepare for this journey, you will first complete the “Wine Essentials'' course to build a foundational understanding of viticulture, winemaking, and wine evaluation. In the next course, “Foundations of Italian Wines,” you’ll dive into the Italian wine classification systems and take a closer look at the varietals grown in each zone of Italy, including how the climate affects the grape and wine outcomes. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to examine Italian wine labels to better understand and anticipate the characteristics of a given wine. In the third and final course, “Experiencing Wines of Italy,” you’ll put what you’ve learned into practice by selecting Italian wines to taste, share, and compare. Whether you’re working in a professional hospitality setting, entertaining, or simply enjoying, after completing the program, you’ll be able to select, experience, and recommend Italian wines with greater confidence — not to mention impress your guests! The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

The people of Spain and Portugal have grown grapes and produced wines for over a thousand years. You may know of sherry from Spain and port from Portugal, but these regions produce many styles and variations of these world-renowned fortified wines. Spain and Portugal also grow many well-known international grape varietals for non-fortified wines as well as a number of unique varietals, including albariño, verdelho, and, of course, tempranillo. You will have the opportunity to consider them as individual varietal wines as well as in the blends for which both Spain and Portugal are famous. In this program, you will begin your journey by completing the “Wine Essentials'' course to establish a strong understanding of viticulture, winemaking, and wine evaluation. You’ll then have the opportunity to explore the climates and geographic regions of Spain and Portugal and consider how they influence the varieties of grapes grown along with the grape and wine outcomes. You will also examine the wine classification systems of both countries and the content of their wine labels. Finally, in the last course, “Experiencing Wines of Spain and Portugal,” you will taste, share, and compare wines from these countries. Whether you’re working in a professional hospitality setting, entertaining, or simply enjoying, after completing the program, you’ll be able to select, experience, and recommend Spanish and Portuguese wines with greater confidence — not to mention impress your guests! The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

The Southern Hemisphere wine industry is among today’s most compelling and innovative. With foundations firmly rooted in “old world” viticulture and winemaking traditions, those leading the “new world” wine industry in the Southern Hemisphere are not afraid to experiment with grape-growing and winemaking practices and technologies. Their creative and fearless approach to wines, plus a healthy respect for tradition, make a journey into the wines of the Southern Hemisphere interesting — and often eye-opening. From exploring traditional international varieties, such as chenin blanc and merlot, to signature varieties like pinotage from South Africa and malbec from Argentina, this program will guide you through five of the highest wine-producing (by volume) countries in the Southern Hemisphere: Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa. To prepare for this journey, you will first complete the “Wine Essentials'' course to establish a foundational understanding of viticulture, winemaking, and wine evaluation. In the next course, “Foundations of Southern Hemisphere Wines,” you will take a close look at the varietals grown in each country and consider how the general climate of the countries, along with the microclimates created by mountains, valleys, elevation, and proximity to coasts and waterways, affect the grapes grown and wine outcomes. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to examine Southern Hemisphere wine labels to better understand and anticipate the characteristics of a given wine. In the third and final course, “Experiencing Wines of the Southern Hemisphere,” you will put what you’ve learned into practice by selecting Southern Hemisphere wines to taste, share, and compare. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

eCornell online Workshops are live, interactive learning experiences lasting 1 to 4 hours and led by Cornell faculty experts. These premium, short-format sessions focus on AI topics and are designed for busy professionals who want to gain immediately applicable skills and strategic perspectives. Workshops may include faculty presentations, breakout discussions, and guided hands-on practice. The AI Workshops All-Access Pass provides you with unlimited participation for 6 months from your date of purchase. Whether you choose to attend one Workshop per month or several per week, the All-Access Pass allows you to customize your AI journey and stay on top of the latest AI trends. Hosted by Cornell faculty at the forefront of their fields, Workshops cover a range of cutting-edge AI topics applicable across industries. Workshops are offered at three levels to allow you to choose topics that match your experience. AI Foundations These Workshops introduce core AI concepts, terminology, capabilities, limitations, and practical applications. No prior AI experience is required. Best for: Beginners, AI-curious professionals, and teams starting their AI journey. AI in Practice ​​​​​​​These Workshops focus on practical skills, workflows, and strategies that help participants use AI more effectively in their day-to-day work. Some familiarity with AI tools is recommended. Best for: Professionals who have experimented with AI and want to build confidence and capability. AI Leadership and Transformation ​​​​​​​These advanced Workshops explore emerging technologies, strategic implementation, governance, organizational impact, and specialized applications. AI fluency is expected, and some Workshops may have prerequisites. Best for: AI leaders, transformation teams, executives, and advanced practitioners.

Transform fragmented AI experiments into enterprise-grade systems using proven MLOps frameworks. Master deployment strategies, monitoring systems, and reproducible pipelines that ensure your AI investments deliver reliable, measurable business value at scale.

Move beyond AI demos to build enterprise-grade agents that pass security reviews and audits. Learn production-ready architecture, risk controls, and monitoring systems using real frameworks your engineering teams can deploy immediately.

Evolve your skills from basic AI prompts to building intelligent agents that scale your productivity. This hands-on Workshop teaches you to automate email triage, research, and administrative tasks using proven frameworks.

Move beyond AI pilots to enterprise transformation with proven frameworks for navigating market disruption, organizational resistance, and the strategic shifts reshaping entire industries. Discover why AI transformation is bigger than most leaders imagine and harder than they expect, then build an actionable roadmap to accelerate systematic adoption across your organization.

Transform your team's AI approach from simple chatbot queries to sophisticated autonomous workflows. Learn proven frameworks for building agent systems that plan, execute, and iterate toward business outcomes while maintaining human oversight. Convert scattered productivity gains into systematic competitive advantages that scale across your organization.

Transform your professional communications with frameworks that blend human-centered storytelling and strategic AI integration. Gain ready-to-use prompts and narrative structures that immediately boost engagement while preserving the authenticity your audience demands from high-stakes messaging.

Transform your hiring processes from biased, manual bottlenecks into an AI-optimized talent pipeline. Learn exactly where AI enhances interview accuracy versus where it creates friction. You will leave with a concrete roadmap to implement these tools strategically within your organizational constraints while preserving essential human connections.

Traditional job descriptions fail in an AI-driven candidate marketplace where résumé gaming is rampant. This Workshop provides talent acquisition professionals with practical tools to revolutionize job description effectiveness, creating machine-readable yet human-appealing content that drives both candidate quality and employer brand differentiation across competitive markets. 

Traditional performance reviews are plagued by recency bias and subjectivity, yet AI adoption risks damaging the employee experience. This workshop teaches HR leaders exactly where AI excels and where it struggles in performance management — providing concrete strategies to enhance review quality while maintaining workforce trust and engagement.

With the emergence of AI technology, HR's mandate is shifting from automation to orchestrating the complete "human-machine handshake" across enterprises. This workshop provides senior HR executives with venture capital insights, 2026 forecasts, and practical frameworks for leading workforce redesign — moving from experimentation to implementation of enterprise-wide human-AI partnerships and agentic governance. 

Stop using AI reactively and start embedding it systematically into product workflows that accelerate discovery, definition, and delivery. Learn to integrate AI tools across the full PM lifecycle while maintaining critical judgment and accountability that defines strong product craft.

Transform your marketing team's AI experimentation into systematic deployment. Learn how to build and deploy production-grade AI agents using no-code tools, moving from "black box" confusion to measurable business results in marketing operations.

Master AI governance before regulation forces your hand. Build practical frameworks for risk management, cross-functional alignment, and scalable deployment that protect your organization while accelerating results. Experience Level: Skill Building

Most AI implementations fail because workflows aren't ready for automation. Master the frameworks to identify AI-ready processes, avoid costly mistakes, and build strategic roadmaps that deliver measurable impact. 

Transform LLMs from generic chatbots into pipeline-driving tools by creating reusable lead-scoring systems and personalized outreach strategies that turn frontier AI into high-performance sales drivers. Discover hands-on techniques to diagnose your sales process, build context-rich frameworks, and implement scalable AI workflows that deliver measurable pipeline acceleration and higher conversion rates.

Combine proven decision frameworks with practical AI applications to accelerate high-stakes choices, eliminate decision fatigue, and secure stakeholder buy-in through uncertainty. Build a Living AI Context Engine that organizes project knowledge, pressure-test critical assumptions, and translate complex decisions into trust-building narratives that drive alignment and decisive action.

Use AI frameworks for copyright trademark, and licensing decisions.

Navigate AI copyright risks and protect AI-assisted work.

Put AI to work across the project management life cycle. Learn how to streamline project planning and reporting, assess risks, strengthen stakeholder communications, and support better decisions, all while understanding where human judgment remains essential. You'll leave with practical approaches you can apply to your current projects.

Cornell’s Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration has long represented the gold standard in hospitality education, where professionals from across the globe come together to strategize, solve problems, and forge the future. Cornell now offers a part-time Executive Master of Management in Hospitality to empower working hospitality professionals with the latest best practices in hotel operations, finance, marketing and real estate. By taking part in online courses and an optional in-person residency, you’ll have the opportunity to build connections with peers from around the world, expand your view of the industry and become a more intentional and effective hospitality leader.

Running for over 30 years, the General Managers Program is the world’s premiere transformational learning experience for hotel general managers and their immediate successors. As an experienced hospitality professional, you know that the industry is constantly evolving. To be successful, you must lead your team with purpose, embrace the industry’s evolutionary path, and seek opportunities to keep your organization at the forefront. Through GMP, you will hone strategic thinking skills, explore how to create value, and plan for action to tackle today’s most urgent business challenges and opportunities. The program consists of two learning modalities. First, you’ll complete two live virtual courses, choosing topics that best meet your individual development goals. Topics are offered monthly and will be led by Cornell University faculty experts. Each course will include four 3-hour sessions and be limited to 35 participants to ensure high levels of engagement and networking. Next, you will come to Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York to complete the program. The on-campus experience kicks off with a reception and orientation dinner, followed by five days of intensive, interactive, and engaged learning with peers from around the world. Led by senior Cornell faculty, you’ll take on strategic property-level issues with depth and precision. You’ll concentrate on hotel management issues and collaborate to expand the foundation of your knowledge, broaden your viewpoint, and produce new solutions to the challenges you face. As business transcends continental boundaries, so do we at Cornell. Through our interactive program, participants dissect theory-based ideas and learning, then relate these to current issues in the industry. If you’re looking for specific, applicable, and workable solutions to your real-time issues and demands, this program offers a management and strategic-thinking toolkit designed to take your property to the next level.