Cornell University to offer bachelor's degrees in prison

Cornell University is set to become the first Ivy League institution to offer bachelor’s degrees to incarcerated individuals. Through the Cornell Prison Education Program, the university will launch a three-year Bachelor of Professional Studies program at the Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia, New York, starting in August 2027.

The inaugural program will feature a major in ‘Organizations, Markets and Society,’ which integrates business, public policy, and social sciences. An initial cohort of 12 to 18 inmates will participate in coursework covering economics, statistics, data analytics, entrepreneurship, marketing, and finance. Learning will be conducted through a mix of self-paced study and in-person sessions with Cornell professors designed for discussion and networking.

To be eligible, applicants must hold an associate’s degree or the equivalent of two years of undergraduate education. While the program is open to current Cayuga inmates and those seeking transfer to the facility, Cornell stated that participants’ background and ongoing conduct will be subject to ‘strict standards’ regarding enrollment.