Hands-on Learning is a Hallmark of the Dyson School Experience

Beyond the books. Beyond the Ag Quad. Beyond Ithaca. That’s where the Dyson School experience will take you. 

We take the “applied” part of applied economics and management quite seriously. At the Dyson School, hands-on experiences such as internships, study abroad, community engagement, and leadership development are embedded into our program.


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What is Experiential Learning in Applied Economics and Management?

Experiential learning, simply put, involves putting knowledge into action. At the Dyson School, experiential learning could mean providing financial analysis to an early-stage health care incubator in Kenya, performing an organizational audit of a sustainable beekeeping start-up, or designing and commercializing a 3D printed “smart” mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

What Are the Benefits of Experiential Learning at the Dyson School?

Being real-world ready is one of the greatest benefits of real-world learning.

We hear from employers and alumni all the time how Dyson School students are well prepared for higher-level positions after graduation—often better prepared than their counterparts from other institutions. (So skip over those entry-level job descriptions!)

Our hands-on approach gives you plenty of practical experience. Here are just a few examples:

  • The critical thinking and problem-solving skills you’ll learn through case studies and applied economics and management (AEM) research challenges you to think quickly on your feet.
  • International experiences, on and off campus, broaden your perspective and prepare you to function successfully in a global marketplace.
  • Classes and projects related to analytics, statistics, and technology give you in-demand technical skills and knowledge.
  • Internships, service-learning, and capstone projects give you experience communicating and collaborating with industry partners, community leaders, and practicing professionals.
Four blindfolded students work together to solve a problem in the classroom.

Dyson School Immersion: Applied Economics and Management Experiential Learning Programs

At the Dyson School, experiential learning opportunities abound. Some are required, others are optional, and all are worthwhile.

You’ll not only have access to carefully curated Dyson School immersion experiences, but being part of the SC Johnson College of Business, the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), and the major land-grant research university that is Cornell opens you up to a wealth of experiential learning programs that span disciplines—and continents.

The Dyson School’s experiential learning opportunities include:

  • Grand Challenges
  • Internships
  • International Opportunities
  • Dyson Leadership Program
  • Research Opportunities
  • Cornell Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Courses
Dyson Grand Challenges notebook and newspaper laying on a desk.

Dyson Grand Challenges

Use your business acumen for good by connecting your coursework to complex, real-world challenges.

Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Dyson Grand Challenges allow you to work with your peers, professors, and industry partners to tackle environmental, societal, and economic issues in our region and beyond. The Grand Challenges start your second year with a writing course, continue in year three with a pre-project immersion course, and culminate with a team-based capstone in your final year.

See Grand Challenges Requirements

Dyson Internships

Gain real-world, on-the-job experience, get insider information, and make valuable connections through an internship with a local or global organization.

With the Dyson School’s reputation as a global leader in business education and our international network of alumni and partners, you’ll have access to paid and/or for-credit internship opportunities in the Ithaca region, across the US, and around the world.

Your opportunities for internships are as broad as the field of applied economics and management: nearly limitless. Learn more about Dyson School internships through the Office of Student Services and Advising.

Contact Student Services and Advising

 International Opportunities

Ready to get your passport stamped? We’ve got plenty of itineraries and destinations ready for you. Even if you don’t travel across an ocean, you’ll get plenty of international and cross-cultural experiences through courses, co-curricular, exchange programs, and campus events.

Dyson Leadership Program

Every student has the capacity to lead. Our program helps you unlock it. We invite the most ambitious Dyson School students to join this experiential opportunity designed to help future business leaders increase their capacity to make a difference.

The Dyson School invests in training a new kind of “systems leader”—someone who catalyzes social change by empowering others and prioritizing a deep understanding of the unjust systems they are trying to influence.

Applied Economics Research Opportunities

Part of Cornell University’s mission is to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge and to promote a culture of broad inquiry throughout and beyond campus. Dyson’s dedication to research is evidenced not only through our faculty’s significant contributions to business and society but also through continued student mentorship.

Why participate in undergraduate research? 

Whether you want to work alongside a faculty member on their ongoing research or wish to pursue projects of your own (or both!), AEM research will enrich your Dyson experience in many ways:

  • Hone your mathematical, statistics, and data analysis skills
  • Develop your writing and oral/visual presentation abilities
  • Gain transferable (and marketable) career skills
  • Participate in undergraduate research symposiums on campus and beyond
  • Submit your work to a scholarly journal or trade publication
  • Prepare for future research in graduate or professional school

As a Dyson student, you have several options to participate in AEM research:

Anabel’s Grocery open sign in front of a Cornell University building.

Cornell Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Courses

Create, connect, and collaborate with communities in Ithaca—and around the world—by enrolling in one of Cornell’s Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) courses. These rigorous, often cross-disciplinary courses address a range of issues and concerns through both classroom and immersive learning. Dyson-specific courses offered include Cooperative Business Management, Social Entrepreneurship Practicum: Anabel’s Grocery, and Business Design, among others.

(Note: This will take you to the CU-CEL course listings page; you may also use the keyword “AEM” to search the catalog for Dyson-specific CEL courses.)

EXPLORE CEL OPTIONS


Experience Cornell: Opportunities Across the University

Dyson immersion opportunities are plentiful—and new programs, collaborations, and partnerships are forming all the time. Here are just a few examples of other ways to immerse yourself in real-world learning at Dyson and beyond.

Bocconi University Logo.Econ in the EU: The Dyson-Bocconi Exchange

Spend a semester (or a year) in one of the European Union’s (EU) major financial centers—and one of Italy’s most cosmopolitan cities. Based in Milan, Bocconi University is one of Europe’s leading educational institutions for economics, management, finance, and law.

Dyson-Bocconi Exchange Detail 

The University Sydney logo.

International Immersion: CALS Global Fellows Program

Through a range of rotating international partner institutions, this competitive program offers summer-long internship and research placements. In 2022, selected fellows traveled to the Southern Hemisphere: to the University of Sydney in Australia. Placements in this region have included Greenpeace and Way to Blue.

CALS Global Fellows Options 


Expand Your Dyson Experience: Concentrations, Minors, and More

A robust curriculum, broad course selection, and many opportunities to focus on the topics that matter to you add up to a well-rounded applied economics and management education at the Dyson School.

Find Your Focus with a Concentration (or Two)

Develop specialized business knowledge with a Dyson concentration such as accounting, agribusiness, entrepreneurship, business analytics, or finance. You can choose one (but not more than two) concentration areas. Combine concentrations and even complement them with a minor to maximize your Dyson experience—and expand your opportunities after graduation.

FIND YOUR CONCENTRATION

Discover Major Opportunities with a Minor

Broaden your knowledge, build more skills, and boost your resume by choosing a minor. Dyson students can select a minor from one of the 120+ options across the university. What’s more, your chosen minor likely offers its own share of exciting hands-on experiences.

DISCOVER MINORS

Explore New Areas with Core and Elective Courses

Dyson’s AEM program allows you to explore a range of topics—from energy to international trade—in your core coursework. You’ll also have some freedom with your specific course selections as you fulfill your general education requirements from CALS. Finally, you can choose your free electives from thousands of options across Cornell University.

EXPLORE DYSON COURSES


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Interested in Dyson Immersion Opportunities?

Hands-on AEM research. Professional development through the Dyson Leadership Program. Internships and service learning. If these and other experiential learning opportunities appeal to you, we invite you to learn more about applying to Dyson. 

Get application details

Ready for an Immersive Academic Experience? Apply to Dyson!

Does the Dyson experience sound like the right fit for your academic and professional goals? Get started on your application today!