Regional Information Regarding the Lally School

The Lally School is located in the heart of New York’s Capital Region, putting a world of cultural and recreational opportunities within reach.

The area offers both a relaxed lifestyle and easy access to the high-energy metropolitan centers of the Northeast.

History, Culture, and Metros

The history, entertainment, culture, shopping, and festivals in and around Troy and New York State’s Capital of Albany are minutes away from the Rensselaer campus. Drive a few more minutes and you’re in Saratoga Springs for horseracing in the summer and a happening nightlife year-round. Famous havens like Cooperstown and Woodstock are a quick drive away. A trip to Manhattan can be a scenic Hudson River ride on Amtrak or explore downtown Boston — both are equidistant from Troy, less than three hours away. A bit further from the capital region are both Niagara Falls near Buffalo, or cosmopolitan Montreal, Canada.

Mountains, Lakes, Nature, and Parks

The Capital region offers myriad trails for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and mountain-bikers. The Adirondack Mountains of New York, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, Vermont’s Green Mountains, and New York’s Catskills are all within an hour of Troy, and offer hundreds of areas for camping, hiking, and skiing. Many clubs sponsored by the Rensselaer Union take full advantage of these natural resources. For closer access to nature, Grafton Lakes State Park is minutes from campus. Only an hour away is swimming, boating, or sightseeing at gorgeous Lake George.

Arts, Music, and Sports

Arts organizations of every description are also found in the area. The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, considered by many experts to have the finest acoustics in America, is a short walk from campus as is a new downtown arts center. Nearby Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is the summer home to the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. is also close by and the summer venue for the Boston Pops. Albany’s Times Union Center hosts a wide array of top-name musical groups, sporting events, and other entertainment options.

Professor Jason Kuruzovich Pilots Use of ‘Concourse’ - A New Online Syllabus System Developed by Lally School (MBA) Alums

Professor Kuruzovich uses Concourse, a new online syllabus platform, in all three of his 2010 classes at Lally. Although online syllabus features are well established on course management systems such as Blackboard, Concourse offers many new features that allow faculty members to customize a course syllabus, update it as needed, and sync the syllabus with students’ calendars in applications such as Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar.

In an interview with eCampus News, Kuruzovich talked about how he uses the new system:
“When Kuruzovich rearranges, deletes, or adds course content on the Concourse web portal, he clicks the “save and notify” button that registers any changes made to the syllabus, sends an eMail to his students warning them about the change, and reschedules the event—a class project, for instance—in their online calendars. . . . Chapters that take less time than originally thought, Kuruzovich said, is a common reason for faculty members to edit their online syllabi.”

Intellidemia, the company that makes Concourse, was founded in 2007 by MBA, Alum students of the Lally School of Management & Technology ; Judd Rattner ’07 MBA’09, CEO, and Edward Levie MS ’08, MBA ’10, Technology Director.
Syllabus digitization takes hold on college campuses
Faculty members say online syllabi allow for easy editing and student notification when changes are made. Students can see an updated online syllabus seconds after a professor makes an adjustment.
College students’ online calendars immediately can reflect any changes to their class schedule, test date, or homework due date, thanks to web-based course syllabi that alerts class members any time a professor tweaks a lesson plan.
Online syllabi features have been available for years on popular course management systems, but four campuses have turned to an internet syllabus service called Concourse that allows for customization—meaning faculty can make certain parts of the document visible to different sections of the same course. This is a useful tool for faculty who teach courses with undergraduate and graduate students who will have different assignments.
Students can sync Concourse syllabi with web-based calendar applications such as Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar, and faculty members can access course syllabi without building a separate web site for each class.
“It’s an easy way to make the students aware of any changes that go through,” said Jason Kuruzovich, assistant professor of management information systems at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y.
When Kuruzovich rearranges, deletes, or adds course content on the Concourse web portal, he clicks the “save and notify” button that registers any changes made to the syllabus, sends an eMail to his students warning them about the change, and reschedules the event—a class project, for instance—in their online calendars.
“Chapters that take less time than originally thought”, Kuruzovich said, is a common reason for faculty members to edit their online syllabi. “When that happens, you want to be able to spend time on something else,” he said.
Syllabi vary from professor to professor, experts said, with some educators including only cursory details about their course on a single sheet of paper, and others handing out 10-page packets that spell out objectives, course material, office hours, institutional policies, and a host of other subsections.
“If you see the syllabus as a contract, you might feel obliged to print it out and give it to students,” Kuruzovich said, adding that he avoids distributing paper syllabi because students might rely on that version instead of the online document. “If I print out a paper copy, it’s providing an indication that it may be a go-to reference.”
Judd Rattner, CEO of Intellidemia, the company that makes the Concourse syllabus platform, said students and their professors rely on syllabi as a roadmap through a semester full of lectures, quizzes, exams, homework assignments, and class projects. Mass confusion can leave students unprepared for a test if classes are canceled because of inclement weather or the instructor changes a due date, but doesn’t publicize the modification.
“What we’re finding is there’s far more value for a syllabus than was originally thought,” said Rattner, who added that Concourse’s syllabus layout—which resembles a piece of paper—has proven attractive to students and faculty, because it’s a “very familiar kind of environment for them.”
Some faculty members keep parts of their syllabus private, blocking contact information or class assignments to anyone outside the class. Kuruzovich said he keeps his syllabus information open to faculty at RPI so they can draw ideas for their own Concourse syllabi. “To me, it is part of the sharing; it’s almost the intellectual commons of the school,” he said. “If I’m having influence, and if someone’s adopting my syllabus, it’s a compliment to me.”
Concourse also features a search engine that lets students and faculty search for syllabi with general and specific keywords. Rattner said students can scroll through course syllabi before the start of a semester, using the public information to determine whether they’ll register for the class or choose another course.
Paulina Fink, an RPI student, said before she signs up for classes, she reviews professors’ web-based syllabi to see whether final grades are based on term papers or projects that don’t require long-term writing assignments. “It really helps with the decision-making process,” she said. “It makes a great tool.”
“Having a syllabus online brings the document to life,” Rattner said. “It’s absolutely where higher education is headed.”
By Dennis Carter, Assistant Editor eCampus News

Lally School EMBA News

Lally Announces the NEW, Fast Track, Executive MBA Program
The EMBA program is being offered in a condensed 18 month format which began in Jan. 2010, allowing business students to complete their MBA by May 2011. The curriculum remains the same, with high-quality content delivered by Rensselaer’s faculty and executives who bring real-life experience to the classroom. Please visit our website to learn more about our new accelerated, 18 month EMBA program: http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/

If pursuing your professional dreams includes combining your knack for science and technology with practical, tried-and-true business leadership skills, then Rensselaer's Lally School of Management & Technology may just be the right school for you! The next step is easy: apply for admission. Please check out Rensselaer's Office of Admissions to find out the details about our admission process, and to apply. For more information on the Lally School go to: Executive MBA Program

The Lally Doctoral Program

The Lally Doctoral experience is a time for intellectual exploration and challenge that gives students new confidence and understanding about how they can make a difference. At Lally, a premium is placed on collaboration, building research networks, and understanding that the nature of contemporary management scholarship reaches beyond disciplinary boundaries to make a significant contribution to management theory.

Lally’s business programs
stress building in-depth understandings and an appreciation of research processes and skills required for scholarship in innovation management and entrepreneurship, as well as gaining a deep understanding of the relevant theoretical and empirical literature in the student's selected area of concentration.

Doctoral students are expected to conduct research on challenging real-world problems, and are encouraged to connect with Rensselaer scientists and engineers as well as those in the electronic media, arts and sciences, and technology studies disciplines, to bring broader understanding to their research endeavors.

The Lally business program, by necessity, requires a strong working relationship between the student and faculty in the area(s) the student chooses. At Lally, faculty takes an active role in shaping the student's program and monitoring their process. It is expected and encouraged that students attend academic conferences, doctoral consortia, and write papers with faculty. 

Perhaps the most important aspect of the process is the mentoring relationship that evolves with the dissertation committee. Thus, by participating in professional meetings, by writing and presenting papers, and by interacting with the dissertation advisor and committee, a student is provided information and experience as a model for academic career success.

There is an increasing emphasis placed upon teaching skills at all universities and colleges, and teaching is emphasized in recent publications of the AACSB. For these reasons, and because high standards of teaching at Rensselaer are part of our culture, there are many opportunities for students to learn and develop their teaching skills. 

To further broaden student development students attend seminars presented by prospective faculty members, current faculty, visiting faculty, and executives from participation in academic conferences, and meetings with business practitioners. In addition, students can participate in a journal club where current articles are informally critiqued. Several social events are held throughout the year to encourage cooperative activity among Ph.D. students and to build social and information networks that will be helpful in the future for assisting in job searches and developing research programs

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Admission

1. How Can I Learn if Lally is Right for Me?
Come visit our campus!
We welcome the opportunity to host you at our beautiful campus in Troy, New York! The small-town environment is near some of the country’s most amazing attractions--the Adirondack Mountains sit only 30 miles north and offer a wide variety of outdoor activities, and New York City is only a two-hour train ride down the scenic Hudson River.We are also within driving distance of Boston and Montreal.
We offer a wide range of opportunities for you to see the campus and learn more about Lally, including class visits, campus tours, open houses, and a host of interesting speakers and exciting events.To Learn More: Representatives from the Lally School are available to consult with you regarding your interest in the MBA Program, and to help you learn more about the application process.Please contact us at lallymba@rpi.edu, or 518.276.6565.
2. Where do I apply?
You can fill out the application here:Admissions.
With this, you must provide 2 essays and your CV (resume) and supply the contact information for 2 recommenders (faculty preferred, but supervisors will also be accepted). Once you have submitted the application, you must request official transcripts proving your Bachelor’s degree that must be sent from the college to RPI:Graduate Admissions, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, NY12180
3. What are the Requirements?
MBA Application
2 Essays
GMAT scores*
Undergraduate Transcripts
2 letters of recommendation from professors and employers
TOEFL scores for International applicants (2757)
An interview with Lally MBA Admissions
4. What is the deadline for fall 2010 application?
June 15th
5. Does Lally require the GMAT?
We will accept the GMAT or GRE. Please do not send us an email asking if you will be admitted based on your scores. We strive to compile a diverse group of individuals with a range of scores. If we feel you should retake the test, we will notify you and put you on a waitlist until the new score is received. You can find out where to take the GMAT here: http://www.mba.com/mba.
6. Who is required to take the TOEFL?
It is a requirement of all students who do not have a U.S. Bachelor’s degree. Exceptions are made to students from Australia, Canada and the U.K.
7. What are the tuition and fees?
Fees and tuition costs can be found here: Lally School
8. Does Lally offer scholarships?
We offer financial aid (scholarship) for a portion of the full-time MBA tuition based on merit, but it does not include additional aid for housing, books, fees and living expenses.
We also have fellowships for full-time MBA students. One is for students whose emphasis is in manufacturing.  The Herman Fellowship is for domestic women with an interest in entrpeneurship.
We support veterans through the Yellow Ribbon program and the GI Bill.
Our largest full-time MBA scholarship is through the Lally Innovation Competition: scholarships.
 9. What is the difference between an MS degree and an MBA?
The MS programs are one year (30 credits), and are designed to enhance your learning in a specific area of knowledge.  We offer three MS options:
1.Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship
2.Financial Engineering and Risk Analytics
3.General Management with the option of focusing in a functional area, e.g., operations.
At this time there is no financial aid available for MS students.
All of these options to specialize are also available in the MBA program. The MBA program offers a broader education in business fundamentals, in addition to a specific focus, allowing for a diverse and comprehensive educational program. A variety of student services are available to our MBA students, and, as a result of their degree from the Lally School, possess exceptional career potential. The full-time MBA program offers a variety of funding mechanisms including financial aid based on merit, privately funded scholarships, and an opportunity to compete for a scholarship through the Lally Innovation Competition.
10. What is the difference between the MBA program, Evening MBA and Executive MBA program?
The Executive MBA is a 17-month, 48-credit program for working professionals who are currently in an executive position. Classes are taught all day on Friday and Saturday only every other week. Limited financial aid is available for the EMBA.
The Evening MBA program is designed for working professionals. This is a 51-credit program that can be completed on a part-time basis in 2-4 years. There is no financial aid available for part-time students.
The Full-time MBA program is 51 credits, with the flexibility to customize around your career goals. This program can be completed in as little one calendar year. Financial aid is available.
11. Who can I contact to get more information?
Gabriela Sheehan, Assistant Director of MBA/MS Admissions: 518.276.6496 /sheehg3@rpi.edu.
Laureen Beach, Program Director, Executive MBA: 518.276. 3679 / beachl@rpi.edu.

 
U.S. News & World Report Ranked Lally in #27 in Entrepreneurship  U.S. News’ Business School Specialty Rankings are based on ratings by business school Deans and Directors from the 426 master’s programs accredited by AACSB.


Business Week Specialty Rankings Put Lally #7 in Ethics, #7 in Calculus, #9 in Sustainability, and #12 in Quantitative Methods in their Undergraduate Business Specialties:  Best of the Best.”  Business Week surveyed thousands of business majors at more than 100 schools about how well their schools teach standard academic specialities.  Students ranked programs on a scale of 1 to 5 for 12 different specialty areas, including—for the first time—Sustainability—where Lally made the top 10!  Lally, one of the smallest programs surveyed, with one of the smallest average class sizes, ranked #36 overall among the Top Undergraduate Business Programs, and #21 for academic quality.Business Week - Lally #36 overall in Top Undergraduate Business Programs, and #21 for academic quality.


Entrepreneur Magazine’s MBA Student Survey Ranked Lally in the Top 15 B-schools in Operations in its "Student Opinion Honors for Business Schools"  The rankings come from a national survey of 19,000 MBA students by The Princeton Review.   The Student Opinion Honors survey reports across six categories:  Accounting, Finance, General Management, Global Management, Marketing, and Operations. 



The Lally School of Management & Technology

The Lally School of Management & Technology, founded in 1963, is the business school of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Established in 1824, Rensselaer is the oldest technological university in the United States.

Lally is dedicated to developing technically sophisticated business leaders who can guide organizations in integrating technology for new products, new markets and new systems. Lally’s programs focus on the strategic management of technology and on creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship, by building on Rensselaer’s leadership in science and engineering.

Lally offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in management, doctoral programs in management and technology and an executive MBA program. Located in New York’s Tech Valley, Lally offers a growing portfolio of collaborative programs with enterprises and academic institutions in the Indian sub-continent, China, Europe and the Middle East. Lally’s graduates become part of the network of more than 90,000 successful Rensselaer alumni worldwide. 

The Lally School is uniquely positioned to educate leaders for the global, technology driven marketplace of the 21st century. Lally students acquire the tools and skills to formulate effective strategies for decision-making in tomorrow’s complex and dynamic business climate. Lally’s mission is clearly an ambitious one. Students who choose the Lally School do so because they are drawn to the innovative approach, working on frontiers of business and technology. In fact, the content and structure of the Lally curriculum is designed to educate individuals who are agile and creative problem solvers prepared to tackle 21st century business challenges.

The Lally School delivers high-quality business education in one of the most personalized classroom settings of all the top MBA programs. Of the best MBA programs eligible for ranking by Business Week, Lally’s program ranked #34 in top undergraduate business programs overall.

For more detailed information on the Lally School of Management & Technology and to complete an online application please visit: http://www.lallyschool.rpi.edu/