The Lally School is focused on management and technology and is built on the conviction that for all firms in all future markets, technology is the source of sustainable competitive advantage. Our mission is to develop technically sophisticated business leaders who are prepared to guide their organizations in the integration of technology for new products, new businesses, and new systems. The Lally School has a vision to be pre-eminent among educational institutions in integrating management and technology for innovation and value creation in the global marketplace. The values that the Lally School hold are:

• Passion for lifelong learning;
• Dedication to the idea that management and technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship are critical to improving the quality of life;
• Vibrant relations with our business partners;
• Rigor and relevance in intellectual contributions and business practice;
• Highest standards of ethics, responsibility, and respect for individuals;
• Creative solutions through interdisciplinary teamwork; and
• Commitment to serving our stakeholders.

Organization   The Lally School of Management and Technology is an interdisciplinary group focused on the integration of management and technology. Its education and research activities emphasize new business and product development, management systems, and financial technology. The Lally School is comprised of two departments, one based in Troy, the other in Rensselaer at Hartford. The Lally School also includes the Albert W. Lawrence Office of Executive Programs, which administers executive development courses for working managers, the Environmental Management Program, and two research centers: the Paul J. ’69 and Kathleen M. Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship at Rensselaer and the Center for Financial Technology.

Programs   The Lally School provides a full range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs that focus on management and technology and that draw heavily on Rensselaer’s strengths in engineering, science, technology, and entrepreneurship.

The undergraduate degree program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Management has concentrations in financial systems, information systems, marketing systems, and technological entrepreneurship. Other concentrations are available in consultation with the management undergraduate academic adviser. Graduate programs offered by the Lally School are the Master of Business Administration (MBA), the Executive MBA, the Master of Science in Management, the Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy, and the Ph.D. in Management. In addition, the School offers undergraduate minors for students majoring in other fields. Dual degrees with the Schools of Engineering and Science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are encouraged. Concentrations in the MBA include product development, technological entrepreneurship, electronic business, financial technology, information systems, environmental management, and production and operations management.

Management and Technology Focus   The Lally School and all its programs are based upon three core principles:

• Technology is a primary source of competitive advantage in all sectors of the economy.
• The ability to convert technology to competitive advantage is a function of managerial practice.
• The conventional style of business education, isolated from technology, is becoming obsolete.

A new paradigm of business education, in which management and technology are blended together, is required.

Educational Methods   In its programs, the Lally School strives for a balance between theory and practice, and between rigor and relevance. The programs place heavy emphasis on the application of knowledge through team-based projects.

Areas of Advanced Research and Study

Faculty of the Lally School pursue research primarily in four broad areas of management and technology: technological entrepreneurship, new product development, electronic business, and financial technology. The School also houses growing programs in environmental management and policy and management and technology in China.

Technological Entrepreneurship   By technological entrepreneurship, we mean the process of converting technical ideas to new products and businesses, in startup ventures and established firms. This is the primary research focus of more than 10 faculty, actively engaged in collaborative, multidisciplinary projects. The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship is the focal point for scholarship in entrepreneurship and serves as a bridge between this and the Rensselaer Incubator and Tech Park. The incubator houses 35 startup companies and serves as a living laboratory for our students and faculty.

New Product Development   Most academic research in this arena concentrates on understanding the management processes that lead to the development of successful new products. The recent work of faculty involved in this research stream at the Lally School focuses on how managers in medium and large organizations manage radical, breakthrough innovations and how those practices compare with those associated with new product development of an incremental, continuous improvement nature.

Electronic Business (E-Business)   This area examines how information technology, especially the Internet and the World Wide Web, is transforming the theory and practice of management. Of particular interests are topics that relate to supply chain management, business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing, and internal organizational capabilities. We adopt an interdisciplinary approach for researching new business models and the issues that present challenges and opportunities for faculty in IT, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and innovation.

Financial Technology   Financial technology is an emerging field of scholarship and practice that combines the traditionally distinct disciplines of finance, information technology, and modeling. It takes form in three, relatively distinct domains of application:

• The impact of technology on financial institutions, financial markets, and corporate financial management.
• The financing of new technological ventures and high technology (i.e., rapidly growing capital and R&D intensive) firms.
• The application of mathematical modeling to finance, often referred to as computational finance or financial engineering.

Environmental Management and Policy (EMAP)   The Environmental Management and Policy (EMAP) concentration provides a set of four core courses that link strategic concerns of business with environmental management and planning. The business integration of environmental, strategy, and sustainable development initiatives are now a concern of senior management. Their stakeholders represent a cross section of economic, environmental, and social interests. The past corporate isolation of environmental management as a cost center beholden to government regulations—and sustainable economic development as a fringe issue—are giving way to a more strategic approach on how to create and protect business value from environmental opportunities.

Management and Technology in China   This is an emerging activity, focused on developing an understanding of management and technology practices appropriate to Chinese conditions. The program includes the Sino-U.S. MBA program, field-based research on doing business in China, and technology transfer activities.

Faculty

Professors—Troy

Baron, R.A.   Ph.D. (University of Iowa); organizational behavior, entrepreneurship (Interim Dean; Dean R. Wellington ’83 Professorship in Management).
Berg, D.   Ph.D. (Yale University); management of technological organizations, policy issues of research and development in the service sector (Institute Professor of Science and Technology).
Haddock, J.   Ph.D. (Purdue University); modeling of production and service systems including simulation and optimization techniques.
Judd, G.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); strategy, materials engineering.
Norsworthy, J.R.   Ph.D. (University of Virginia); economics, business economics.
Paulson, A.S.   Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute); operations research and statistics, risk management and investment analysis (Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Professor in the Technologies of Management).
Simons, G.R.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); industrial and management engineering, production and operations management, project planning and control, manufacturing systems.

Clinical Professors—Troy

Abetti, P.A.   P.E., Ph.D. (Illinois Institute of Technology); management of technology, international business development and strategic planning, entrepreneurship.
Hughes, G.   Ph.D. (Princeton University); strategy, entrepreneurship, information technology.
Stitt, W.   MBA (Harvard University); entrepreneurship, strategy.
Xu, S.   Ph.D. (Tianjin University, Tianjin, China); decision sciences, quantitative methods (Director, Sino-U.S. Management and Technology MBA Program).

Associate Professors—Troy

Durgee, J.F.   Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh); marketing research and advertising.
Goldenberg, D.H.   Ph.D. (University of Florida); corporate finance and investments.
Leifer, R.P.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); organizational behavior and organizational design, management information systems.
McDermott, C.   Ph.D. (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill); manufacturing strategy, operations management.
Peters, L.S.   Ph.D. (New York University); science and technology policy.
Phan, P.   Ph.D. (University of Washington); strategic management, entrepreneurship (Warren H. Bruggeman ’46 and Pauline Urban Bruggeman Distinguished Associate Professor).
Piasecki B.   Ph.D. (Cornell University); environmental management and policy, hazardous-waste management, analysis of environmental executive decisions.
Rice, M.P.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); entrepreneurship, new ventures.
Sanderson, S.   Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh); international business, manufacturing policy, and new product development.
Veryzer, R.   Ph.D. (University of Florida); marketing and consumer behavior.

Clinical Associate Professors—Troy

Miccio, R.   J.D. (Albany Law School); law, ethics.
Triscari, T.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); information systems.

Assistant Professors—Troy

Burke, R.J.   Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts, Amherst); statistics, operations research, quality management.
Jahng, J.J.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee); information systems.
Hollingworth, D.   Ph.D. (University of Minnesota); operations management.
Markman, G.D.   Ph.D. (University of Colorado, Boulder); entrepreneurship and strategic management.
Nambisan, S.   Ph.D. (Syracuse University); information systems.
O’Connor, G.   Ph.D. (New York University); marketing, product management.
Ravichandran, T.   Ph.D. (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale); management information systems.
Sarin, S.   Ph.D. (University of Texas, Austin); new product development, high-technology marketing, e-business (Irene and Robert Bozzone ’55 Professorship of Management and Technology).

Clinical Assistant Professors—Troy

Boylan, R.L.   Ph.D. (Duke University); accounting and economics.
Dickinson, L.B.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); management information systems.
McDonald, R.A.   Ph.D. (University at Albany, SUNY); organization behavior and human resource management.
Morgan, I.W.   MBA (University of Chicago); finance.
Murtagh, J.P., Jr.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); investment analysis and financial services.
Nelson, M.   Ph.D. (University at Albany, SUNY); information systems.
Robbins, R.W.   M.S. (Binghamton University); accounting, information systems implementation.
St. John, W.C.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); accounting, finance.
Sands, R.   M.S., MBA (University at Albany, SUNY); organizational behavior and human resource management.
Silvester, K.   Ph.D. (University of Maryland); accounting.

Clinical Professors—Hartford

Bragaw, L.K., Jr.   D.B.A. (George Washington University); policy and strategy, ethical and social issues.
Emiliani, M.L.   Ph.D. (Brown University); supply networks, lean business management, technology management, operations.
Kelly, L.J.   Ph.D. (University of Connecticut); statistics, operations, management engineering.
Luddy, W.J., Jr.   J.D. (University of Connecticut); ethics, social and legal issues; policy and strategy.
Schroth, P.W.   S.J.D. (University of Michigan); international finance, financial markets.
Slangen, G.H.   Ed.D. (University of Massachusetts); human resources.

Clinical Associate Professors—Hartford

Burke, D.F.   Ph.D. (The Fielding Institute); human resources.
Fransson, M.C.   MBA (Dartmouth College); marketing, financial services.
Gingerella, L.W., Jr.   MBA (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); accounting, finance.
Grasso, L.P.   Ph.D. (Boston University); accounting, finance.
Jenkins, F.C.   MBA (University of Pennsylvania); finance, acquisitions and mergers.
Jordan, C.W.   Ph.D. (Visiting) (Walden University); environmental, safety and health management.
Klein, H.E.   D.B.A. (University of Kentucky); accounting, finance.
Maffeo, G.J.   Ph.D. (Bowling Green State University); communications, human resources.
Maleyeff, J.   Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts); statistics, operations, management engineering.
Rainey, D.L.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); environmental management, operations, technology management, new product development.

Clinical Assistant Professors—Hartford

Arnheiter, E.D.   Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts); manufacturing, operations, quality management.
Chase, R.   Ph.D. (University of Southern California); marketing, promotion strategy.
Friedman, S.   D.D.S. (New York University); managed care systems, human resources.
Ilovici, I.   Ph.D. (University of Connecticut); management information systems.
Mendoza, R.A.   M.A.B.A. (University of Michigan); management information systems, e-business.
Olson, P.W.   MBA (Roth Graduate Center, Long Island University); international, marketing.
Sego, T.A.   Ph.D. (University of Texas, Austin); marketing, communications.
Sharma, P.   M.A. (University of Nebraska, Lincoln); marketing, e-business.
Stodder, J.P.   Ph.D. (Yale University); economics, international.

Adjunct Faculty—Troy

Barnes, J.A.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); communication.
Block, Z.   B.S. (City College of New York); clinical professor of management at New York University Stern School of Business; corporate entrepreneurship.
Jacquin, J.   MBA (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); accounting information systems, auditing.
Johnson, H.   A.B. (Dartmouth College); financial markets and analysis.
Mahone, J.   B.A. (Howard University); entrepreneurship.
MacLain, J.W.   B.S. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); information systems administration and integration.
McClure, K.G.   Ph.D. (University of Central Florida); international finance, entrepreneurship.
Mitchell, D.B.   J.D. (Vermont Law School); corporate law, taxation.
Rabino, S.   Ph.D. (New York University); marketing, international business.
Rancourt, C.   M.S. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); statistics.
Skinner, P.   M.E. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); managing of environmental technology.
Wright, F.   M.S.E.E. (Naval Postgraduate School); general management, manufacturing operations, international business.

Undergraduate Curricula

The Bachelor of Science program provides a fundamental education in the traditional disciplines of management with a strong emphasis on systems. Courses have been carefully coordinated and linked so that courses in the functional management areas utilize the methodologies introduced in the specialized technical courses while the latter utilize cases and examples that arise in business and industry. The courses in the major all have a focus on how technical tools and new technology can be applied to build competitive strength in businesses. The sequence of courses familiarizes students with the many roles played by a manager in our rapidly changing technological society.

Undergraduate Management and Technology Curriculum   This curriculum requires a minimum of 124 credit hours and leads to the B.S. in Management. A typical four-year program is described below.

Concentrations and Minors

All management majors are encouraged to complete an approved concentration offered by the Lally School or a minor or dual-major offered by any department at Rensselaer.

Concentrations   All concentrations require three to four 4-credit-hour courses (or equivalent) that are approved by a concentration coordinator or academic adviser. Concentrations are designed to focus on the application of analytical methods and information technology to a field of management. Currently, the concentrations are financial systems, marketing systems, management information systems, and technological entrepreneurship. Other concentrations may be approved in consultation with the management academic adviser. Specific concentrations typically contain the courses listed below:

Minors for the Management and Technology Major   are offered by many departments at Rensselaer. Management majors typically use electives in their program to minor in complementary fields such as communications, computer science, economics, industrial and management engineering, or psychology. However, students can elect to pursue interests in any of the schools at Rensselaer.

Minors in the Lally School of Management and Technology are offered to all undergraduates at Rensselaer. Students may pursue a minor in management or a minor in entrepreneurship. The following minors require a minimum of 16 credit hours that are approved by the designated minor adviser who can approve course substitutions to meet individual student needs.

Management and Technology Minor   The minor in management usually consists of four courses selected from the following:

Entrepreneurship Minor   The minor in entrepreneurship usually consists of the following four courses:

Accelerated Management-Law Program

In cooperation with Albany Law School and Columbia University Law School, Rensselaer offers a unique program leading to the B.S. and Juris Doctor (J.D.) in six years rather than seven. Admission to this program is restricted, with most students admitted as incoming freshmen. Selected applicants must also meet the admission requirements of Albany Law School of Union University. Thus, a prospective management-law student may be able to assure admission to law school prior to beginning an undergraduate career at Rensselaer. Transfer from other Rensselaer curricula to the Accelerated Management-Law program is limited to students who have demonstrated academic excellence.

Although guaranteed admission to Albany Law School is only available to selected incoming freshmen, conditional admission is available to students accepted by Rensselaer who meet specified achievement levels in their undergraduate program. In addition, Rensselaer has established a working relationship with Columbia University Law School that allows an especially gifted management-law student to become a candidate for admission after his or her third year at Rensselaer if the student is nominated by a committee within the Lally School. This has been made possible by Rensselaer’s inclusion in Columbia’s Accelerated Interdisciplinary Legal Education Program (AILE). Management-law students have also applied successfully to such law schools as Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, and the University of Virginia for early admission. The Lally School provides whatever assistance it can for such students.

Undergraduate International Exchange Program

The Lally School has agreements with select foreign institutions for the exchange of a limited number of specially-qualified students. This exchange occurs for one semester in the third or fourth year of undergraduate studies and/or for one semester in the second year of graduate studies. The foreign schools chosen for the exchange program are of high quality in the fields of business education.

Students interested must demonstrate superior academic records, maturity, and in some cases the necessary language capabilities to be selected for the exchange program.

Undergraduate Cooperative Education

Rensselaer’s Cooperative Education Program and the Lally School offer preprofessional work experience for undergraduates. As part of the co-op program, students work one semester and one summer in positions in industry, business, and government. The work plan usually occurs during the junior or senior year. Co-op assignments can sometimes be scheduled to permit the student to graduate with the class in which he or she matriculated. Typical job opportunities, depending on the student’s area of concentration, are in accounting, finance, management systems, and information systems. The co-op program is described in detail in the Student Life section.

For more information on the Undergraduate Management and Technology Program contact sandsr@rpi.edu.

Graduate Programs

Master of Business Administration   The objective of the MBA program is to prepare men and women to become leaders of modern organizations, to innovate in the enterprises they serve, and to advance their own careers. The candidates admitted are people who seek to mobilize technology to solve management problems and bring management insight to organizations.

Master of Science in Management   The M.S. in Management is a specialized program for individuals with a demonstrable focus on their career plans. This program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate work. The specific requirements for the program are developed for an individual student or a specialized audience.

Doctor of Philosophy   Rensselaer’s doctoral program in management is designed to prepare individuals primarily for careers as educators, researchers, and professionals in top-ranked universities and colleges, industry, consulting, or nonprofit organizations. Combining students and faculty interests in the common pursuit of learning, the program encourages interdisciplinary scholarly investigation of management processes and functioning.

Admission Requirements   The Lally School of Management and Technology graduate programs at Rensselaer set stringent requirements for admission to ensure a common base of work habits and skills in fundamental disciplines. The goal is a vigorous regimen of study and stimulating intellectual exchange. Applicants must have demonstrated aptitude for mathematics and be familiar with computing. Undergraduate performance (including academic and extracurricular activities), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) standardized test scores (required for MBA), interests, and motivation are carefully considered by the admissions committee, as is work history for those applying in mid-career. TOEFL standardized test (with a minimum score of 600) is required for all applicants whose native language is not English.

Completed applications are reviewed and decisions are made on a regular basis. Successful applicants are advised of their acceptance with a Certificate of Admission. This specifies the date studies will begin, any financial award from the university, and any conditions attached to acceptance. For a complete application package including the application form and information on financial aid, contact the Graduate Student Services Office, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, NY 12180-3590, (518) 276-6789.

Management & Technology MBA Program   The Lally School offers a 60-credit Management and Technology MBA program to both full-time and part-time students who are graduates of quality undergraduate programs. Students are expected to have several years of work experience. Parttime students are typically employed full-time. All students are required to complete a core curriculum and may choose a concentration.

The full-time Management and Technology MBA (M&T MBA) program is the flagship program of the Lally School. Course modules are offered in formats that provide integration across disciplines and between traditional management and technical areas. The M&T MBA is designed to achieve a dual purpose: (1) the development of technical managers who understand and are able to perform effectively in general management functions, and (2) the development of general managers who understand and are able to interact effectively within the technological environment.

First Year M & T MBA   The first year requirements provide instruction in MBA core areas. The faculty is currently considering a major curriculum reform, and students should be aware that course requirements are subject to change in the future. Typical courses are indicated below.

Second Year M & T MBA   In the second year, students are required to take courses that include the external environment of business, the international aspects of modern organizations, and an integrative strategy sequence, which focus on trends in science and technology that are likely to lead to new classes of products and businesses in decades ahead. Students have the option of participating in the International Management Exchange Program by spending a semester abroad in leading universities in Western Europe and Asia. The typical second year course sequence is:

Waivers   Waivers (without replacement) are limited to a maximum of 12 credit hours except in those programs, such as the Accelerated B.S./MBA Program, where additional waivers are specifically part of the structure of the program for all participating students. A student whose prior academic preparation is substantially equivalent to the content of any required course may request a waiver from the course. Waivers are granted at the discretion of the Lally School, which may waive a course outright, require that a replacement elective be substituted for the course, or that a waiver examination be taken.

A Rensselaer undergraduate who intends to pursue the MBA is advised to consult with the director of the MBA program as early as possible during his or her undergraduate career. Thoughtful planning and curriculum design will benefit the student and the academic program. In addition, graduate students pursuing dual degrees may take advantage of the waiver provision to facilitate academic program planning.

Concentrations   Concentration courses satisfy the elective requirements. A concentration is a 12-credit sequence of related course work that is required for the M.S. and highly recommended for the MBA. The diploma will not list a concentration, nor will the Rensselaer transcript.

Typical concentrations from the Lally School are:

Electronic Business (E-Business)   The advent of the Internet and information technology has transformed the way the world does business. This transformation has penetrated every area of business. Particular attention will be paid to how the introduction of new technologies are changing business models and practices, especially supply chain management, customer relationship management, entrepreneurship, marketing, and sales.

Environmental Management and Policy   This concentration prepares students to analyze environmental issues from a business perspective. Graduates are positioned as business leaders in industry, consulting, government, and public interest organizations. As environmental excellence is integrated within the traditional concerns of business—in product development, manufacturing, marketing, finance, e-commerce, technological entrepreneurship and information systems—the EMAP student will find opportunities in helping the sustainable corporation gain competitive advantage and improve its global reputation.

Financial Technology   This concentration prepares students for a career path in corporate finance functions and for careers in the financial services industries. The special finance problems in high-tech industries are explored as well as the impact of technology on financial markets and the financial manager in modern corporations.

Management Information Systems   This concentration is designed for professionals seeking executive positions responsible for achieving competitive advantage through the effective development in integration of information technology into business functions and processes. The concentration courses use an interdisciplinary approach for the systems analysis, design, development, and integration and evaluation of information technology.

Product Development and Management   This concentration is available to graduate students interested in a career path in new product development or in product management, and is geared towards the special problems associated with managing high-tech products. Students focus their attention on understanding the links between an organization’s design, manufacturing, and marketing efforts for achieving successful product/market development, commercialization, and management throughout the life cycle.

Production and Operations Management   This concentration provides students with an understanding of how product requirements are translated into the organizational requirements, procedures, methods, and resources of manufacturing and service operations. The concentration prepares students for management careers at different levels of manufacturing and service organizations by developing the knowledge necessary to support and add value to the underlying strategic focus of an operating system.

Technological Entrepreneurship   This concentration has been developed for students who have an interest in new venture creation in start-ups and established firms. In addition to a powerful and integrated curriculum, the Entrepreneurship concentration includes significant outof- the-classroom opportunities for interaction with Rensselaer’s highly regarded Incubator Program, Technology Park, Venture Affiliates of RPI, Office of Technology Commercialization, and extensive networks of successful entrepreneurs.

Accelerated B.S. (Engineering or Science)/MBA Program   A limited number of outstanding applicants who meet Rensselaer’s undergraduate admissions requirements and those of the Lally School graduate program can be admitted to a joint program leading to the B.S. in Engineering or Science and the Master of Business Administration in five years. Students from other Schools at Rensselaer will be considered if they have significant technical education or experience.

Students may apply while enrolled at Rensselaer. Admission to the program is highly selective and requires superior scholastic credentials. Students admitted to the program must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.2, achieve a score of 600 or greater on the GMAT, and satisfy the following requirements prior to entering the fifth year:

• A significant technical education that would typically include a B.S. in Engineering or Science, or a technical concentration in management, humanities and social sciences, or architecture.
• Some significant out-of-the-classroom experience that would typically include one or more of the following: a cooperative education (co-op) work experience; an internship; a semester abroad in an international exchange program; or extracurricular leadership responsibilities.

Master of Science in Management

The M.S. in Management is a specialized master’s program requiring a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate work. The specific requirements for the program are developed for an individual student or a specialized audience. The M.S. may be done on a part-time or full-time basis. The criteria guiding the development of an M.S. program are as follows:

• The academic program must be specialized and focus on management and technology. It must not be of a general business nature.
• The academic program must meet the requirements of the Graduate School.
• A Plan of Study must be approved by the director of the program.
• The academic program must include a culminating experience (Culex) typically satisfied by a project, a practicum, or independent research study with the approval of a faculty adviser. The Culex should be taken at the end of the program.

Following are two illustrative M.S. programs:

Distance Learning Master of Science in Management   An M.S. in Management is offered through the Rensselaer Satellite Video Program that is fully delivered to the workplace using distance learning technology. The structure of this program is as follows:

• Management Core

Four courses that provide a background in key areas of management.

* This is a Management topics course.

• Technological Concentration

Four courses that provide a sequence in a technological area.

• Elective
• Culminating Experience

A course or project completed near the end of the student’s program to integrate the student’s educational experiences. Subject to adviser approval.

Master of Science in Management with a Management Information Systems Focus   An M.S. in Management may be taken with an MIS focus. In addition to the four management core, students may take electives in the MIS area. Typical courses include the following:

Dual Master’s Programs   The technological orientation and flexibility of the Management and Technology MBA allow for unique programs leading to two master’s degrees:

• Master of Engineering /MBA with the School of Engineering
• Master of Science/MBA with the School of Science

Joint programs allow a student to complete both master’s degrees in a total of 72 credit hours (an MBA alone is 60 credits). Thirty credits are taken to meet the Master of Engineering or Science degree program, and 42 credits are taken to satisfy the required courses in the MBA program. Because of the graduate work taken toward the M.Eng./M.S., the MBA program waives 12 credits of electives and shares six credits from the other degree program. Two Plans of Study are submitted: 30 credits representing the M.Eng./M.S. degree; and the MBA one listing 42 credits (unique from the other degree program), 12 credits waived and six credits shared from the other degree program. Please see the MBA adviser for more details.

• Master of Science (Science)/Master of Science in Management
• Master of Engineering/Master of Science in Management

Joint M.S. programs with management and engineering or science can be developed that allow the student to study Management and Technology and receive two master’s degrees in 54 credit hours.

It is also possible to pursue the following dual degrees:

• Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy (EMAP)/MBA
• Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy (EMAP) with the School of Engineering

Part-Time MBA/M.S. in Management Programs   The part-time MBA and M.S. in Management programs are designed for students with significant business experience and, in most cases, with full-time employment. The entrance requirements are identical with those for the full-time MBA and M.S. programs. The MBA is a 60 credit program and the M.S. requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. Both include the courses described in the full-time MBA/M.S. programs. These programs also permit students to pursue a concentration.

Special Graduate Programs in Management

Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy   The Environmental Management and Policy program (EMAP) is a 45-credit degree leading to a Master of Science. As a practitioner-oriented professional training degree, the M.S. in EMAP offers a core curriculum that links the strategic concerns of business with environmental management and planning. The EMAP program has received national recognition by the World Resources Institute as one of the top programs of its kind in the country. Two key features—a professional practicum assignment in lieu of a thesis and the incorporation of technical course work in the student’s plan of study— distinguish the EMAP program from others in the field. Students are required to take MBA level management electives to complete their degree requirements.

The business integration of environmental, and strategy and sustainable development initiatives are now a concern of senior management. Graduates are prepared for professional roles as leaders in business, consulting, government, and public interest organizations. As environmental excellence is integrated within the traditional concerns of business—in product development, manufacturing, marketing, finance, e-commerce, technological entrepreneurship, and information systems—the EMAP student will find opportunities in helping the sustainable corporation gain competitive advantage and improve its global reputation. The EMAP degree provides students with insight on the technical complexities, managerial concerns, and issues raised by internal business units and their external stakeholders. As issues of sustainability become global, the organization that exhibits environmental leadership by applying a business perspective to environmental issues, may profit by gaining competitive advantage and protecting their corporate reputation.

A required core curriculum consists of four courses: Environmental Management & Policy, Environmental Disputes Management, Managing Environmental Law, and Management of Environmental Technology. Additional electives include Design for Environment, Managing Energy Issues, Economics of Environmental Management, and Environmental Communications.

Law-MBA Program   Through a joint J.D.-MBA program with Albany Law School of Union University, a student may pursue simultaneously the MBA and J.D. degrees. Through integration of the programs, in which some courses at one institution count toward the degree requirement at the other, the total time required for both degrees is shortened by at least one semester. Interested candidates must apply to and be accepted at both institutions. Additional information concerning the MBA requirements can be obtained from the Lally School. This is a separate and distinct program from the management-law program, but both can be used together if appropriate.

Executive MBA Program (EMBA)   The Lally School offers an Executive Master of Business Administration degree program. EMBA is designed for individuals who already possess significant (more than six years) management experience. Its unique format of meeting alternate Fridays and Saturdays over the course of two academic years, allows students to continue in their normal career activities immediately applying the techniques and ideas learned throughout the program. Taught by Lally School senior faculty, the program offers a technically oriented management curriculum that takes advantage of the Institute’s strengths in scientific and technological education and research. The program is cohesive with each course building upon the other and with all members of an EMBA class taking all courses in the program together during the two year time period. Between the first and second year of the program, the students will have a three-day residency in Washington, D.C. which focuses on government-business relations.

Sino-U.S. Master’s Program in Management and Technology   During the past 6 years, we have initiated several programs focused on developing an understanding of the management and technology practices appropriate to Chinese business conditions. The following programs are conducted in the Lally School at Rensselaer:

• Sino-U.S. MBA in Management and Technology—This program, initiated in 1995, is designed to develop cross-cultural managers for multinational companies operating in China. This two-year fully-accredited MBA includes either Co-op experience or an Internship.
• M.S. in Management and Technology Power Utility Option—A 14-month program designed for technical managers in power utilities who wish to focus on those aspects of a management education that will increase their effectiveness as a utility manager.
• M.S. in Management and Technology Rong Hong Option—A 14-month program in conjunction with United Technologies designed to provide a management education for faculty from technical programs in Chinese universities.
• The Executive Development Program—An intensive four-week program for middle and senior managers designed to introduce the Chinese manager to the U.S. business environment, aid in developing personal contacts, update selected management skills, and learn about U.S. history and culture.
• Sino/U.S. Center for China Enterprises Strategic Studies (SUCCESS)—An on-campus research center dedicated to the analysis of small to medium-sized enterprises operating in China. Activities include study trips to China, hosting visiting professors from China, and supporting doctoral-level research.

Graduate Co-op Experience   The co-op was initiated as an undergraduate program designed to provide real world work experience. Most MBA students enter the academic program with work experience, making a co-op unnecessary.

However, for students changing career direction or for those with no work experience in the United States, a co-op may be an important step in their career strategy. The guidelines for students considering a six-month co-op are: students must have completed their first-year courses first; students may take up to six credits while on co-op; and students must discuss their plan of study effects with their adviser.

Job opportunities are varied, depending on the student’s area of specialization, and are available in business, industry, and government. Lally students have been on co-op assignments at a variety of firms including: General Electric, Pratt and Whitney, Citibank, Texas Instruments, Stratus Computer, Adelphia, KPMG Peat Marwick, BMW Manufacturing Corp, and Cabletron.

Graduate International Exchange Program   The Lally School has agreements with selected institutions for the exchange of a limited number of specially qualified students. This exchange occurs for one semester in the second year of graduate studies. The partner institutions chosen for the exchange program are of high quality in the fields of business education. Students interested must demonstrate superior academic record, maturity, and the necessary language capabilities to be selected for the exchange program.

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program is designed for students with superior abilities and a technical orientation who wish to pursue careers as educators, researchers, or professional specialists. Students are usually accepted for the fall term.

Admission   A prospective candidate who applies for admission to the doctoral program must submit:

• the Rensselaer application including personal history, goal statement, research interests, and other information;
• records of all previous undergraduate and graduate course work;
• scores on either the GMAT or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE);
• at least three reference letters;
• the TOEFL score for students whose first language is not English.

The doctorate in management committee will review the records and make recommendations concerning admissions. A limited number of admissions are made each year.

Core Requirements   Doctoral students in management must demonstrate through courses taken prior to admission or courses within the doctoral program a breadth of knowledge of basic management processes, such as marketing, finance, accounting, and the like. The doctoral adviser and committee will evaluate each student and specify any courses needed to fulfill this breadth requirement.

All doctoral students are required to take four courses in research methodology and a two course sequence in advanced statistical techniques. Since the doctoral degree is research-oriented, the student will be required to complete a research paper as part of the research methods course sequence. By the second year, the student, after consultation with the faculty adviser, normally submits an outline of his or her goals and a Plan of Study. The plan indicates all the courses the student intends to take, including thesis credits, leading to graduation. According to past experience and study, the student can have considerable flexibility in plan development. By the third year the student is expected to complete a field exam.

Area of Concentration and Program Focus   The student will select an area of concentration for his or her advanced studies and research.

Research programs developed through tutorial relationships with faculty cover traditional disciplines such as finance, marketing, and organization, as well as interdisciplinary programs such, as international business, entrepreneurship, environmental management, and new product development. Candidates are encouraged to combine fields, for example entrepreneurship, management of information systems, and the strategic uses of technology. Within the program is an attempt to balance theoretical approaches with empirical studies.

The specific courses to be taken in each area will be selected by the student in consultation with the area adviser and members of the research committee. The student may also petition the doctoral committee for a program of advanced studies and research not included in the above. The faculty in the student’s area of concentration will prepare the field exam, a written examination and/or oral examination in the field.

Typical Program of Study and Student Progress   For information concerning the requirements for a typical program of study, applicants are encouraged to contact the director of Ph.D. programs. Students’ progress will be evaluated yearly by appropriate faculty. One criterion of evaluation will be performance in the required doctoral research methodology courses. A second criterion is successful completion of a field exam. A student who does not satisfy the requirements of the annual evaluations will be terminated from the doctoral program in management.

Admission to Candidacy   Soon after the student has chosen the topic of his or her dissertation, the doctorate in management committee will recommend to the dean of the Lally School a doctoral committee for the student. This recommendation will be based on the student’s desires and objectives within the plan of study.

Before completing 75 credit hours of graduate study, each student will prepare a research proposal consisting of a problem statement, supporting literature, proposed research methodology, and anticipated results. The presentation of this research topic to the academic community, followed by an examining session conducted by, and limited to, the student’s doctoral committee, will comprise the candidacy examination.

A student will be admitted to candidacy upon satisfactory performance on the candidacy examination and meeting the requirements in (a) the core disciplines, (b) management processes, (c) the area of concentration, and (d) preparation of a research paper.

Dissertation   The candidate’s dissertation represents the results of an original investigation and demonstrates capacity for independent research. The dissertation, therefore, is the culmination of doctoral studies.

The candidate’s studies leading to the dissertation will include participation with faculty in research activities. This participation may form the basis of the dissertation topic. Participation in these projects should enable the student to structure, engage in, and report on a research endeavor concerned with management processes, a requirement that must be satisfied prior to the admission to candidacy.

The student will present the results of his or her dissertation research to the Rensselaer community and be examined by his or her doctoral committee. Upon satisfactory completion of this examination (and university requirements), the student will have completed the requirements for the doctoral degree in management.