RPI's Lally School of Management is pleased to announce a new credit sharing policy that creates additional flexibility and efficiency for students seeking to pursue a co-terminal M.S. or MBA degree in a business discipline at RPI.
This policy enables eligible students to apply up to six (6) credits toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Policy Summary
Eligibility
- Applies to all RPI students earning a B.S. degree and matriculating into a Lally M.S. or MBA program.
Students must matriculate into a master’s program at Lally within three years of completing their undergraduate degree at RPI.
Accelerated Master’s at RPI
Students who joined RPI as undergraduates in Fall 2024 or later are eligible for the Accelerated Master's Program (a new version of the Co-Terminal Program) which enables RPI undergraduates to complete their Bachelor’s degree within eight semesters (ten for B. Arch students) with the option to receive an award equal to 50% of their tuition charges during their additional semesters of graduate study (https://financialaid.rpi.edu/student-guide-financial-aid/accelerated-masters-program).
Credit Sharing
- Students may share up to six (6) credits between their undergraduate RPI program and Lally master's program.
Credits must be part of the approved Lally graduate curriculum.
Shared credits will generally be 6000-level MGMT courses required for the graduate degree.
For co-listed 4000/6000-level courses, students must take the graduate-level (6000) version.
Restrictions
- A maximum of six (6) credits may be shared or transferred.
Example: If six credits are shared, no transfer credits may be applied. If three are shared, up to three transfer credits remain allowable.
Shared credits will appear only on the undergraduate transcript but will count toward both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
Shared credits will not count toward the graduate GPA but must be listed on the Graduate Plan of Study.
Program Planning
- Students are encouraged to reserve two free electives during senior year for graduate-level courses. This allows two courses to be applied toward both degrees and provides a smoother path to completing the co-terminal or accelerated master’s degree.
Application Process
- Complete the application for the Lally M.S. or MBA program.
- Submit the application to the Office of Graduate Education (OGE), and, if admitted, meet with an advisor at Lally.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
All RPI students earning a B.S. who matriculate into a Lally M.S. or MBA program within three years of graduation can qualify.
Yes, and with careful planning students may be able to reduce the length of an MS or MBA program by a full semester (e.g., finish a B.S. + M.S. in 9 semesters) by taking 6 shared credits and 9 additional graduate-level credits during their senior year.
Up to six (6) credits. These must be part of the Lally graduate curriculum (typically 6000-level MGMT courses).
Students may share or transfer up to a combined total of six credits. Examples:
- 6 shared credits → 0 transfer credits allowed.
- 3 shared credits → up to 3 transfer credits allowed.
Shared credits appear only on the undergraduate transcript, but they count toward both degree requirements. They will also be noted on the Graduate Plan of Study.
Shared credits do not factor into the graduate GPA.
Students must take the 6000-level graduate version to be eligible for credit sharing with the specific course.
By planning ahead, including by saving free electives, students may take graduate-level courses during their senior year that fulfill both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements, making it possible to complete their co-terminal or accelerated master’s program at Lally more efficiently. For example, an undergraduate student seeking to pursue an MBA could take 6 graduate credits in their senior year and then finish the MBA in two semesters of graduate work by taking two semesters of 15 credits each.
Submit your application to the Office of Graduate Education (OGE) for the Lally M.S. or MBA program and, if admitted, meet with an advisor at Lally.
Undergrdauate students can take up to 20 credits per semester, including shared graduate credits. Graduate students may take up to 16 credits per semester as full-time students.
Additional Questions?
Contact advisors at the Lally HUB for guidance. Email Lally HUB Manager Jackie McPhillips Balcerak with any questions at mcphij@rpi.edu