Montclair State University

School of Business Laptop Requirements

As a Business student, you are required to use a computer representing a large part of the time you spend on campus: working on assignments, completing Internet research, mastering hands-on instruction in class, communicating with your instructor or team members electronically, accessing the many instructional resources of BlackBoard, and for a host of other activities as well. Your on-campus computer usage is expected to increase, as your professors put more and more of the instructional information you need online. Ownership of a laptop computer is a requirement for all students majoring in Business Administration at Montclair State University.

• In addition to meeting your need for ready access to a computer, we believe that a laptop may benefit you in other ways:
• Your basic computer skills, office productivity skills, and software applications skills will be improved, making you more employable.
• Your learning will be enhanced, as you will be able to make more effective and flexible use of campus resources for better studying and course preparation, including any time you have available between your classes.

These improved skills, greater efficiency, and time savings may allow you to successfully complete more credit hours per semester than before, which could translate into earlier graduation.

The required laptop should be one meeting very specific minimum specifications.

Even if you might rather wait, you may want to take advantage of this program and purchase a laptop, as the immediate educational advantages should be very real for you, too.

Your ability to benefit from owning a laptop depends on the software you have available, and the availability of software depends on the capabilities of your hardware. For that reason, the laptop specifications are such that your laptop will need to be able to run all the software used in your concentration. There are a number of ways you can get a laptop with the right software.

If you already own a laptop:

• We can recommend a computer service company that will upgrade your laptop (if necessary), and install the required software. You will need to pay the service company for the software, any hardware and labor involved in the upgrade.
• You may buy the upgrades from a commercial retailer (such as Dell, Circuit City, etc.), and either install the upgrades yourself or have it done by the retailer. It will be very important for you to make sure the software is exactly what the School of Business requires, and that your laptop can run it.

If you do not have a laptop, please click here to find information about how to purchase laptop.