Teaching

 Current Courses

  • Undergraduate Seminar Course, Cross-Listed with the School of Science and Engineering, To Be Taught Fall Semester 2025

    What is the good life? What does that mean for you personally, and in society overall, in a world defined by technology and innovation? How do we define and measure worthwhile progress? Who prospers and who gets hurt? This course will address these and other core questions alongside insights from technologists, religious leaders, innovators, and ethicists throughout history. We will address specific technological questions involving artificial intelligence, bioinnovation (genetic engineering and computer-human interfaces), energy and climate, social media, weapons and war, space exploration, and more. We will also explore what it looks like to form a good team and a good company to create this good future and how such a future impacts our career choices. This course is neither triumphalist nor defeatist about innovation; instead, students will sit with the questions, test their assumptions, reflect on ancient wisdom, and debate all sides in pursuit of a better future “Not For Oneself, But For One’s Own.”

  • Undergraduate Seminar Course

    Taught Fall and Spring Semesters, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025

    In this two-semester course, students will develop an understanding of the resources, strategies, and management skills required to launch a new business. Working out of the Lepage Center’s Student Venture Incubator, you will have the opportunity to take an idea from its earliest inception to analyze potential product-market fit. Throughout this course, you and your team will work on your new venture by developing your business model and business strategy; creating financial, marketing, sales, and hiring analyses; developing your founding documents and policies; setting up your chart of accounts; and developing a new venture pitch.

  • Undergraduate Seminar Course: Freshman TIDES

    Taught Fall Semester, 2022, 2023, and 2024 and Spring Semester 2025

    In this course, students will be given a behind the scenes look at the entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Orleans –the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts and what needs to happen to have a vibrant startup community that is equitable, accessible, and collaborative. From local entrepreneurs to community partners to support organizations to investors and more, this course will bring together some of the most important stakeholders in the New Orleans entrepreneurial ecosystem. We will also leverage our data from the Greater New Orleans Startup Report, hearing from our very own Lepage Center to present an in-depth overview of the current state of the early stage business economy in New Orleans.

  • Undergraduate Lecture Course

    Taught Spring Semester, 2023, 2024, and 2025

    Students in this course review fifteen business cases. The cases are supplemented with interviews of visiting CEOs, investors, and other business executives. The class explores problems and opportunities encountered in the search, evaluation and acquisition of new, as well as ongoing, ventures. Students will further develop analytical skills in finance, accounting, business analysis, management and marketing that they have acquired in other courses. Brainstorming sessions will challenge and improve innovative thinking while assignments and presentations hone business communication skills. With interactive and dynamic classroom discussions, you will learn how to address the challenges of entrepreneurship head-on, which will prepare you for not only a more entrepreneurial career but also a more entrepreneurial mindset in how you think about many of life’s choices.

“I feel as though at all times he has a goal and desire to watch his students succeed and grow.”

“Honestly, this is the best class I have taken at Tulane. I have never been in a class that is as hands-on and is a ‘real world’ as this one ... Not only is every assignment and exercise developed to help evaluate us and teach us, but each is also designed to actually further our progress toward all of our goals of actually seeing our projects come to life … I am not joking, this is the most helpful class I have ever taken and every time I talk to my friends or family about it (which I have never done for any other class by the way), they all ask me an unreasonable amount of questions because they all think it is so interesting, and it really is.”

 

“Best class I've taken at Tulane”

“This class had helped shape what I want to do in life which is a credit to the teacher as well as the class. Awesome experience and love the change of pace from lecture to reading a book to having guest lectures from real time entrepreneurs in the field today.”

 

“Professor Lalka is outstanding!”

“He is honest and passionate about what he is teaching. He defines being innovative and encourages us to think outside the box. He has mastered the perfect balance of encouraging us that we can do it but also coaching us to know that we still have a lot left to learn.”

“Teaching style is great - most engaging class I’ve taken at Tulane.”

“Calling on a student to answer a question, then asking them ‘why’ or to think deeper is the best. Again, the lessons learned, mock investor and board room meetings are amazing - nothing like some real-world ‘you missed this part’ or ‘this does not make sense’ feedback.”

 

“This is the best class at Tulane I have taken.”

“The class so far has gone above and beyond - it is not just learning concepts, it is applying it to a business you want to plan. What I have learned and done in this class have helped me apply other concepts I have learned in my other management and finance courses.”

“We aren't living in the typical slow-adapter world of typical college classes.

This class is clearly worthy of attention and respect. Everything we do seems like we are on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the world right now.

I think the most critical aspect of that is that Lalka truly understands what education should be in today’s world.”

This is and will be my favorite class at Tulane forever.

I've learned not only about entrepreneurship, but a variety of life lessons that I will take with me. I was struggling before this class on where and how to start a business, but leaving this semester I'm more confident than I've ever been.

I feel I've created a long-lasting relationship with Rob, and I haven't been able to say that about many teachers at Tulane. Rob has crafted a magical classroom atmosphere that encourages collaboration and open mindedness. I could not recommend this class more. I've never really had a class at Tulane that has pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me actually apply concepts and learn from my mistakes. Although it's been an extremely challenging class, that challenge has come with some great reward.

Thank you for such an amazing semester!!!

 Prior Courses

  • Tulane University, MBA, PMBA, MME, MANA Online Seminar Course

    The primary objective of this elective course is to teach students to apply the skills learned in their functional area courses toward the goal of understanding entrepreneurship, becoming an entrepreneur, and launching a new venture. Working in teams, students learn to assess, plan, finance, launch, manage, and harvest a scalable, high-growth new venture.

  • Tulane University, MBA, PMBA, MME, MANA Seminar Course

    This course is an elective in the full-time MBA and a required class in the Professional MBA Program. It is available to students in other programs, including Masters of Management in Energy and Masters of Analytics (Business and Big Data). The course serves as a capstone experience, building from MBA students’ previous coursework, work experience, knowledge, and skills. Working directly with the founders of a new venture, students learn about the entrepreneurial process first-hand and address in real-time the issues faced by real, high-growth potential start-ups as they try to gain traction in the market and with investors. Special focus is given to increasing understanding of business models, competition, market demand, strategy and other aspects of analyzing complex startup problems

  • Tulane University, Undergraduate Lecture Course

    Pursuing a career in entrepreneurship – from conducting analysis for a VC firm, to working for a startup accelerator or incubator, to launching your own venture – has become an increasingly attractive path for business school graduates. This course teaches students how to: 1. How to evaluate business models from the perspective of a variety of key stakeholders; 2. How to best approach valuation and conducting due diligence on new ventures, based on the latest guidance from leading venture capital funds; and 3. How to seek equity funding and the mechanics of new venture equity funding.

    Pursuing a career in entrepreneurship – from conducting analysis for a VC firm, to working for a startup accelerator or incubator, to launching your own venture – has become an increasingly attractive path for business school graduates. This course teaches students how to: 1. How to evaluate business models from the perspective of a variety of key stakeholders; 2. How to best approach valuation and conducting due diligence on new ventures, based on the latest guidance from leading venture capital funds; and 3. How to seek equity funding and the mechanics of new venture equity funding.

  • Tulane University, Executive Education, in partnership with Xavier University and the New Orleans Business Alliance, supported by JPMorgan Chase

    InvestNOLA helps to scale eligible minority-owned and women-owned small businesses with high-growth potential. This executive education course addressed business expansion, sustainable growth, cost analysis, fiscal management, human resource management, and strategic planning.

  • Tulane University, Executive Education, in partnership with the University of California Berkeley Law School and the National Venture Capital Association

    VC University provides practical training on venture finance for entrepreneurs, investors, attorneys and others interested in emerging company finance. The Lepage Center and the Freeman School’s Executive Education Program partnered with Cal Berkley Law and NVCA to develop this three-day executive training.

  • Tulane University, Executive MBA

    Executive MBA elective course that addressed creating effective internal processes to identify management approaches to address ways in which businesses, or even industries, might be disrupted.

  • Loyola University New Orleans

    NASA’s Stennis Space Center and Loyola University in New Orleans announced on November 19, 2015, a partnership agreement to educate young entrepreneurs and tomorrow's industry leaders about the benefits of NASA research and development and the use of NASA intellectual property in commercial applications.

  • Loyola University New Orleans

    This MBA course provides an outlook on the very latest thinking on venture capital in the United States, combined with actively being involved in early-stage entrepreneurship in New Orleans by conducting due diligence on early-stage companies through a partnership with the New Orleans

  • Middlebury Institute of International Studies

    This two-credit graduate level course covered the entrepreneur / investor landscape, the diligence and investment process, and strategies for enterprise growth and support in emerging markets. This course helped prepare Frontier Markets Scouts Program students as they pursued field placements with venture capital organizations around the world

“This has been my favorite course by far and definitely made taking the business major worth it.”

“This is my favorite class I have ever taken at Tulane. I learned more in two semesters with professor Lalka than I have in the rest of my time at Tulane. This course doesn't just prepare you for the real world, it gives you a crash course. Professor Lalka's lectures are meaningful and important, and he cares about his students.”

 

“Lalka is an AMAZING professor and such a gift for Tulane. This class makes being a business student worth it and is such an amazing experience. We have learned so much and are doing things with real world potential. Also he genuinely cares about his students.”

“This course has probably been the most valuable course I have taken at Tulane. I feel confident coming out of this course that I have a better understanding of all the processes that go into building a business. Additionally, Professor Lalka has been very helpful with providing feedback on my venture and creating new connections that will help my in career.”

“This course was the crowning achievement of my academic experience at Tulane. I feel very privileged to have gotten this education.”

“This class taught me more about the real world than any other during my time at Tulane. I feel more prepared for interviews, business presentations, and how to interact in a professional setting. I feel as if it has provided real insight into what being an entrepreneur is like.”

"Prof Lalka is the first professor I have ever considered as more of a mentor than a burden. He is extremely motivating and will literally do anything and everything to help his students. Anytime I have a question or need guidance, he makes time to talk and help. The way he teaches us and pushes us makes me want to work harder and makes me want to learn more from him.”

“It was an amazing course that felt more real life then any other class I have taken!”

“This was my favorite class I have taken at Tulane. The things learned in this class have been incredibly valuable for my life moving forward and my job search. I also have really figured out what I want to do with my career going forward through this class. Cannot recommend this course or Professor Lalka enough!“

“Professor Lalka is the best professor I’ve had here at Tulane. He expects a lot from his students, but in a crazy motivating way that shows you he doesn't only want you to succeed in the course, but in other areas of business and in the real world as well. He is very responsive to feedback and makes necessary adjustments to the class based on the student's comments, which has really made this new course extremely successful and enjoyable.“

“Rob is the best professor in the entire business school and perhaps Tulane. The word I would use is respect. I respect him a great deal, and he respects each and every one of his students. He knows a lot and has a lot of experience, but never has he made me feel like I am inferior or dumb compared to him. I learned more in this course than most, and I think everyone should take a course with him. It is tough; it is a lot; but it makes you into a better person by year's end. That is powerful, and that is the value of higher education.”