The Rice Business Online MBA Capstone course gives students the opportunity to apply the functional knowledge, critical decision-making frameworks and strategic thinking skills gained in the program to solve a complex, real-world managerial problem. Student teams work with executives from not-for-profit, community-based organizations over the course of the term to develop actionable solutions to strategic challenges.
Rice Business MBA | Online
MBA@Rice, the STEM-designated online MBA program from Rice Business, brings Rice University’s tight-knit community and data-driven business education to professionals around the world. The online MBA curriculum is designed to help you develop advanced business skills and find creative solutions to today’s complex challenges.
About the program
- Diversified electives: Learn about marketing and strategy, finance, and entrepreneurship.
- Tight-knit professional network: Take part in exciting opportunities, meet with accomplished leaders, and grow your global network.
- Practical education: Gain real-world entrepreneurship skills and apply them to your work, thanks to integrations within the curriculum.
About Rice Business
The tight-knit community at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University values connection over size, and its faculty members take pride in educating future global leaders. Located in Houston, Rice Business offers innovation, culture, diversity, and a global learner community.
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Curriculum
MBA@Rice empowers you to create an academic experience that aligns with your specific interests. Along with core courses and field experience opportunities, you have the flexibility to customize the curriculum to help you meet your career goals and make a difference in your organization.
Students are required to complete 54 credits consisting of:
Core Courses (36 credits)
Electives and Focus Areas (14.5 credits)
Field Experiences (4.5 credits)
Electives and Focus Areas
The MBA@Rice curriculum can be customized to meet your specific career goals, without the usual requirements associated with concentrations or specializations. With 13.5 elective credits, you’ve got the flexibility to make the MBA program your own.
Starting in the second year of the program, you will choose from a range of elective courses that focus on building specialized skills in areas such as finance, marketing, strategy and entrepreneurship. You can choose electives that align with your specific interests, go with a general management approach or choose one of the seven career or industry focus areas below:
- Corporate strategy: Devise strategies that help the bottom-line and provide a competitive advantage.
- Corporate finance: Hone financial analysis and broaden your managerial skills.
- Investment management: Gain knowledge invaluable for mastering derivative securities and portfolio management.
- Marketing: Learn quantitative skills and frameworks to understand and discover consumer insights.
- Entrepreneurship: Delve further into entrepreneurial skills through learning in the Entrepreneurship Lab.
- Energy: Master the management and entrepreneurial skills you need as the energy industry continues evolving.
- Healthcare: Complement general business management courses with the skills you need to drive change in the healthcare industry.
Admissions
Rice Business is looking for learners with ambition, authentic voices, and diverse perspectives. Your application is an opportunity to allow the admissions department to learn about you, why you fit in, and how you can achieve your career goals with an MBA from Rice Business. To complete an online application, you will need to submit:
A self-recorded video interview
GMAT/GRE not required for qualified MBA@Rice candidates
All previous college or university transcripts
A résumé
Letters of recommendation
Capstone core course
Frequently asked questions
Is the program accredited?
The Jones Graduate School of Business is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Rice University is accredited by the Association to Advance College Schools of Business (AACSB).
What career services will I have access to within the online program?
Online MBA students have access to the Rice Business Career Development Office and a team of career coaches who help define career goals and build personalized development plans. Support includes one-on-one coaching, résumé and LinkedIn reviews, interview preparation, and digital modules on job search strategies and professional branding. Students can also participate in virtual workshops and networking events with peers and alumni. Through the Rice Business Owl Careers platform, online students can explore job opportunities, schedule advising sessions, and access a wide range of career resources.
What networking opportunities are available?
Learners have the opportunity to attend two Intensive Learning Experiences (ILE) during which they get to network with peers, faculty members, and other industry experts. The Rice Residential Core, for example, is a four-day ILE held on campus in Houston, Texas; learners get to participate in this ILE at the end of their first or second term. The Global Field Experience, on the other hand, is a seven-day ILE that takes place in global business hubs.
How is the program structured? Are there semesters?
The MBA@Rice program is on a quadmester schedule, with four terms per year that start in January, April, July, and October. Each term is 11 weeks long.
What focus areas are available?
The program offers seven focus areas: corporate finance, corporate strategy, investment management, marketing, entrepreneurship, energy, and healthcare. Focus areas are merely designed to help learners narrow their focus into different business topics that may be used to inform their postgraduate career aspirations.