The school offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Master of Accounting (MAcc), and a Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.), as well as non-degree executive education courses and certificates. The Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University provides an undergraduate major and minor, as well as a minor in entrepreneurship.[1]
The school’s second building is under construction next to McNair Hall, and is expected to open in 2026.
Being located in Houston, one of the most diverse cities in the U.S. and home to the third-most Fortune 500 companies, NASA and the Texas Medical Center, Rice Business has particularly strong connections in healthcare, energy, and entrepreneurship.[2]
The Full-Time MBA is a two-year, on-campus program with a core curriculum in the first year and elective coursework in the second year. Students complete a capstone course and a global consulting experience. The program has consistently been recognized among the top MBA programs for finance and entrepreneurship, including #3 best in finance by Princeton Review (2025) and #1 in graduate entrepreneurship by Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine (2020–2025).[6]U.S. News and World Report also ranks Rice as the #9 best entrepreneurship masters program (2025).[7][8][9]
As of 2023, 80% of Full-Time Rice MBA students had received job offers by graduation, with 76% accepting; within three months post-graduation, 90% had received offers and 87% had accepted positions.[10]
Professional MBA
The Rice Professional MBA (PMBA) is a part-time program designed for working professionals based in Houston. It is offered in two formats: evening classes and alternating weekend classes. Students complete the same core curriculum as the Full-Time MBA program. The PMBA program was ranked #13 among part-time MBA programs by U.S. News & World Report (2025) and #7 by Fortune (2024).[11][12]
The city of Houston
Executive MBA
The Rice Executive MBA (EMBA) is a two-year, part-time program for professionals with significant management experience. Classes meet on alternating weekends on campus. Students typically have at least 15 years of professional experience and five years in leadership roles. The program focuses on strategic leadership and executive decision-making. It was ranked #17 among Executive MBA programs by Fortune (2024).[13]
Online MBA
MBA@Rice is the school’s online MBA program designed for working professionals, started in 2018.[14] The program requires 54 credit hours and includes live online classes and on-campus residencies. It can be completed in approximately 24 months. It was ranked #5 Best Online MBA Program by Poets&Quants (2025) and #7 by Fortune (2024).[15][16]
McNair Hall, home of the Jones Graduate School of Business and Virani Undergraduate School of Business
Hybrid MBA
Founded in 2023, the Hybrid MBA (HMBA) is a 22-month program that blends online coursework with monthly in-person sessions on campus. The program requires 54 credit hours and includes an initial multi-day residency. Students typically have an average of eight years of work experience. Because of its schedule, students do not complete internships, and those pursuing careers in investment banking or consulting are encouraged to consider the Full-Time MBA.[17]
Joint and Dual Degree Programs
The business school offers the following joint degree:
MD/MBA: A five-year program with Baylor College of Medicine integrating medical and business training for leadership roles in healthcare.
Shell Auditorium in McNair Hall
Master of Accounting
The Rice Master of Accounting (MAcc) program is an intensive, one-year program designed to prepare students for the Uniform CPA Exam. The program targets non-accounting undergraduate majors, and conditions students for recruitment with the Big 4 accounting firms. Rice MAcc students are recruited for full-time positions while still completing their studies, with a historical placement rate before graduation of nearly 100%.[18]
Ph.D. in Business
The Rice Ph.D. in business program is designed for individuals pursuing academic careers at research-intensive business schools. Students complete advanced coursework and conduct original research in one of five areas: accounting, finance, operations management, organizational behavior, or strategic management. Graduates typically seek tenure-track faculty positions at universities worldwide.
Initiatives
Rice Business Plan Competition, 2023
Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship is Rice's flagship entrepreneurship initiative based on a strategic alliance among the schools of engineering, science, and business. Since its inception in late 1999, the Rice Alliance has assisted in the launch of over 1,500 start-ups which have raised more than $2.9 billion in funding.[19] The Rice Alliance is host to the Rice Business Plan Competition, the world's largest and richest student startup competition with nearly $3 million in prizes.[19] The Rice Alliance was ranked No. 1 among top university business incubators in 2013 and 2014.[19]
Podcast panelists at Liu Idea Lab
Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (LILIE) is Rice University’s center for entrepreneurship education and co-curricular programming. Founded in 2015 with support from alumnus Frank Liu and his family foundation, the Liu Idea Lab supports students interested in launching ventures or developing entrepreneurial skills across disciplines. The center offers experiential courses, workshops, mentorship, funding opportunities, and a dedicated on-campus lab space.
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