Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

MBA Program Stats

Academics And Programs

Rice Business is home to both the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. Rice Business’ renowned programs empower students to excel in an ever-changing business world. And the research-based curriculum, innovation and help students become the leaders that the world needs.

Supported by world-class faculty and a rigorous curriculum, students learn the skills to lead confidently in a rapidly evolving business world shaped by AI and other emerging technologies. AI is taught throughout the courses all in preparation for using AI in the workplace, guided by faculty whose research tracks how these tools are changing the way businesses make decisions.

All of Rice’s MBA ​programs ​​have a rigorous, STEM-certified curriculum and are nimble enough to adapt to market needs and student interests. ​At Rice ​Business​,​ school is more than in-class academics. Among a sea of electives, students find many experiential offerings interwoven with entrepreneurial thinking. Classroom case studies also allow students to creatively collaborate​, enhance their knowledge and skills​,​ and deepen their understanding of the business world.

Students hone their strategic problem-solving with experiences like the Global Field Experience, built into the core curriculum. As part of the school’s philosophy of adopting a global perspective, students travel abroad with their cohort, take what they learn in the first year of the program, and apply it to short-term projects for organizations and communities in diverse cultural settings. Rice Business also incorporates a global field experience into the curriculum of all of its MBA programs.

Why Students Chose

“I did investment banking recruiting my first semester. The Finance Association at Rice Business did a fantastic job training, prepping and mentoring me to get a banking job. When I started as an intern at the bank, I went to New York for a week. We were training with all these people from different schools, going to different groups in the bank. We were doing some practice problems, and I was like, ‘Wow, we’re actually far ahead of a lot of these other schools and people.’ Rice invests a lot into its students. At other schools, you’d just be a statistic.” Chris Stillwell ’24 

“The community at Rice is unparalleled. It’s teeming with talent, energy and inspiration. The people you meet here will shape your experience and impact your life in unimaginable ways.” Jasper Knighten ’24

From Rice Business

Rice Business is home to the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University in Houston, Texas. We have solidified our position as one of the top business schools in the U.S., doubling MBA enrollment over the past five years. Rice Business combines a tight-knit culture with a rigorous, relevant curriculum that prepares students to lead whatever comes next. With strong pipelines into consulting, banking, energy, and entrepreneurship, our students gain access to leading employers and industries through deep corporate connections and hands-on learning. Rice Business offers over 35 entrepreneurship-specific courses and labs, and hosts the world’s largest and richest graduate student startup competition, maintaining a seven-year streak as the No. 1 ranked school for graduate entrepreneurship (Princeton Review).

To meet the needs of our expanding undergraduate and graduate programs, Rice Business opened Asha and Farid Virani Hall in the summer of 2026. The 112,000-square-foot building features flexible, technology-enabled classrooms, breakout rooms for team-based learning, faculty offices, doctoral research space and event spaces that bring together students, alumni and business leaders. New dining and gathering spaces — including a café, an enclosed atrium and open common areas — will welcome not only the Rice Business community but students from across the university, making Virani Hall a destination for collaboration and connection among students and faculty, and across cohorts.

Virani Hall’s opening also comes as Rice Business continues to earn national recognition for the strength of its academic programs and student experience. Rice Business earned five top-10 rankings in The Princeton Review’s 2027 business school rankings: Best Campus Environment (No. 9), Best MBA for Consulting (No. 8), Best MBA for Finance (No. 7) and Greatest Resources for Minority Students (No. 6). The school also landed the No. 6 national ranking for MBA@Rice, placing it among the nation’s best online MBA programs.

Graduate Programs

Our graduate degree programs include the Full-Time MBA, Professional MBA (Evening, Weekend, Hybrid), Executive MBA, Online MBA, as well as an MD/MBA with Baylor College of Medicine. The Ph.D. in Business attracts candidates aspiring to become faculty in prestigious research universities internationally. Our one-year Master of Accounting (MAcc) program is designed for students with varied undergraduate academic backgrounds and is committed to producing accounting professionals with critical thinking skills and integrity.

Rice Business Executive Education offers seasoned professionals an array of non-degree continued learning options, including open enrollment executive courses, customized leadership development programs, specialized online programs and year-round events that help professionals, executives and organizations pursue sustained growth and success.

We also offer a credit-bearing Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Management. Certificate recipients can apply a majority of the credits to any on-campus Rice MBA program.

Undergraduate Programs

In addition to our graduate degrees, we offer several undergraduate programs. Our undergraduate business major provides students with a robust foundation in leadership and business fundamentals, offers concentrations in finance, management and marketing, and is taught by the same top-notch faculty who teach our MBA programs. The undergraduate business minor is open to any degree-seeking Rice undergraduate student and the entrepreneurship minor, a joint offering with the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing, offers undergraduates experiential and innovative learning opportunities.

Essay Questions For Rice Business

MBA Admissions Essay Questions:

Full-Time MBA, Professional MBA, and Hybrid MBA

Required Short Answer Responses: (100-word limit, each)
Rice Business seeks to have a clear understanding of your career goals upon the completion of your MBA experience.

Response #1: “In 100 words or less, please share your short-term career goals.”
Response #2: “In 100 words or less, please share your long-term career goals.”

Required Creative Essay:
While we know a picture is worth 1000 words, in 500 words or less tell us the story of a photo of your choosing that has significant value in your life experiences. Please feel free to share your photo!

You can complete this essay via a traditional written response (500-word limit) or via a video response (one- to three-minute time limit).

Executive MBA

Required Essay: (750-word limit)
“As you evaluate where you are today, how have your educational, professional and personal endeavors brought you to this point? In addition, please explain how the Rice EMBA is part of your plan for the future.”

Optional Essay: (500-word limit)
If you have any additional information for the admissions committee, or if you wish to clarify any aspect of your application (including breaks in employment, your choice of recommendation providers, your past academic performance, etc.), you may submit an additional, optional essay.