Programs on this page primarily provide advanced coursework and a professional component and lead to master's degrees in certain specified disciplines, without a thesis. This page is meant to be a helpful guide to current Rice undergraduates thinking about graduate programs.
Master of Architecture (MArch)
Thesis-based, professional degree program leading to various stages of professional accreditation.
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
The MAT is a non-thesis degree program for students who want to qualify for secondary school teaching following a bachelor's degree. This program offers 3 tracks: (1) a 5 year MAT for Rice undergraduates offered as a 4+1 format, (2) an MAT for new teachers that includes state of Texas teacher certification (full time program), and (3) an MAT for experienced teachers that can be completed with or without principal certification (part time program).
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Offered by the Jones Graduate School of Business, the MBA degree can be obtained via the Full-Time MBA Program, the MBA for Professionals Program, or the MBA for Executives Program.
This program is offered by the JGSB and the George R. Brown School of Engineering, in any of the departments of engineering. This program prepares students to become managers in organizations requiring a high level of technical expertise and management skills.
This program is offered by the JGSB and the Weiss School of Natural Sciences Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Program. This program prepares students to become managers in organizations requiring specialized technical knowledge and general management skills.
Master of Bioengineering (MBE)
A non-thesis degree that provides students with greater depth in their bioengineering training to advance their career objective..
Master of Chemical Engineering (MChE)
The MChE program offers a non-thesis professional degree intended to better prepare students for a career in the field of chemical engineering. The curriculum is designed for recent graduates with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering to complete in two semesters (fall and spring).
Master of Civil and Environmental Engineering (MCEE)
The MCEE is a professional non-thesis degree with sub-tracks in Civil Engineering or Sustainable Environmental Engineering and Design. Degree requires 30 semester hours of approved course work including a final project of 2 semester hours.
Master of Computational and Applied Mathematics (MCAM)
The Professional Masters of Computational and Applied Mathematics (MCAM) is a non-thesis master’s program designed for students interested in a technical career path in industry or business. The MCAM program provides students with a fundamental understanding of computational and applied mathematics tools that are essential to tackle complex problems in science, engineering and business. With proper planning and coordination of undergraduate major(s) and senior year courses, Rice undergraduates have the option to complete the MCAM degree with just a 5th year of study.
Master in Computational Science and Engineering (MCSE)
The Master in Computational Science and Engineering (MCSE) is a non-thesis degree program offered jointly by the Department of Computational and Applied Mathematics and Statistics in the School of Engineering. The program is designed to provide training and expertise in modern computational techniques that will find application in a wide range of industries, and technical and managerial functions within them.
Master of Computer Science (MCS)
The professional MCS degree is a terminal degree for students intending to pursue a technical career in the computer industry. Areas of concentration for the MCS include algorithms and complexity, artificial intelligence, robotics, compiler construction, distributed and parallel computing, graphics and geometric modeling, operating systems, and programming languages. The professional program normally requires three semesters of study.
Rice's Master of Data Science (MDS) is a professional non-thesis degree designed to support the needs of interdisciplinary professionals intending to pursue a technical career in data science. The On-Campus MDS is a full-time program at the Rice University campus in Houston, Texas. The program hosts a lively and invigorating community of scholars in the Department of Computer Science, the largest academic department at Rice. The program offers students online or on-campus options with a curriculum that delivers the skills needed to collect, evaluate, interpret and communicate data. Students must apply to either the online or on-campus program and will be explicitly admitted to one program or the other.
Master of Electrical and Computing Engineering (MECE)
The master of electrical engineering (MECE) degree is a course-based program designed to increase a student’s mastery of advanced subjects; no thesis is required. The MECE prepares a student to succeed and advance rapidly in today’s competitive technical marketplace.
Master of Energy Economics (MEECON)
The Master of Energy Economics (MEECON) develops and educates future leaders and strategic thinkers in the energy sector.
Master of Engineering Management & Leadership (MEML)
The Master of Engineering Management & Leadership (MEML) at Rice University will provide you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the new and emerging technology era known as Industry 4.0. The Master of Engineering Management & Leadership program at Rice University is a professional, non-thesis master’s degree meant for technical professionals with engineering or related technical backgrounds; recent college graduates from engineering and the computational science fields should also apply.
Master of Global Affairs (MGA)
The Master of Global Affairs (MGA) allows students to benefit from the academic and research strengths of Rice and ingress the field of international policy to thrive as leaders in the next century.
Master of Human-Computer Interaction and Human Factors (MHCIHF)
The Master of Human-Computer Interaction and Human Factors is a full-time 2-year professional master’s program that will expand students’ knowledge of critical concepts and methods in psychology and how to apply those concepts to real-world problems.
Master of Industrial Engineering (MIE)
Industrial engineering improves the efficiency and safety of various systems in manufacturing, services, health care, energy, and logistics. It uses mathematical and physical models to make data-driven decisions needed in every major economic sector. The Professional Master's Program in Industrial Engineering at Rice University is for students seeking a deeper understanding of how sophisticated decision models can optimize complex systems in any industry as well as the nonprofit sector.
Master of Liberal Studies (MLS)
The part-time Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) program is designed for those who love to learn new ideas and discuss them with others. The MLS program allows students to explore timeless and timely human questions within the humanities, social sciences and sciences.
Master of Material Science and NanoEngineering (MMSNE)
The professional Master of Material Science and NanoEngineering (MMSNE) is open to students who have shown academic excellence in their undergraduate studies. This non-thesis degree option, combining engineering coursework with professional development and communications, is designed for engineers who have attained a bachelor's degree and are looking to further their careers in industry.
Master of Mechanical Engineering (MME)
The professional master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (MME) is a non-thesis degree program intended for students who have completed a 4-year bachelor’s program in engineering and wish to enter industry as practicing professionals, rather than pursuing a research oriented or academic career.
Master of Social Policy Evaluation (MSPE)
The professional master's degree in Social Policy Evaluation (MSPE) provides the quantitative skills and hands-on application for real-world policy evaluations conducted at the Texas Policy Lab and other research centers at Rice.
The professional Master of Statistics (MStat) Program includes a solid foundation in statistical computing, statistical modeling, experimental design, and mathematical statistics, plus electives in statistical methods and/or theory. It is a bridge to industry, designed to provide advanced learning and training in the applied aspects of statistics theory, methodology and techniques beyond the typical undergraduate program.