Rice University – Jones Graduate School of Business - Hybrid MBA

Rice University Hybrid MBA Program Structure

Rice’s Hybrid MBA is for working professionals in Texas and beyond. Students spend one weekend a month on campus and benefit from the convenience of online classes the rest of the time. Hybrid students must complete 54 credit hours and will complete their MBA degree in 22 months.

Online learning occurs through both live remote sessions and asynchronous content. All live remote classes are held on Thursday evenings.

The Hybrid program also features three one-week immersions. The first immersion kicks off the program in July, featuring launch activities and in-person classes. The second immersion is offered in June at the close of the first year, with in-person classes. The third immersion is the Global Field Experience, a high-impact challenge allowing students to get international consulting experience. Students work in small teams to complete consulting projects with local companies and non-profits.

Our residency program, included in tuition, helps students develop meaningful connections with each other. The entire cohort stays at the same hotel close to Rice during on-campus weekends.

Curriculum

Hybrid students earn the same MBA as Rice Business’ other top-ranked programs and share the same world-renowned professors and innovative, rigorous curriculum.

All core courses within the Hybrid MBA are either nearly 100% in-person or a combination of in-person and online. No courses are 100% online.

Just like other Rice programs, during the first year of the Hybrid program, students embark on the Global Field Experience (GFE), a hands-on international project that’s part of the core curriculum. Working in small teams, students tackle real business challenges for local companies and non-profits, gaining practical insights and making a meaningful impact.

In the second year, students can take nine electives (choosing from 100+ options), including popular courses like Managing Energy Transitions, The New Enterprise, Corporate Rivalry, genAI: Strategy and Innovation, and Scandals and Reputation Management. Students can mix and match evening electives, weekend electives or daytime electives.

Rice University Hybrid MBA Rankings

# 1 Graduate Entrepreneurship – Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

#7 Best Part-Time MBA Program – Fortune, 2024

#15 Best Part-Time MBA Program – U.S. News and World Report

#5 Best MBA for Finance – Princeton Review, 2023, 2024

Class Profile

The first cohort of Hybrid MBA students (the Class of 2025) has 29 students. 28% are female and 52% are from underrepresented minority groups. Students have an average of eight years of work experience and the average GPA is 3.3.

Tuition, Scholarships and Financial Aid

The two-year tuition for Rice’s Hybrid MBA is $135,000. The tuition covers the complete 22-month schedule of coursework and residency at a hotel close to campus. An enrollment deposit of $2,500 is due upon acceptance and will be applied toward the first-semester bill. Many students supplement their tuition costs through company financial support from their employer. Students can also cover tuition costs with Federal Financial Aid, Federal Student Loans and private loans.

Rice University Hybrid MBA Admissions

To be considered for admission to the Rice Business Hybrid MBA Program, applicants must complete the following steps for application:

Complete an online application, required personal essays, and a professional resume.

You must also submit a standardized test score for admission to the program (GMAT or GRE).

You’ll need to submit one confidential, professional recommendation from a current or previous supervisor. If you don’t have one from your supervisor, you should submit two confidential recommendations highlighting your professional abilities.

There is a $200 application fee payable online or by check.

Class of 2027 Hybrid MBA Application Deadlines