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Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

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Coordinates: 29°43′03″N 95°24′12″W / 29.7175°N 95.4034°W / 29.7175; -95.4034
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The Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business is one of two business schools at Rice University, a private research university in Houston, Texas, along with the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. Named in honor of Jesse Holman Jones, a Houston business and civic leader, the school received its initial funding in 1974 through a major gift from the Houston Endowment Inc., a philanthropic foundation established by Jones and his wife, Mary Gibbs Jones. 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. In addition, the school offers several joint degree programs: an MD/MBA with Baylor College of Medicine, MBA/ME with Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering, and an MBA/MS with Rice’s Wiess School of Natural Sciences. The Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University provides an undergraduate major and minor, as well as a minor in entrepreneurship.[1]

Being located in Houston, next to the Texas Medical Center, Rice Business has particularly strong connections in healthcare, energy, and entrepreneurship.

Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business
MottoLeading thought, shaping the world
TypePrivate graduate business school
Established1974
Parent institution
Rice University
DeanPeter Rodriguez
Location
Houston
,
Texas
,
United States
AffiliationsIon District, The Washington Campus
Websitebusiness.rice.edu
Business school rankings
U.S. MBA
Bloomberg (2024)[2]22
U.S. News & World Report (2025)[3]29
Global MBA
FT (2025)[4]42

Programs

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Full-Time MBA

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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 entrepreneurship, including #1 in graduate entrepreneurship by Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine (2020–2025) and #9 best entrepreneurship masters programs U.S. News and World Report (2025).[5][6][7] Princeton Review also ranks the Rice MBA as #5 in finance.[8]

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.[9]

Professional MBA

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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).[10][11]

The city of Houston

Executive MBA

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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).[12]

Online MBA

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MBA@Rice is the school’s online MBA program designed for working professionals, started in 2018.[13] 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).[14][15]

McNair Hall, home of the Jones Graduate School of Business

Hybrid MBA

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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.[16]

Joint and Dual Degree Programs

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The business school offers joint and dual degree options:

  • MD/MBA: A five-year program with Baylor College of Medicine integrating medical and business training for leadership roles in healthcare.
  • MBA/Professional Science Master’s (MBA/PSM): A three-year coordinated program in partnership with the Wiess School of Natural Sciences. Students complete courses in one of five science disciplines alongside business coursework.[17]
Shell Auditorium in McNair Hall

Master of Accounting

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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

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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

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Brad Burke, Executive Director of Rice Alliance, introducing RBPC finalists
Rice Business Plan Competition, 2023

Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship

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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
Podcast panelists at Liu Idea Lab

Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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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.

Notable alumni

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Rice's undergraduate business school receives a 'historic' donation - InnovationMap". houston.innovationmap.com. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  2. ^ "Best B-Schools". Bloomberg Businessweek.
  3. ^ "2025 US News MBA Rankings". US News.
  4. ^ "FT Global MBA Rankings 2025". FT.
  5. ^ "Top Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies 2025 Press Release | Public Relations | The Princeton Review". www.princetonreview.com. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  6. ^ "Best Entrepreneurship Master's Programs (2025)". U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  7. ^ Ketterer, Samantha (November 13, 2024). "University of Houston, Rice University programs nab top spots in Princeton Review rankings". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  8. ^ "Best MBA for Finance | The Princeton Review". www.princetonreview.com. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  9. ^ "2023 Full-Time MBA Employment Report" (PDF). Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  10. ^ "2025 Best Part-time MBA Programs". U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  11. ^ "Best Part-Time MBA Programs for 2024". Fortune Education. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  12. ^ "Best Executive MBA Programs for 2024". Fortune Education. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  13. ^ "Rice to Work with 2U on Launch of Online Business 'Short Courses' -- Campus Technology". Campus Technology. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  14. ^ Bleizeffer, Kristy (2024-12-15). "The Best Online MBA Programs In The U.S. For 2025". Poets&Quants. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  15. ^ "Get an MBA—with flexibility: these are the best online MBA programs". Fortune Education. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  16. ^ "Top-Ranked Hybrid MBA in Houston - Rice Business". business.rice.edu. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  17. ^ "Coordinated and Dual MBA Degrees in Houston - Rice Business". business.rice.edu. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  18. ^ "Rice MAcc Opens Career Opportunities | The business school at Rice University (Rice Business)". business.rice.edu. 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  19. ^ a b c "Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship named No. 1 university business incubator in the world". Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2014-06-25.


29°43′03″N 95°24′12″W / 29.7175°N 95.4034°W / 29.7175; -95.4034

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