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Programs

13 Professional Master's Programs, 9 Departments

Across our nine Rice Engineering departments, we offer 13 non-thesis master degree programs that combine technical skills with electives in business, leadership, entrepreneurship and management for career-minded students wishing to expand their engineering knowledge.

To learn more about application deadlines for each degree program or to learn how to apply, visit our Admissions page.

Master of Bioengineering

The Master of Bioengineering (MBE) is a non-thesis degree that provides students with greater depth in their bioengineering training to advance their career objectives. Designed for students interested in pursuing careers in industry, not research, the degree offers further study in all areas of the bioengineering discipline.

Students can enroll full-time or part-time. This program is intended for those having a BA or BS degree in an engineering or science discipline.

This degree has two areas of specialization:

  • Applied Bioengineering: designed as a flexible degree for students who want to pursue careers in research, medicine, or related fields. This concentration can be further enhanced with a course-based or research-based specialization.
  • Medical Innovation: designed specifically for students who want to pursue a career in the global medical technology industry. The GMI concentration for the Rice University Master of Bioengineering degree is a one-year, full-time curriculum that combines engineering, business, and clinical training to solve real-world medical needs. The GMI program's hands-on medical design curriculum gives students real-world experience identifying clinical needs in the U.S. and Costa Rica through global immersion and experiential learning opportunities.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Bioengineering.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Bioengineering degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Chemical Engineering

The Master of Chemical Engineering (MChE) is a non-thesis program designed to better prepare students for a career in chemical engineering.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Chemical Engineering degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Master of Civil and Environmental Engineering (MCEE) is a professional non-thesis degree, requiring 30 credit hours of approved courses at the 500-level or above, including a final project of 2 credit hours. Students who have a BA or BS degree in any field of engineering or related study may apply.

This degree has two areas of specialization:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for:

In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Computational and Applied Mathematics

The Master of Computational and Applied Mathematics (MCAAM) is a non-thesis program designed for those interested in a technical career path in industry and provides students with the computational and applied mathematics tools necessary for solving complex problems in engineering, science, and business.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Computational Applied Mathematics and Operations Research.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Computational and Applied Mathematics degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Computer Science

The Master of Computer Science (MCS) degree is a terminal, professional degree intended for students who will pursue a technical career in the computer industry. Students are admitted to the MCS program in both fall and spring semesters. MCS students typically have a background in computer science, including in intermediate-level programming and algorithms; discrete math; and computer systems or organization. MCS students also complete a design project and are encouraged to take professional development courses.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Computer Science.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Computer Science degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Computer Science Online Program

The Master of Computer Science Online Program has been built from the ground up to combine the Rice University Computer Science Department’s tradition of excellence with best-in-class online teaching methodology. It offers an intimate and engaging student experience, with small class groups and the 1:1 interactions with faculty that are critical to developing graduate-level skills and thinking. Scholarships are now available to those who qualify. Talk to a coach to learn more.

Our program is designed to give working professionals the practical skills needed for career advancement in the tech world. With the flexibility of online learning, students can develop a deep understanding of topics like machine learning and AI, cybersecurity, and software engineering.

Learn more about our Master of Computer Science Online Program.

Master in Computational Science and Engineering

The Master in Computational Science and Engineering (MCSE), is an interdisciplinary non-thesis degree program offered jointly by the departments of Computational Applied Mathematics and Operations Research (CMOR) and Statistics (STAT) in the School of Engineering, which includes core courses from Computational and Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science. Additional electives allow students to tailor their program of study to application areas with computational science and engineering focus. The program is designed to provide training and expertise in modern and computational techniques with real-world applications in a wide range of industries. The MCSE graduate degree prepares students interested in technical and managerial positions such as computational scientists, computational engineer, and big data analysts, as well as those looking to specialize in high-performance computing and scientific data analysis and visualization.

Students in the MCSE program select one of the two departments — Computational Applied Mathematics and Operations Research and Statistics — as their home department/area of specialization.

MCSE students take a significant number of courses in their chosen home department (CMOR or STAT) and core courses from the CMOR, STAT, and CS departments and in communication, ethics and leadership. In addition to these requirements, the degree offers flexibility for students to emphasize areas in Computational Science and Engineering they are interested in. We will provide additional details as soon as the internal approval process is completed.

Requirements Update

As of AY 2021-2022, students applying to the MCSE degree will only be able to select Statistics (STAT) or Computational Applied Mathematics and Operations Research (CMOR) as their home department. For additional information and degree requirements, please refer to the General Announcements, Rice University's official catalog.

Apply Now

The pandemic has made it difficult for some students to take the GRE. MCSE does not require the GRE for Fall 2022 admission, but will provide students with the option of submitting those scores. Admission into MCSE program is based on a holistic view of the applicant. In some cases, GRE scores provide useful information to complete this view and, when submitted, will be considered.

After you've reviewed the program and application requirements, click here to apply to the MCSE program.

For additional information about the program contact mcse@rice.edu.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Computational Science and Engineering degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Data Science

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.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the MDS degree, students will have proficiency in:

  • Understanding the computational and statistical foundations of Data Science
  • Knowing and understanding how to use the core methods of Data Science as applied to an area of specialization or across a breadth of areas
  • Applying Data Science knowledge, theory, and techniques to solve difficult, real-world problems, beginning with raw and dirty data, and ending with actionable insights
  • Effectively communicating written and orally about Data Science methods and results to a lay audience

Curriculum Overview

Core Courses: Your curriculum includes core courses designed to help you gain an understanding of the computational and statistical foundations of data science.

Specialization: You’ll gain deeper knowledge in data science by choosing a specialization in business analytics and machine learning.*Currently, image processing coursework is only offered for the on-campus program.

Electives: You’ll further customize your program of study with an elective in ethics, cybersecurity, or security and privacy.

Capstone: Then, to give you experience applying your knowledge to a real-world problem, you’ll participate in a capstone project that will help you demonstrate your skill, collaborative ability, and problem-solving acumen.

Master of Data Science Online Program

The Master of Data Science Online Program is a part-time program that allows working professionals to get the same benefits and curriculum of a full-time, on-campus program in an online environment. Students have access to best-in-class materials and resources and can connect with peers and world-class educators. Learn More.

Program Overview

The OMDS degree will be offered with both an on-campus and an online option. Students must apply to either the online or on-campus program and will be explicitly admitted to one program or the other.

Rice’s Master of Data Science (MDS) program is designed to support the needs of interdisciplinary professionals who want to apply data science knowledge, theory, and techniques to solve real-world problems.

The program offers:

  • Multidisciplinary, interdepartmental and intercollegiate instruction
  • Customizable, specialized degrees comprised of 31 graduate credit hours
  • Same online & in-person degrees

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the MDS degree, students will have proficiency in:

  • Understanding the computational and statistical foundations of Data Science
  • Knowing and understanding how to use the core methods of Data Science as applied to an area of specialization or across a breadth of areas
  • Applying Data Science knowledge, theory, and techniques to solve difficult, real-world problems, beginning with raw data and ending with actionable insights
  • Effectively communicating written and orally about Data Science methods and results to a lay audience

Curriculum Overview

This non-thesis curriculum requires the completion of a minimum of 31 credits. It is a rigorous blend of courses that deliver the skills you need to collect, evaluate, interpret and communicate data for effective decision-making across a variety of industries.

Core Course: Your curriculum includes six core courses designed to help you gain an understanding of the computational and statistical foundations of data science.

Specialization: You’ll gain deeper knowledge in data science by choosing a specialization in business analytics, machine learning or image processing (on-campus only at this time).

Elective: You’ll further customize your program of study with an elective in ethics, cybersecurity, or security and privacy.

Capstone: Then, to give you experience applying your knowledge to a real-world problem, you’ll participate in a capstone project that will help you demonstrate your skill, collaborative ability and problem-solving acumen.

Master of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Master of Electrical and Computer 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. The MECE is intended for those having a BA or BS degree in an engineering or science discipline. Students are admitted to the MECE program for the fall semester.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Electrical and Computer Engineering degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master Engineering Management & Leadership

The Master of Engineering Management & Leadership (MEML) at Rice University — available on campus or online — 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.

The MEML program is offered online or on-campus, with full-time and part-time options. Students who have a BA or a BS degree in any field of engineering or related study may apply. Students must apply to either the online or on-campus program and will be explicitly admitted to one program or the other.

Learn more about curriculum and requirements:

Master of Industrial Engineering

The Master of Industrial Engineering (MIE) is a professional non-thesis degree, requiring 31 credit hours of approved courses at the 500-level or above, including a final project of one credit hour. Students who have a BA or a BS degree in any field of engineering or related study may apply.

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.

Students benefit from being located in Houston; the nation's energy capital, home of the world's largest medical center, and the city providing the greatest number of manufacturing jobs in America.

Learn more about our Master of Industrial Engineering program.

Master of Materials Science and NanoEngineering

The Master of Materials Science and NanoEngineering (MMSNE) program is designed for professionals who are ambitious in their technical fields and want to take on new challenges and develop their leadership abilities. The program is also suited for students who have just completed a 4-year bachelor’s program in engineering. It is designed to prepare students with an advanced understanding of both the theories and applications of materials science and nanotechnology.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Materials Science and NanoEngineering degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Mechanical Engineering

The Master of Mechanical Engineering (MME) program is designed for professional who are ambitious on their technical fields, who want to take on new challenges and develop their leadership abilities. The program is also suited for students who have just completed a 4-year bachelor’s program in engineering. The M.M.E. program is designed to prepare students with an advanced understanding of both the theories and applications of mechanical engineering subfields including thermal, fluid, mechanics, biomedical, design, dynamics and controls, and high performance computing.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Mechanical Engineering degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Master of Statistics

The Master of Statistics (MSTAT) is a non-thesis degree that offers customized and individualized programs based on the interests and career objectives of the student. All choices will provide balanced training in statistical methods, computational statistics, and statistical theory, and are intended to prepare the student to adapt statistical methodologies to practical problems in a professional setting. The program normally takes three semesters of full-time course work. Students are restricted to no more than four courses in their first semester, with three being preferable. It is possible to complete the program on a part-time basis too.

Requirements & Courses

To learn more about program requirements and coursework, visit the Department of Statistics.

Curriculum

Note: The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum for the Master of Statistics degree. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the GA and any other websites or publications, the GA shall prevail as the authoritative source.

Additional Program Opportunities

5th Year at Rice

Juniors and seniors in the George R. Brown School of Engineering can create a pathway to a professional master’s degree at Rice. Learn more about our 5th Year at Rice opportunity.