To keep pace with the ever-evolving world of technology, Rice University will soon offer a new hybrid Master of Business Administration program at its Jones Graduate School of Business.
Beginning over the summer, the program will allow working professionals to pursue the master’s degree with a flexible schedule. The program will span 22 months and include 54 credits. Students will have access to Rice curriculum and its community, campus and faculty.
The hybrid MBA is the first of its kind in Texas, the university said.
After researching the demand for MBA programs, the school found students who want an in-person experience, but not one that meets every week, said Peter Rodriguez, dean of Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business. The program requires students to attend a class in person on campus once a month.
“Our hybrid MBA makes it easier for working professionals in Houston and regionally to earn a Rice MBA with the on-campus experience they want,” Rodriguez said.
The beginning of the program is set for July with a one-week immersion on campus that is followed by monthly on-campus, in-person meetings. The program requires students to attend a class in person on campus once a month. The meetings will also allow hybrid students to take Professional Weekend MBA electives.
The in-person weekends will have classes held from Fridays to Sundays. According to the program’s website, most weekends will feature approximately five half-day sessions. Morning sessions will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and afternoon sessions will run from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The rest of the program will offer online learning through live Zoom sessions and asynchronous course content. The live remote classes will be held on Thursday evenings, except for the weeks when the in-person meeting is held.
The program will also offer career support.
Another immersion week will be done at the end of the first year of the program. In May 2025, prior to graduation, the program will conclude with a one-week Global Field Experience, a learning requirement that allows students to take what they’ve learned during the program and apply it to short-term projects for organizations in a diverse cultural setting.
The tuition for the hybrid MBA class is $67,500 each academic year but is subject to change, according to the university. This will also include residency at a hotel close to Rice’s campus for the on-campus weekends and immersion weeks to allow students to connect with classmates.
Rice’s online MBA program tied for No. 20 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Online Programs Rankings, which was released a year ago. The program also ranked among the top 20 in several subcategories, such as tying for No. 7 in Best Online Finance MBA Programs. The 2023 rankings come out later this month.
Rice also ranks No. 2 on the Houston Business Journal’s 2022 Largest Houston-Area MBA Programs List, based on its total local MBA program enrollment of 707 students.
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Rice University to offer hybrid MBA program – Houston Business … – The Business Journals
