Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree, Full-Time Program, and a Major Concentration in Energy

Program Learning Outcomes for the MBA Degree

Upon completing the MBA degree, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding and application of the foundational frameworks and tools of all business disciplines, including accounting, finance, marketing, operations, organizational behavior, and strategic management.
  2. Develop, evaluate, and implement complex business strategies and operational solutions holistically, integrating management principles across the functional areas.
  3. Function effectively in a team setting both as a leader and a contributor.

Requirements for the MBA Degree, Full-Time Program

The MBA degree is a non-thesis master's degree. For general university requirements, please see Non-Thesis Master's Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the full-time MBA degree program must complete:

  • A minimum of 60 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
  • A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level study (graduate semester credit hours, coursework at the 500-level or above).
  • A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
  • A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture/laboratory). 
  • A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of full-time graduate study at Rice University.
  • A maximum of 2 courses (6 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab. Additional Information regarding Exchange Program transfer credit can be found in the Student Handbook under Campus Groups.
  • A Required Work Experience (MGMT 500) during summer between the first and second year of enrollment in the degree program.
  • A Global Field Experience (MGMT 789) during the first year of enrollment in the degree program.
  • A minimum overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in all Rice coursework. 
  • A minimum program GPA of 3.00 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies requirements for the non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum grade of C (2.00 grade points) in each course.

Students who register for a standard course load of 9-18 credit hours per semester are considered full-time students. All registration and elective selection via add/drop is completed online through ESTHER. It is the responsibility of students to monitor and maintain their schedule and academic record.

The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor, or where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program's Official Certifier. Additionally, these must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.

Summary

Total Credit Hours Required for the MBA Degree, Full-Time Program60

Degree Requirements

Core Requirements 1
MGMT 501FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING3
MGMT 502MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING1.5
MGMT 510ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR1.5
MGMT 512LEADING CHANGE0.75
MGMT 540MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS1.5
MGMT 543FINANCE3
MGMT 560CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY0.75
MGMT 570COMPETITIVE AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS1.5
MGMT 571STRATEGY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION1.5
MGMT 574OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT1.5
MGMT 580MARKETING3
MGMT 594STRATEGIC BUSINESS COMMUNICATION I 20.75
MGMT 595DATA ANALYSIS3
MGMT 596STRATEGIC BUSINESS COMMUNICATION II 20.75
MGMT 710LEADERSHIP ILE 20.75
MGMT 711NEGOTIATIONS ILE 20.75
Work Experience Requirement
MGMT 500APPLIED BUSINESS EXPERIENCE 20.75
Global Field Experience Requirement
MGMT 789GLOBAL FIELD EXPERIENCE 31.5
Custom Core Courses: 4
Select 2 courses from the following:3-4.5
MGMT 503
MANAGEMENT CONTROL
MGMT 541
ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS
MGMT 561
BUSINESS-GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
MGMT 599
ACTION LEARNING PROJECT
MGMT 621
NEW ENTERPRISES
MGMT 721
BUSINESS LAW
MGMT 821
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN BUSINESS
Elective Requirements
Select an additional 27.75-29.25 credit hours from departmental (MGMP or MGMT) course offerings at the 500-level or above to reach 60 total credit hours 5, 627.75-29.25
Total Credit Hours60

Footnotes and Additional Information 

Major Concentration: Energy

The major concentration in Energy provides commercial acumen and leadership perspective to students with a technical background and develops their capability for taking additional responsibilities and higher-level management roles at companies in the energy sector. This is accomplished by engaging students in a curriculum that addresses three distinct, but inter-related, career paths which are widely regarded as conduits to leadership positions in energy industry midstream and upstream organizations: finance, operations, and product/customer focus.   

Students pursuing the major concentration in Energy must complete:

  • A minimum of 9 credit hours as listed below to satisfy major concentration requirements*
Foundational Courses
MGMT 610FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY1.5
MGMT 611GEOPOLITICS OF ENERGY1.5
Environment Course
Select 1 course from the following:1.5
MGMT 541
ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS 1
MGMT 561
BUSINESS-GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 1
Application and Context Courses
Select 4.5 credit hours from the following:4.5
MGMT 600
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY SIMULATION 2
MGMT 609
ENERGY MARKETS IN TRANSITION
MGMT 616
ENERGY MARKET ORGANIZATION
MGMT 656
ENERGY DERIVATIVES
MGMT 708
PRICING STRATEGIES: OIL & GAS INDUSTRY
MGMT 712
PROCESS MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
MGMT 739
ENERGY TRANSITION INVESTING
MGMT 745
POLITICAL RISKS IN ENERGY INVESTMENTS
MGMT 752
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT LAB
MGMT 796
FROM FOSSIL TO RENEWABLE: MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES IN ENERGY TRANSITION
Total Credit Hours9

Footnotes and Additional Information 

Policies for the MBA Degree Programs

MBA Admission Requirements

Admission to the MBA degree program is open to students regardless of their undergraduate major, but the program is highly selective and access is limited to those who have performed with distinction across all areas of the application. A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an accredited undergraduate institution is required. Applicants participate in an interview by invitation as part of their admission requirements.  

All applicants to the MBA degree program must submit the following:

  • resume pre-assessment
  • an online application and application fee
  • scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT),* the Graduate Record Examination (GRE),* or the Executive Assessment (EA)
  • transcripts from all degree-granting institutions and/or institutions at which an applicant completed 15 or more credit hours
  • resume with complete work history
  • essays
  • letter(s) of recommendation
  • a score from the TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo, or IELTS is also required for international applicants, whose undergraduate degree was from an institution where the primary language of instruction was not English.** 

Notes:

*A GMAT/GRE test waiver request may be submitted to determine eligibility to apply without test scores. Resumes and transcripts are necessary to submit this form.

**An English proficiency test waiver may be submitted to determine eligibility to apply without this score.

MBA Degree, Full-Time Program, Deferred Enrollment Program Admission Requirements

Admission to the MBA Deferred Enrollment program allows college seniors to secure a spot two to five years after graduation in the Full-Time MBA Program at Jones Graduate School of Business. International students and students pursuing all majors are welcome to apply during their final year of university studies. Eligible students must be employed during the interim years to hold onto their space. A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an accredited undergraduate institution is required. All applicants must conduct an interview as part of their admission requirements. The program is highly selective and access is limited to those who have performed with distinction across all areas of the application. 

Academic and Professional Standards

Students must meet both academic and professional standards to continue academic work and to graduate. In accepting admission to the MBA program, all students agree to be governed by the standards and procedures for dismissal or disciplinary action stated below.

Academic Standards

A minimum overall grade point average of 3.00 (B) is required for graduation. All courses taken for the MBA degree (including approved courses taken at the university, but outside the JGSB) are counted in the overall grade point average calculation.

Students with an overall grade point average lower than 3.00 at the end of any semester will be notified of academic standing. Students not meeting the 3.00 requirement will be provided specific instruction and guidance on the next steps specific to their academic situation. In some cases, students may submit an appeal to the JGSB Academic Standards Committee, requesting to be placed on academic probation. The committee reviews all academic cases, and may consult the dean's office for counsel and/or suggestions on proposed handling of the case. The committee will decide, based on the circumstances of the appeal, whether the student may resume studies on academic probation; is to be academically suspended for one semester or an academic year; or is to be dismissed from the MBA program.

A student may be placed on conditional probation with conditions determined by the dean’s office and approved by the chair of the Academic Standards Committee. Students on leave who are not in good academic standing who wish to return must submit an appeal to the Academic Standards Committee and be approved to resume studies. If permitted to return, the student will pay the current rate of tuition based upon the class of student they are joining.

Students proposing to return after a period of academic suspension must follow the appropriate procedures outlined in the General Announcements by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to receive permission to be readmitted. 

Only courses in which a grade of C or above is earned are counted for credit toward graduation. If students receive a grade below C in a course required for graduation, they must repeat the course. If students receive a grade lower than C in an elective course, they need not repeat the specific course, but they must make up the credit hours. If the required course is not offered again prior to graduation, the student will be permitted to take the course the following academic year, but will be charged the current pro-rated tuition for the program in which the additional coursework is completed. Students are removed from probation only upon achieving an overall grade point average of at least 3.00.

JGSB students may not take courses pass/fail to count toward their degree requirements. JGSB students may audit courses with departmental and professor approval. The courses do not count toward the MBA, but will appear on the transcript.

Professional Standards

MBA students are held to the highest standards of professional conduct expected of managers—standards substantially exceeding those expected of them simply as students. Students may be dismissed or suspended for failure to meet professional standards, as defined in the University Code of Conduct. The dean may place a student on disciplinary probation for unacceptable conduct, giving oral and written notice that future misconduct will lead to filing specific charges. This probationary notice, however, is not required as a precondition for filing specific charges. 

Scholarship continuation or reinstatement is not guaranteed for students who do not maintain continuous active status - and good academic and professional standing - at the Jones Graduate School of Business and Rice University. In cases where a student does not maintain active status, and/or does not maintain continuous good standing, students may need to request reinstatement of their scholarship. Scholarships may be discontinued for students who are on academic probation or receive university conduct sanctions (including suspension).

Class Attendance Policy

Students are expected to be in class on the first day of each term. The instructor reserves the right to exclude from their course a student who is absent on the first day. Students should refer to the specific attendance policy for each program. This information can be found in the Jones Graduate School of Business Student Handbook, which is referenced below. For special circumstances, students should see the Director of Advising in the Office of Academic Programs and Student Experience and the instructor.

Guidelines for Appealing Academic Dismissal

The Process

A student who wishes to appeal a dismissal should address the following issues in a letter to the Academic Standards Committee. The student must address the letter to the chair of the Academic Standards Committee.

  1. What circumstances led to your academic performance last semester and to what degree were those circumstances beyond your control?
  2. If your performance in a particular course(s) last semester was below par, describe any circumstances specific to that course that explain your performance.
  3. Do you expect the circumstances that created the problems for you last semester to change next semester? If so, how?

Students may include any additional information they deem relevant in the appeal letter.

Timing

If the student intends to appeal, the letter to the committee must be filed within one week after receiving a dismissal letter. If a student plans to appeal, the student should continue to attend classes. It is important to keep up with studies during the appeal process. If the appeal is accepted, the student may continue progress towards the completion of their degree.

Appeals

Appeals beyond the Academic Standards Committee must go to the dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business, who may seek guidance from other constituents of the school. All decisions rendered by the dean are final.

Confidentiality

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and amendments govern the records of actions related to appeals.

Grade Appeal Process

Once a course grade has been assigned by an instructor, it is generally considered final and is rarely changed for any reason other than calculation or transcription errors. The procedure below outlines the process by which a student may appeal a course grade.

  1. The student should first pursue any grading question with the instructor following the formal or informal process the instructor has outlined for the course.
  2. If the matter is not resolved in step 1 above, the student must file a written appeal to the instructor and send a copy to the senior associate dean of degree programs. This written appeal must be filed no later than two weeks after the final grade for a course was assigned.
  3. The instructor must schedule a meeting with the student within two weeks of receiving the written appeal to further discuss the appeal with the student. Notice of the appeal time and date will be provided by the instructor to the senior associate dean of degree programs.
  4. If step 3 does not resolve the issue to the satisfaction of both parties, the student may appeal to the Academic Standards Committee by sending a written notice describing the grounds for the appeal within two weeks of the date of the scheduled meeting in step 3.
  5. The Academic Standards Committee will seek out information on the appeal from the instructor and the student and, at its discretion, hold a hearing to further consider the matter. The decision of the Academic Standards Committee will be rendered within 4 weeks of receiving a written notice of appeal (step 4).
  6. Appeals beyond the Academic Standards Committee must go to the dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business, who may seek guidance from other constituents of the school. All decisions rendered by the dean are final.
  7. In the event that the protested grade is necessary for the student to graduate, an accelerated schedule will be followed.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and amendments govern records of these actions.

MBA Elective Course Add/Drop Policy and Procedures

Due to the unique term schedule followed by the Jones Graduate School of Business MBA programs, MBA students have special procedures they must follow to make schedule changes. The Jones Graduate School of Business Registrar Department administers an add/drop policy which allows students to add or drop elective courses at various times throughout the semester. For all elective courses, student may not add or drop a course after the deadline for the appropriate term.

Withdrawal Policy

A Jones Graduate School of Business student, participating in any offered program, may voluntarily withdraw from school at any time. Upon withdrawal, Rice University applies a sliding scale to tuition, which is noted in the university's Academic Calendar.

Jones Graduate School of Business Student Handbook

Generally, the Jones Graduate School of Business adheres to the academic regulations of Rice University. However, the Jones Graduate School of Business MBA program has unique policies and procedures that vary from the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies regarding, but not limited to, leave of absence, withdrawals and readmission, add/drop, and academic dismissal. A copy of the handbook is available on Campus Groups (for all programs except the MBA Degree, Online Program, MBA@Rice).

Financial Aid

Jones Graduate School of Business scholarships are awarded at the point of admission and are based on the merit of the application. Financial assistance is generally awarded one academic year at a time. Continuation of assistance depends on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in accordance with Academic and Professional Standards of performance, professional behavior, and is subject to the availability of funds. Academic or disciplinary probation, suspension, or general failure to maintain academic pace will result in the removal of all forms of financial assistance (i.e. scholarship, employment, Federal/State student loans, etc.). Students have the right to appeal the suspension. All appeals will be reviewed by a committee.

Transfer Credit 

For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.

Program Transfer Credit Guidelines

Students pursuing the MBA degree should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guidelines:

  • No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the degree.
  • Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director on an individual case-by-case basis. 

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Jones Graduate School of Business website: https://business.rice.edu/ 

Opportunities for the MBA Degree Programs

Independent Study

Minimum Hours Requirement

Each credit of independent study should contain approximately as much time content as a one-credit course at Jones Graduate School of Business, which is 12 hours of class time, plus an average of at least 24–36 outside-class hours, for a minimum total of 36–48 hours of work. Independent study projects can be accommodated in increments of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 3.0 credit hours; 3.0 credit independent study projects are rarely approved. Occasionally, a group independent study project may arise, though most independent studies are undertaken by individual students.

The number of credits for an independent study must be determined at the beginning of a project. Increases to the number of project credit hours after the project overview has been filed with the Jones Graduate School of Business associate registrar must be approved by the Academic Standards Committee. The committee will rely on input from sponsoring faculty in making its decision about ex post credit increases. Requests to increase the number of project credit hours must be made before the end of the second week of classes in the term in which the project begins.

Restrictions

No student may take more than three credit hours of independent study during the course of the MBA program without the approval of the Academic Standards Committee. If an independent study is proposed that would cause a student to exceed the 3.0 credit limit, the Academic Standards Committee will select two faculty members, other than the faculty member who will supervise the project, within the area most closely related to the study’s academic content to review and approve the study. Independent study exceeding 3.0 credits in total should consider current policies restricting use of independent study as well as the incremental value of additional independent study in light of past independent studies. If the study does not align with any of the Jones Graduate School of Business academic groups, the Academic Standards Committee will perform the review and make the final approval decision.

Independent study projects are for academic credit, not for hire. Students may not earn credit for paid work.

Faculty Sponsorship

Independent study projects normally are sponsored only by full-time Jones Graduate School of Business faculty; faculty typically sponsor projects only in their area of expertise. Students wanting sponsorship by a part-time faculty member must submit a project overview to the Academic Standards Committee and obtain the committee’s approval before the term in which the project is to begin.

Common Requirements

The goal of independent study projects is to advance or deepen a student’s knowledge or competency in a business discipline or activity.

To facilitate these goals, independent study projects generally fall into two broad categories:

  1. directed reading and study resulting in a research paper, or
  2. an experiential or hands-on project resulting in an outcome such as an empirical analysis with an executive summary of the “deliverable.”

While the content of individual independent study projects are at the discretion of a student and the sponsoring faculty member, to ensure relatively equal workloads per unit of independent study credit and some common requirements across independent study projects, students and/or sponsoring faculty should:

  1. Prepare and submit to the Jones Graduate School of Business associate registrar an overview of the independent study project with number of project credits, anticipated final results, and a broad timeline of anticipated project milestones.
  2. Meet to discuss the project, after the initial agreement on the project scope, at least once every two to three weeks.
  3. Prepare a final paper (in the case of directed reading and research projects) or complete a concrete deliverable (for example, computer program, survey results, empirical analyses, etc.) together with an executive summary of the project (in the case of experiential projects).
  4. File a copy of each student’s final paper, or executive summary, with the Jones Graduate School of Business associate registrar.

Applications

Independent study applications are available for interested students on Campus Groups. Completed independent study applications must be approved by the senior associate dean of academic affairs. Completed and approved applications are due to the Jones Graduate School of Business associate registrar by the first week of the term in which the project will be completed. The student will be registered for MGMT 700/MGMT 800 independent study for the appropriate credit amount, only when the appropriate permissions have been obtained.

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Jones Graduate School of Business website: https://business.rice.edu/