The George R. Brown School of Engineering

Engineering has been a part of Rice's curriculum since the university first opened as The Rice Institute in 1912. In those early days Rice offered courses in chemical, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Over the years, the engineering program grew, and in 1975 the George R. Brown School of Engineering was established.

Today the school is comprised of nine academic departments and includes seventeen research institutes and centers. Almost 40 percent of Rice undergraduates are engineering majors and one-third of graduate students are in the School of Engineering.

Among the 128 engineering faculty are 9 members of the National Academies of Engineering, Science and Medicine. Four emeritus faculty are also members. Our approximately 1,500 undergraduate and 1,030 graduate students have easy access to professors in the classroom and also work closely with them in their labs. 

Departments and centers within the School of Engineering take advantage of Houston's role as a center for the energy industry, medical research, space exploration, and the city's growing high-technology sector. Several departments have active industrial affiliates programs, and many research projects are undertaken with local companies. Students benefit from these relationships through collaborative design and research projects, summer internships, and making contacts for employment before graduation. 

Departments and Programs