The Power of Choice: How MBA Electives Can Fuel Career Growth

What do you want your MBA to do for you? Whether you’re aiming to lead innovation in tech, drive change in healthcare or master the art of investing, Rice Business gives you the freedom to shape your education around your goals — starting with electives.

Here, electives aren’t filler. They’re fuel. Our electives are designed to help you explore new frontiers and stay ahead in an evolving business landscape. Our MBA curriculum reflects the real-world challenges students want to solve — and the careers they want to build.

Build the Degree That Fits Your Goals

Your career is uniquely yours — and your MBA should be, too. That’s why we offer one of the most future-focused elective portfolios you’ll find anywhere. Once you’ve laid the foundation in first-year core courses, our team will help you find which electives are compatible with your program’s schedule. 

As a Rice MBA, you’ll be able to dive into electives in high-impact sectors like energy, healthcare or real estate, or sharpen skills in AI, data analytics or marketing strategy — depending on your program’s schedule. We encourage you to connect with our Recruiting and Admissions team for the most up-to-date information on elective offerings and scheduling. You can also explore more information about our electives here.

And because our curriculum is STEM-certified and AACSB-accredited, you’re not just learning what’s current. You’re building lasting credibility. 

Dive Into Subjects That Spark Your Curiosity

We believe learning is most powerful when it’s personal. That’s why many of our electives are experiential — built around real problems, real clients and real impact. You’ll even take your skill set abroad through our Global Field Experience, in addition to any electives you choose.

Here’s just a sample of elective courses and labs you might explore at Rice Business:

• Data-Driven Investments Lab
• Disruption in Commercial Real Estate
• ESG Issues in Strategy
• genAI: Strategy and Integration
• Geopolitics of Energy
• Leading for Creativity and Innovation
• Python for Business Analytics

Course offerings may vary by year and program, but one thing stays the same: your ability to choose courses that matter to you.

Why Electives Matter

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Your core courses, like finance, marketing and organizational behavior, give you the tools. Electives give you direction. Whether it’s understanding capital trends in climate tech or gaining hands-on experience in strategic consulting — what you learn in your electives is what will set your MBA apart.

You’ll also be learning alongside classmates from a wide range of industries and backgrounds, each bringing stories, insights and questions that make the experience richer. And when you land that new promotion at work or pivot into a foreign field, you’ll feel much more comfortable knowing that you’ve put these skills into practice at Rice Business.

Learn From Experts in Your Industry

Houston is more than just our home. It’s an ever-evolving business lab. As one of the most diverse, opportunity-filled cities in the country, it’s a global hub for energy, healthcare, tech and entrepreneurship. That means your classroom extends far beyond the walls of McNair Hall and into the community — through boardrooms, incubators and emerging industries.

But here on campus, you know you can count on your Rice Business family to challenge and motivate you, especially our world-class faculty. Your electives will transcend business theory because they’re taught by professors with deep industry experience and strong ties to Houston’s business community. You’ll learn what actually works in the field.

No matter your passion, you’ll find courses that align with where the world — and your career — is heading.

Ready To Make the Rice MBA Yours?

If you’re working hard to reach the next milestone in your career, you deserve an MBA program that matches your ambition. At Rice Business, you’ll find the flexibility to chart your own course and the support to succeed at every step. 
 

Explore the Rice MBA