From the Dean

We have achieved an ascent in rankings, with a recent nod from Bloomberg Businessweek, which named us No. 19. This announcement comes on the heels of another top 20 U.S. ranking (No. 17) from the Financial Times, both of which named us the No. 1 business school in Texas.

Looking forward to my eighth year as dean, I’ve been reflecting on all we have accomplished together. In that time, we have launched innovative new programs and leading-edge new courses. We have substantially grown our faculty so that we can conduct groundbreaking research and still deliver more service to our community. And we have achieved an ascent in rankings, with a recent nod from Bloomberg Businessweek, which named us No. 19 for our full-time MBA program. This announcement comes on the heels of another top 20 U.S. ranking (No. 17) from the Financial Times, both of which named us the No. 1 business school in Texas.

Your contributions as an alum, a student, or a member of the faculty or staff shows how much you care about the future of Rice Business. Thank you for all you do.

When I came to Rice, the school was tasked with delivering the university’s first online graduate degree program. This July, MBA@Rice celebrated five years in action. Five years of reaching and educating students living near to campus and across the state and nation. The program is flourishing, ranked No. 12 for online programs by U.S. News and No. 4 for online programs by Princeton Review and Poets & Quants. It is recognized for its rigor and service to students and has become the fastest growing program at the school since its launch. This July also marked the start of our Hybrid MBA — an MBA that combines online and in-person instruction with one weekend a month on campus.

Although some MBAs study in online environments, McNair Hall is teeming with students. Our undergraduate business majors — currently the most popular major at the university — are joining us in classrooms, study spaces, faculty offices and Audrey’s. As Rice Business continues to grow, so will our physical space with a substantial addition to McNair Hall scheduled to begin construction in 2024. I will share updates on this project as it moves forward.

It’s always exciting to begin a new academic year. Nothing inspires me as much as seeing our new students pursue their dreams and work together to change the world. As always, I look forward to aiding and enjoying their continued success.

— Peter