Networking and Leadership Opportunities

Capstone

The Capstone Course gives Professional MBA students the opportunity to participate in a real-world applied learning activity outside of work and the traditional classroom. It brings together student teams and their professors to develop recommendations that can help community organizations solve critical strategic challenges, such as major growth or expansion plans, organization turnaround strategies and new ventures by the organization in need of a business plan. 

The Capstone Course is offered during the spring semester of your second year.

Past cases have included local community organizations such as: AAMA, Bering Omega, Collaborative for Children, Healthcare for Homeless, Hermann Park Conservancy, Historic Houston, Ibn Sina, KIPP, Neighborhood Centers Inc, Passport for Care, Rockwell Foundation and Shell Center for Sustainability.

Health Care Specialization Track

A health care specialization track is offered to Professional MBAs as an enhancement to your degree. This health care track is aimed at health care professionals working full time who are seeking to advance themselves in the industry. The health care courses are offered year round and supplement regular electives.

Athena Group

The Athena Group is a student-run marketing agency that lets you apply what you’ve learned in the classroom and gain real-world experience. The group works with Rice Business on its own marketing projects using website analytics, market research, social media and more.

Conferences and Case Competitions

Rice Business offers full-time MBA students ample opportunities — including summits, conferences and competitions — to network with industry and business leaders. Some of the best examples are:

• Rice Energy Finance Summit
• Women in Leadership Conference
• Rice Veteran's Leadership Series
• Rice Customer Management Symposium
• Rice Business Plan Competition

Rice Business Board Fellows

The Rice Business Board Fellows is a year-long experiential learning program that matches talented, energetic and committed Rice MBA students as fellows on local nonprofit boards to serve as non-voting board members.

Leadership and Team Coaching

The Doerr Institute for New Leaders prepares students to be more proficient at an essential component of effective leadership—the ability to develop individuals and teams. The fundamental role of leadership is to get the best performance out of people. This requires a constant focus on individual and team development. In fact, organizations place a premium on leaders who are effective coaches. It is the one leadership attribute that is critical across all levels of leadership yet grows increasingly important as you rise through the ranks. 

The Mentor Collective

As a first-year MBA student, you’ll get guidance and support from a second-year MBA student or alum through the Mentor Collective. This free program gives you direct sessions with your mentor (virtually) as well as access to leadership courses and other resources that will help you make a smooth transition into the MBA program.

Student Managed Funds

• M.A. Wright Fund: Comprised of students selected through a rigorous application and interview process, the fund management course provides Rice MBA students with a hands-on opportunity to learn and apply effective stock analysis and investment management techniques on a live Rice endowment stock portfolio.
• Rice Fixed Income Fund: In this course, a small group of top-performing MBA students experience the challenges and excitement of managing a real short-term Rice endowment bond portfolio and a simulated long-term portfolio.

Student Clubs and Organizations

Our student clubs help students develop their leadership roles, give them a chance to learn more about different professions and improve their business skills.
Many of our clubs collaborate to organize events such as Women in Leadership Conference, Rice Veteran's Leadership Series and the Rice Energy Finance Summit. These attract hundreds of students, alumni and other professionals.

Global Field Experience

The Global Field Experience is an international business course that is built into the core curriculum for all MBA programs. It's an adventurous, immersive learning requirement that will change your perception of the world and the way you do business in it.

Industry Treks

Professional MBA students can experience a wide variety of industries in cities across the country through these treks. They are coordinated by Career Development Office staff and facilitated by alumni to help students explore what business areas or roles are available for internships and post-MBA job opportunities.

Our Industry Treks typically include the following:

• Week on Wall Street (New York City)
• Technology Trek (Austin, Seattle, Silicon Valley)
• Energy Trek (Houston)
• Health Care Trek (Houston)