Make One Weekend a Month Count With Rice’s Hybrid MBA. The Hybrid Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Rice Business blends flexible online learning with high-impact, in-person immersions in Houston, creating a format designed for working professionals who cannot come to campus more than once a month. This top-ranked, STEM-designated program allows you to continue advancing in your career while earning a rigorous, world-class MBA. Through interactive online classes, collaborative in-person experiences and dedicated academic advising, you’ll gain the skills, network and support needed to lead with confidence from day one.
Duration: 22 months to complete (54 credits)
Format: Monthly weekend immersions with online classes and three week-long in-person immersions (70% in person and 30% online)
Our Hybrid MBA is designed to fit your life and career, featuring asynchronous coursework and weekly remote class meetings complemented by one weekend per month of in-person learning on campus in Houston. Additionally, the program includes three week-long immersions to deepen your learning and activate your professional network. The core curriculum covers business strategy, leadership and team dynamics, managerial economics, finance, marketing and other foundational concepts to prepare you for your next career move or entrepreneurial project. In year two, ample electives allow room for concentrations.
How often will you be on campus for the Hybrid MBA?
In-person learning is concentrated to maximize your time and networking opportunities while leveraging remote classroom and homework technology.
One weekend per month: Intensive, on-campus sessions in Houston.
Three one-week immersions: Focused residential weeks at the start and end of your first year, including a transformative Global Field Experience.
MBA Admissions
At Rice Business, we believe that you belong here — and we are dedicated to helping you get here. Our tight-knit community focuses on building cohorts of driven individuals ready to make a powerful impact through collaboration. The convenient rolling admissions process supports this goal. Requirements include:
Bachelor’s degree
Professional work experience
At least one professional letter of recommendation
GMAT, GRE or EA score (or sufficient reasoning for a test waiver)
Experience the tight-knit culture of Rice Business with a hybrid schedule that offers the same world-class faculty and peer networking as our other programs. For anyone wanting an MBA in Houston — a hub for energy, finance, and global industries — once-a-week evening classes and visiting our campus just once a month means a top-ranked MBA experience is more convenient than you think.
As a Hybrid MBA student, you can access (either remotely and in person) the services of our Career Development Office (CDO). From personalized coaching to connections with work experiences and mentors, career support helps you make the most of your MBA right away. Whether you’re advancing or pivoting your career, our team will support you throughout your journey.
Your monthly visits aren’t just for lectures. You’ll overlap with not just other Hybrid MBA students, but students in our Professional and Executive programs. Plus, Rice offers multiple opportunities for experiences such as case competitions, conferences, clubs, in-depth career and academic advising, and more.
Through Rice Business’ Weekend Residency Program, you may be eligible to apply for and receive an optional travel subsidy to contribute to the cost of staying in hotel accommodations near campus.
Of the top 25 MBA programs, Rice Business’s is the second most affordable. External scholarships, state or federal funding or employer resources can be sources of funding to contribute to tuition costs. Find information on your potential cost of attendance and financial aid for Rice Business MBA programs.
When you join Rice Business, you gain a lifelong connection to 10,000+ alums across 55 countries. Our tight-knit culture continues long after graduation through lifelong learning benefits and executive education courses to take you to the next level.
The Rice Hybrid MBA program offers the perfect blend of academic excellence, practical application and networking opportunities, which aligns with my learning style and career goals.
No. Due to the July start of the program and the second immersion, Hybrid MBA students will not be able to do a formal internship during the 22-month program. Instead, multiple in-person immersions heavily emphasize applying coursework directly to your current role and offer robust career development support.
Hybrid MBA programs blend the flexibility of online learning with the connection and impact of in-person experiences — making them an ideal choice for professionals who want to grow without pausing their careers.
At Rice Business, the 22-month Hybrid MBA delivers the same rigorous curriculum and leadership training as traditional programs, along with powerful networking and career support. Students gain a high return on investment through increased career opportunities, enhanced skills and employer recognition.
Our other Rice MBAs also meet professionals where they are, but they primarily hold both classes and immersions in person. Regardless of the format you choose, all programs lead to the same Rice MBA degree, taught by the same world-class faculty.
While we don’t publish an official acceptance rate for the Hybrid MBA program, what’s most important to know is that we take a holistic approach to admissions. We consider each applicant’s unique combination of professional experience, academic background, leadership potential and personal story.
If you’re driven, curious and ready to take the next step in your career, you belong here at Rice Business. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply — you don’t need to be perfect on paper to make a powerful impact in the program and beyond.
For most applicants, Rice Business requires a test score from either the GMAT, the GRE or the EA. For some applicants, test waivers are eligible. Learn more in our MBA admissions guide.
The top-ranked Hybrid MBA is 22 months long, with a balance of weekly online learning, monthly in-person weekend sessions and three intensive one-week immersions.
Students in the rigorous Hybrid MBA program have limited schedules. You can customize your MBA with your selection of electives available in the listed areas. If your schedule allows, you may pursue the criteria to complete an MBA specialization. Learn more about what it means to specialize your MBA at Rice Business.
In-person weekends are held once a month to accommodate students’ busy schedules. There are also two one-week, on-campus immersions at the start and close of the first year.
The program includes access to our career services and academic advising to support your educational journey and professional development. You’ll also have access to conferences, case competitions, clubs and more.
Tuition for the Rice Hybrid MBA is $137,700 total over the 22-month program. This cost includes tuition and hotel accommodations during immersion weekends. Additional fees and expenses apply — like textbooks, parking and optional health insurance.
An MBA degree from Rice is more than a credential — it’s an investment in yourself with a proven return. The Hybrid MBA delivers the flexibility you need, backed by the prestige and ROI of a top-ranked business school.
To apply to Rice University’s Hybrid MBA, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree, professional work experience and materials like a resume, essays and recommendations. We accept the GMAT, GRE or Executive Assessment — and offer test waivers for eligible applicants.
Our admissions process is designed to get to know the full you — not just your test scores.
We’re looking for curious, driven professionals ready to grow.
Investment banks and consulting firms frequently use internships as a key tool to evaluate and hire MBA students for full-time roles. Because the Hybrid MBA schedule does not allow time for an internship, we recommend that students interested in pivoting to consulting or investment banking consider our Full-Time MBA program. The Full-Time MBA offers structured opportunities for internships, providing a pathway to explore and secure roles in these industries.
The Rice Hybrid MBA empowers today’s professionals to accelerate their career through a world-class, STEM-designated curriculum structured in a balance of asynchronous online and in-person immersion. This elite hybrid experience provides an immediate ROI backed by lifelong career and alumni support.
