MASTER'S PROGRAMS

Master of Computer Science

Advance your career with our Master of Computer Science program. You'll gain the knowledge and skills to excel in today's AI-driven tech landscape.

Master of Computer Science Program

The Master of Computer Science (MCS) degree is intended for students planning to pursue a technical career in the computer industry. The program is offered as a non-thesis degree with in-person and online options, and our Online Master of Computer Science is ranked #3 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. For more information about the virtual program, visit the Online MCS website. 

The MCS degree program normally requires three semesters to complete. MCS students must spend at least one fall or spring semester in full-time or part-time graduate study at Rice, where full-time means enrollment in nine or more hours of coursework.

You'll build technical depth while gaining the professional skills employers actually look for. COMP 608, our required workplace communications course, builds the skills that help you explain your reasoning, defend a decision and communicate your work clearly to a team, a client or an interviewer. Computer science was never just about writing code. It's about solving problems, and this course is where you build the half of that skill set that doesn't show up in a codebase.

Recent MCS students obtained summer internships at top technology companies, including Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, National Instruments, LinkedIn, Schlumberger and Tableau. After two semesters of full-time study, international students may apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which makes them eligible for summer internships.

MCS students must complete 30 semester hours of coursework approved by the department and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.67. MCS students work with the department's MCS advisor to develop an approved course plan. Students may transfer up to six hours of credit from another university with graduate committee approval. Transferred courses must be comparable in content and depth to the corresponding course at Rice, must be completed before entering the MCS program and must not have counted toward another degree. No financial aid is available from the university or the department for MCS students.

Specialization

MCS degree areas of specialization include:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Bioinformatics/Computational Biology
  • Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
  • Management and Leadership
  • Systems and Security

In addition to the in-person MCS, the Department of Computer Science also offers the following other non-thesis master's programs:

Careers in Computer Science

You'll learn it all from Houston, one of the country's major hubs for energy, healthcare and technology, giving you access to opportunities well beyond the traditional tech industry.

Past graduates of Rice's MCS program work at leading technology companies, including:

  • Google
  • Meta
  • Microsoft
  • Amazon
  • Oracle
  • Cisco
  • IBM

Resources

The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the Rice General Announcements are the definitive sources for general graduate degree information.