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Rice University - Academics - College ProwlerCollege Prowler5.00

Academics

A+
Where does this grade come from?View all Academics rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Academics Grades:

Quick Stats

Student-Faculty Ratio 8:1
Full-Time Student Population 5,488
Part-Time Student Population 131
Full-Time Instructional Faculty 619
Part-Time Instructional Faculty 123
Total FT Faculty 821
Faculty with Terminal Degree 96%
Average Faculty Salary $113,411
Full-Time Retention Rate 97%
Part-Time Retention Rate 100%
Graduation Rate 93%
Programs/Majors Offered 52
Average Course Load 15-17 credits per semester
Academic/Career Counseling? Yes
Remedial Services? No
Class Sizes
  • Fewer than 20 students: 60%
  • 20 to 49 students: 32%
  • 50 or more students: 8%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

According to most Rice students, the academic experience is incredibly positive. Students rave about the close personal relationships that they form with many of their professors. They are approachable, eager to connect with students, very knowledgeable in their fields, and make every effort to be accessible to their students. They not only meet with students before and after class or during their office hours, but many also frequently eat lunch at local restaurants and attend University functions (athletic events, plays, and even off-campus social functions) or live in colleges as RAs.

In order to earn a Rice diploma, you must complete a certain number of classes in different areas of study (social sciences, humanities, science and engineering). This allows students the opportunity to explore academic areas outside of their chosen major. For many students, elective courses are an exciting change from their major courses. Because these distribution requirements can also be very challenging, Rice allows students to take four classes (not required for their degree) pass/fail. This encourages students to take courses in subjects they are not familiar with, as well as allow them to put more effort into their major classes than their distribution classes. However, when you do have a choice about your courses or professors, there are many resources to help you avoid unwise decisions.

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Rice Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Academics at Rice University

kdp12

'15

Political Science and Government

4.6
A

Lots of Internship Opportunities

I'm a freshman, so I haven't had a ton of time to get into my major, but I'm impressed by the amount of internships available.

Dec 26, 2011

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Academics at Rice University

mvatcher35rice

'14

English

4.6
A

Great Classes, Great Profs

Every semester here, I have had at least one professor who has been absolutely brilliant, as well as several who I consider to have changed my life. That makes for a more-than-fair trade-off for the handful of very mediocre classes and professors I have had.

Dec 05, 2011

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Academics at Rice University

ler4

'13

Earth Sciences

4.6
A

Earth Science at Rice University

Studying earth science at Rice University has been an enriching experience. There are few earth science majors, so the student to teacher ratio is very low (about 5:1). In addition the professors take a great interest in the studies of their students, if you have any questions you can approach any one of the faculty members and they will be happy to help.

Nov 20, 2011

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Page 1 of 12

Photos of Rice University's Academics

College Students:
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Rice University - Academic QuadAcademic Quad
Photo by amp3
Academic Quad This is the main quad on campus. The building is Lovett Hall. This is also the most snow Rice has ever had!
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Photo by amp3
Rice University - Rayzor HallRayzor Hall
Photo by mikri425
Rayzor Hall This building in the academic quad houses the Language Research Center.
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Rice University - Quad/Fondren LibraryQuad/Fondren Library
Photo by tttp144
Quad/Fondren Library A view of the quad and Fondren Library.
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Photo by tttp144

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate your school’s professors on the following topics

Rate your school’s academic environment on the following topics

Facts

Instructional Programs Occupational: No
Academic: Yes
Continuing Professional: Yes
Recreational/Avocational: No
Adult Basic Remedial: No
Secondary (High School): No
Special Credit Opportunities Advanced Placement (AP) Credits: Yes
Dual Credit: Yes
Life Experience Credits: No
AP Test Score Requirements Possible credit for scores of 4 or 5
IB Test Score Requirements Possible credit for scores of 6 or 7
Undergraduate Schools/Divisions
  • George R. Brown School of Engineering
  • School of Architecture
  • School of Humanities
  • School of Social Sciences
  • The Shepard School of Music
  • Wiess School of Natural Sciences
Degrees Awarded
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Doctorate - Research/scholarship
  • Master's degree
  • Post-master's certificate
Most Popular Majors
  • Biochemistry: 2%
  • Business Administration and Management: 9%
  • Economics and Econometrics: 3%
  • Psychology: 2%
Graduation Requirements
  • Arts/fine arts
  • English (including composition)
  • History
  • Humanities
  • Social science
Special Study Options
  • Study abroad
  • Teacher certification (below the postsecondary level)
  • Weekend/evening college
Other Academic Offerings
  • Double major
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Student-designed major
Best Places to Study
  • Brochstein Pavilion
  • College libraries
  • Fondren Library
  • Outdoor quads
  • Rice Student Center
Did You Know? For their first semester, freshmen are allowed to drop classes up until the very last day of the semester. All students have the option to take four classes pass/fail during their college careers (no more than one in a given semester). This allows students to complete those nasty distribution requirements while putting forth minimum effort and concentrating more on classes in their majors.

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Rice

Name: Eli Spector

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