MBA Full Time Admissions by Rice Business

Admissions Binder

Class of

2014

Contents

Welcome to Rice University

Welcome from the Dean............................................................................................................................... 7 PREPARATION ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Enrollment Checklist ................................................................................................................................. 8 To do soon:............................................................................................................................................ 8 To do in the spring/summer: ................................................................................................................ 9 To do once you arrive in Houston: ........................................................................................................ 9 Dates to remember: ............................................................................................................................ 10 Financial Aid ................................................................................................................................................ 10 Navigating the Financial Aid process â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents............................... 10 I. Congratulations! You are Admitted ..................................................................................................... 11 II. Pay Deposit ......................................................................................................................................... 11 III. 2012-2013 FAFSA ............................................................................................................................... 11 IV. Get @rice.edu e-mail ......................................................................................................................... 11 V. Login to ESTHER .................................................................................................................................. 11 VI. Prepare your Personal Budget ........................................................................................................... 11 VII. Research Private Loans ..................................................................................................................... 12 VIII. Loan Award Notification .................................................................................................................. 12 IX. Complete Unsubsidized Loan Process ............................................................................................... 12 X. Complete Graduate PLUS or Private Loan Process (if applicable) ...................................................... 12 XI. Loans Disbursed to Student Accounts ............................................................................................... 12 JGSB Financial Aid Specialist Contact Information ................................................................................. 13 Financial Aid Information for International Students and Other Sources of Aid.................................... 13 Houston Living ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Transportation ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Direct Flight Times from Houston ....................................................................................................... 13 Housing ................................................................................................................................................... 14 Rice Village Apartments: ..................................................................................................................... 14 Rice Graduate Apartments: ................................................................................................................ 15 Morningside Square Apartments: ....................................................................................................... 15

Welcome to Rice University

Technology .................................................................................................................................................. 15 FacebookÂŠ Group: ................................................................................................................................. 16 ESTHER .................................................................................................................................................... 16 Typical Tech Process ............................................................................................................................... 17 Computer Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 17 Student Health Services .............................................................................................................................. 18 International Students ................................................................................................................................ 19 OISS Purpose: .......................................................................................................................................... 19 OISS Services ........................................................................................................................................... 19 General Guidelines & Procedures for International Students ................................................................ 20 International Admissions for MBAs ........................................................................................................ 20 Arrival ...................................................................................................................................................... 21 Extensions ............................................................................................................................................... 21 ACADEMICS ................................................................................................................................................. 21 What is Immersion? .................................................................................................................................... 23 General On-Boarding .............................................................................................................................. 23 International Student Immersion ........................................................................................................... 23 Academic Expectations ........................................................................................................................... 24 Leadership Communications............................................................................................................... 24 Financial Accounting ........................................................................................................................... 24 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 24 Competitive Strategy .......................................................................................................................... 25 Honor Code ............................................................................................................................................. 25 Curriculum............................................................................................................................................... 26 Year One: Laying a Solid Foundation for Future General Managers .......................................................... 26 Year Two: Adding to the Professional Tool Kit While Finishing the Core ............................................... 27 Fall 2011 Core Courses ........................................................................................................................ 28 Spring 2012 Core Courses ................................................................................................................... 31 Faculty ......................................................................................................................................................... 36 Concentrations ............................................................................................................................................ 36

Welcome to Rice University

Accounting .............................................................................................................................................. 37 Energy ..................................................................................................................................................... 37 Entrepreneurship .................................................................................................................................... 37 Finance .................................................................................................................................................... 37 Global Business ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Health Care ............................................................................................................................................. 38 Management Consulting......................................................................................................................... 38 Marketing ................................................................................................................................................ 38 Mastering Creativity and Innovation ...................................................................................................... 38 Real Estate .............................................................................................................................................. 39 Academic Calendar ..................................................................................................................................... 39 Action Learning Project (AL P) .................................................................................................................... 40 How does the Action Learning Project program work? .......................................................................... 41 How is an Action Learning Project different from an internship? .......................................................... 41 Are faculty members involved in the Action Learning Projects? ............................................................ 41 How are students placed on Action Learning Project teams? ................................................................ 41 How are the projects graded? ................................................................................................................ 41 What business processes do the Action Learning Projects focus on? .................................................... 42 Examples of Action Learning Project focuses: ........................................................................................ 42 What types of companies participate in Action Learning Projects? ....................................................... 42 Recent Action Learning Project companies ............................................................................................ 42 International Trips....................................................................................................................................... 43 Study Abroad Exchange Programs .............................................................................................................. 44 SHAPE THE WORLD ..................................................................................................................................... 44 Career Management ................................................................................................................................... 45 Services ................................................................................................................................................... 45 Professional Development Series ....................................................................................................... 45 Diversity Conferences ......................................................................................................................... 45 Partios ................................................................................................................................................. 45 Career Rodeo ...................................................................................................................................... 45

Welcome to Rice University

Student Treks ...................................................................................................................................... 45 Online Career Preparation Course .......................................................................................................... 46 Resources ................................................................................................................................................ 47 Symplicity ............................................................................................................................................ 47 MBAFocus ........................................................................................................................................... 47 Vault Online Library ............................................................................................................................ 47 JobBug ................................................................................................................................................. 47 Networking.............................................................................................................................................. 47 Council of Overseers ................................................................................................................................... 47 Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lecture Series .................................................................................................................................. 48 Company and Industry Events .................................................................................................................... 49 RICE ENERGY FINANCE SUMMIT ............................................................................................................. 49 Houston Technology Center (HTC )......................................................................................................... 49 Executive Education ................................................................................................................................ 49 Houston Angel Network.......................................................................................................................... 49 James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy ........................................................................................... 49 Business Excellence ..................................................................................................................................... 50 Rice Alliance ................................................................................................................................................ 50 Rice Business Plan Competition .............................................................................................................. 50 M.A. Wright Fund........................................................................................................................................ 51 Case Competitions ...................................................................................................................................... 52 Diversity ...................................................................................................................................................... 53 Diversity Statistics ................................................................................................................................... 53 Leadership ................................................................................................................................................... 54 Campus ....................................................................................................................................................... 55 McNair Hall ................................................................................................................................................. 55 El Paso Corporation Finance Center ....................................................................................................... 55 Business Information Center .................................................................................................................. 55 Rice Campus ................................................................................................................................................ 55 Houston....................................................................................................................................................... 56

Welcome to Rice University

Student Life ................................................................................................................................................. 57 FOOD: ...................................................................................................................................................... 57 DRINKS: ................................................................................................................................................... 57 GATHERINGS: .......................................................................................................................................... 58 JGS FOLLIES: ............................................................................................................................................ 58 VOLUNTEER:............................................................................................................................................ 58 ARTS: ....................................................................................................................................................... 59 ATHLETICS: .............................................................................................................................................. 59 Investiture ................................................................................................................................................... 59 Rice Alumni Network .................................................................................................................................. 60 Alumni Services ........................................................................................................................................... 60 Alumni Career Services: .......................................................................................................................... 60 Lifelong Learning: .................................................................................................................................... 61 Online Networking Resources: ............................................................................................................... 61 Corporate Investors ................................................................................................................................ 61 Jones Alumni Real Estate Club: ............................................................................................................... 61 Alumni Get Involved by:.......................................................................................................................... 61 Alumni Mentoring Program ................................................................................................................ 61 Jones Alumni Volunteers for Admission (JAVA) .................................................................................. 61 Alumni-Student Lunches ..................................................................................................................... 62 Jones Graduate School Alumni Association (JGSAA) .......................................................................... 62 Frequently Asked Questions ....................................................................................................................... 62 Admissions Deposit: ................................................................................................................................ 65 Tuition: .................................................................................................................................................... 65 Financial Aid: ........................................................................................................................................... 66 CMC Summer Course: ............................................................................................................................. 66 Student Health Services: ......................................................................................................................... 66 Immersion: .............................................................................................................................................. 67 Investiture: .............................................................................................................................................. 69 General Information: .............................................................................................................................. 69

Welcome to Rice University

GLOSSARY.................................................................................................................................................... 71

Welcome from the Dean Welcome to the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business and congratulations on your acceptance to the Rice MBA program. This is a great accomplishment and you are about to embark on a truly lifechanging journey. We are proud to have you join the Class of 2014. In October 2012, Rice University will celebrate its centennial, and the Jones School will near its 40-year anniversary. Our mission – developing principled, innovative thought leaders in global communities – has never been more relevant as we educate the entrepreneurs, senior managers, strategists and academics who will tackle the challenges of the century ahead. Looking back over the year, we see the emergence of substantial improvement in nearly every aspect of the Jones School — from student admission and career placement to faculty impact and alumni support. Growth occurred across the board in applications, selectivity, GMAT scores, as well as domestic population from outside Texas and international students. With 90 percent of the full time Class of 2011 employed within three months of graduation and placement among international students up to 85 percent this year, the employment report reflects a strong rebound to the economic downturn. The strength of the Jones School faculty helped to propel the Rice MBA full-time program into the Businessweek top 30 for the first time. Last spring, Businessweek gave our faculty an “A” for teaching quality, a top 10 ranking for research productivity, and subsequently included Prashant Kale as one of the 10 most popular MBA professors globally. We continue to have broad engagement of our alumni, continued success in annual giving participation, strong employment for our graduates, and enrollment of record number of Rice MBA students across three programs (Full Time, Professionals and Executives) with record-setting admissions standards. All of this points to the continued strength of the Jones Graduate School of Business and our belief that we can meet and exceed your future career goals. Join us in transforming business thought. We do it every day. Sincerely,

Bill Glick Dean H. Joe Nelson III Professor of Management

Welcome to Rice University

"Houston is the great city it is today in large part because of the vision, courage and entrepreneurial spirit of its leaders going back to its earliest days. To fully develop its potential today as one of the great global cities, Houston will need leadership more than ever. The Jones School is critical to providing that depth of talent. It attracts two-thirds of its students from outside the region, and two-thirds of its graduates stay in Houston. That makes Rice University a significant contributor to the city’s economic prosperity and prospects." — Rice University President David Leebron

PREPARATION Before you step foot on campus to start your journey as a Rice MBA student, there are many things to do ahead of time to ensure a smooth transition back into academia.

Enrollment Checklist To do soon: • Pay your deposit and reserve your seat. The instructions for your deposit are on your admissions letter. You will need to log in to your Rice MBA application and complete the deposit form. • Visit the campus if you haven’t already or even if you have! Contact the Admissions Office and schedule a time to experience a Rice MBA class or just tour our state-of-the-art facility. ricemba@rice.edu or 888-844-4773 • Log on to OWL-Space, our Web-based communication portal for courses, programs, calendars, schedules, clubs, career management, and of course, new students. The instructions will be sent in your Tech Pack. Note: Available to those who pay their admissions deposit. •

•

Fill out the Health Data Form and return it to the Health Services department. Be sure your immunizations are up to date by contacting your doctor and requesting a copy of your records. The form must be completed prior to the start of Immersion. If not completed, you will not be able to register or receive financial aid. You can find it online: business.rice.edu/hdf Learn about financial aid. Student financial aid can be a long process, so it is imperative that you begin to learn about it. Please reference the Financial Aid section for more information.

Welcome to Rice University •

Read the FAQ, and if you have questions that aren’t answered, either call or e-mail the Admissions Office or seek help on OWL-Space.

To do in the spring/summer: • Participate in the mandatory CMC course - Introduction to MBA Career Management-Online Career Preparation Course will be facilitated online June 2011 to July 2011 over OWL-Space. Participation in this course is mandatory. • If you don’t live in Houston already, find a place to live! There is some useful information here to find housing. Please contact the Admissions Office if you have specific questions. • Visit OWL-Space regularly for updates and important information. You can communicate with other incoming students and admissions staff, view announcements, and complete assignments. • Begin your Mentor application distributed via OWL-Space in late May or early June. Information on the Mentor Program can be found in the XXXX. • Complete assigned surveys distributed via OWL-Space in the spring. There will be many surveys for you to complete prior to Immersion so be on the lookout for the following surveys: Strengths Quest, communication, grammar and usage, and career management assessments. • Either waive or purchase the Health Insurance Plan offered by Rice via the web address below. This information must be completed online prior to the start of Immersion, and if not completed, you will not be able to register. studenthealthinsurance.rice.edu • Check ESTHER for financial aid information. ESTHER is the Web-based student tools and resources system associated with the entire university. You will use it to register for classes, update your personal information, and review financial aid. Instructions will be sent via Email within one week of paying the deposit. • Pay tuition and any fees. The Office of the Cashier will send tuition statements out to graduate level students starting in July. The tuition date will be annotated on your bill and the options for paying are on the back of the statement. Any scholarships will be applied to your account and your balance will reflect tuition and fees less your scholarship and deposit already paid. More information can be found in the Financial Aid section. • Laptop. Please make sure your laptop meets the minimum requirements. To do once you arrive in Houston: • Arrive early and get settled. Immersion is a rigorous, all day, twelve-day (domestic students) and eighteen day (international students) event. You will not have time during those days to take care of personal action items so please give yourself enough time prior to Immersion to take care of everything. The Rice MBA Full Time Immersion is Monday, August 6 – August 17, 2012. If you are an International Student, your Rice MBA Full Time Immersion begins on Monday, July 30 – Saturday, August 4, 2012 and then continues with the rest of the Full Time class on August 6, 2012.

Welcome to Rice University

Be prepared for full days! We start every morning at 8AM and most days run into the evening.

Note: First day of classes for Rice MBA Full-Time students is Monday, August 20, 2012. •

• •

Update your personal information on ESTHER. Please make sure that all your personal information is current. You will receive any physical mailings from the university at the address provided in your application. Get your Student ID and set up parking. You will not have time during Immersion to get these things done. We highly recommend you take care of these matters before Immersion begins. Get Prepared For Immersion. Be sure you have everything completed that is required prior to the start of Immersion. You can find all the latest assignments, surveys, announcements, and additional resources on OWL-Space. If you are not sure, ASK! Be sure to get plenty of sleep, and be ready to begin your MBA education at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University!

Dates to remember: • First-year International Student Immersion: Monday, July 30 – Saturday, August 4, 2012 • First-year Immersion: Monday, August 6 – Friday, August 17, 2012 • First day of Term I Classes: Monday, August 20, 2012

Financial Aid New estimated annual expenses 2012-2013 to come (pdf attached) New example monthly budget for personal living to come (link/pdf?)

Navigating the Financial Aid process – for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

What I. Congratulations! You are Admitted. II. Pay Deposit III. 2012-2013 FAFSA IV. Get @rice.edu E-mail V. Login to ESTHER VI. Prepare your Personal Budget VII. Research Private Loans* VIII. Loan Award Notification IX. Complete Unsubsidized Loan process X. Complete Graduate PLUS or Private Loan Process if applicable XI. Loans Disbursed to Student Account

When

December 2011 --- May 2012 December 2011 --- May 2012 After January 1, 2012 (May 15 ‘‘priority’’ processing deadline) 1st month after deposit 1st month after deposit Before July 2012 Before July 2012 Before July 2012 Before July 2012 Before July 2012 August 2012 and January 2013

Welcome to Rice University *Optional, see step VII below for details

I. Congratulations! You are Admitted Merit award offers are determined by the Jones School scholarship committee at the time of acceptance. If you have received a scholarship, it is noted in your admissions letter. The merit-based scholarships for full-time students awarded by the Jones School cover tuition expenses only, and range from partial to full tuition scholarships. In addition to merit awards, most students seek loan funding to cover remaining tuition, fees, and living expenses. Rice University administers a variety of Federally and privately funded loan programs, including the Unsubsidized Federal Direct Student Loan (formerly known as Federal Stafford Loan) and the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan.

II. Pay Deposit You must pay your deposit by the date specified in your admissions packet in order to reserve your seat in the Class of 2014, in order to be enrolled at Rice. Once you pay the deposit, you will be able to access the systems you will use to manage your Federal Financial Aid, including ESTHER, Rice’s online student administrative system.

III. 2012-2013 FAFSA If you will apply for Federal Financial Aid (U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents only), the first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA.ed.gov). This is done online, AFTER January 1, 2012 – please note that the FAFSA application must be completed each academic year. We do recommend, however, that you wait to complete your FAFSA until you have filed your 2011 tax return. The priority processing deadline for the FAFSA is May 15th, but FAFSA applications and Financial Aid Award packages are processed throughout the academic year.

IV. Get @rice.edu e-mail The JGSB Financial Aid Specialist will communicate with you using this e-mail address, so it is important that you complete the steps provided to access your @rice.edu e-mail account, and that you check it periodically or make arrangements to have it forwarded to an e-mail account you use on a regular basis.

V. Login to ESTHER You will use ESTHER, Rice’s online student account system, to access your Financial Aid Award once it has been processed by the Financial Aid Specialist, so please complete the steps to gain access to ESTHER as soon as they are available.

VI. Prepare your Personal Budget Financial Aid recipients are eligible for approximately $20,600 in Unsubsidized Loans yearly towards their studies (unless they are in default on a previous student loan or have already borrowed the lifetime maximum). A Graduate PLUS Loan and/or private loans are supplemental loans available to assist students in covering the remaining cost of the program (tuition, fees, and living expenses). While you are waiting for your FAFSA and Financial Aid Award notice to be processed you may use the tuition information provided in this section to start working on your budget and to determine how much money you will need to request from a supplemental loan.

Welcome to Rice University VII. Research Private Loans Most students make up the difference that is not covered by Unsubsidized Loans with Graduate PLUS loans. If you are not eligible to apply for Federal Student Loans, such as the Graduate PLUS loan, or find more favorable terms through a private lender, we encourage you to research funding options while you wait for your Unsubsidized Loan to be processed. A sample list of private lending institutions is available on the Office of Financial Aid website, but please note that you are not limited to this list and may borrow according to your preference.

VIII. Loan Award Notification We strive to process Financial Aid Award Packages within four weeks of admission, submittal of your enrollment deposit, and completion of the FAFSA application. The JGSB Financial Aid Specialist will notify you via your @rice.edu e-mail account once your loan awards are ready for your review through ESTHER. You will log-in to ESTHER to accept the Unsubsidized Loan offer and for instructions on how to complete the federal loan application process. You will be initially offered financial aid in the form of Unsubsidized Loans with an approximate maximum of $20,600 annually unless you are in default on a previous Federal Student Loan, or you have already borrowed the lifetime limit of $138,500. In the case of the Graduate PLUS Loan, this is a student-initiated process that requires a credit history review for approval, and thus this loan will not initially appear in your award package on ESTHER. You will, instead, receive instructions on the application steps from the JGSB Financial Aid Specialist.

IX. Complete Unsubsidized Loan Process Your award notice in ESTHER will include a link to complete the online Unsubsidized Loan application process. The Unsubsidized Loan has a 6.8% fixed interest rate, has a 1% origination fee, and begins to accrue interest from the point of disbursement. Once the loan process is complete, your loan funds will be disbursed in two equal payments to the Cashierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office in August 2012 and January 2013. As long as all application steps are completed, a temporary credit will be placed on your student account prior to disbursement.

X. Complete Graduate PLUS or Private Loan Process (if applicable) If the academic year maximum for the Unsubsidized Loan of approximately $20,600 does not cover your funding needs, and you choose to borrow using the Graduate PLUS Loan, you will complete the application process at the same time as the Unsubsidized Loan. You will need to have determined through your own personal budgeting process how much additional funding you will require to cover tuition, fees, and living expenses (if applicable). Approval for a Graduate PLUS Loan is determined by the Department of Education and is based on a review of your credit history; as long as you do not have adverse credit history, you may expect to be approved for this loan. The interest rate is 7.9% fixed with a four percent origination fee. Similar to the Unsubsidized Loan, interest begins to accrue from the point of disbursement. If instead you choose to apply for a private loan, you must contact the lending institution of your choice directly. Terms, conditions, and fees will vary by lending institution.

XI. Loans Disbursed to Student Accounts Once you have completed the online loan processes, your loan will be certified verifying that you are enrolled. Funds will be disbursed to the Cashierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office in August 2012 and January 2013, and applied

Welcome to Rice University

toward your account. If you chose to borrow an amount that is greater than your tuition bill (ie: for living expenses), the standard credit refund time is 24 hours.

JGSB Financial Aid Specialist Contact Information Salomon Medina Financial Aid Specialist, Admissions Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business Rice University 6100 Main Street, MS 531 Houston, Texas 77005 Phone: 713.348.3886 | Fax: 713.348.6147 | E-mail: smedina@rice.edu

Financial Aid Information for International Students and Other Sources of Aid Because the MBA degree is professionally oriented, international students are not eligible for Federal Student Loans. International students are encouraged to seek support in your home country through government and private agencies or bank loan programs. Some private institutions in the U.S. may provide student loans to international students with a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident cosigner. A sample list of private lending institutions and potential third-party funding organizations is available on the Jones Graduate School of Business website; however, please note that you are not limited to this list and may borrow through any lender of your choice. You may find additional funding information on the website for the Office of International Students and Scholars. If you will be using private student loans or applying to third-party scholarship organizations, it is your responsibility to research the organization and choose the funding option that is right for you.

Houston Living For those of you who will be moving to Houston, Texas to be a part of the Rice MBA family, we are here to help. Here are some things to remember about Houston:

Transportation The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two major commercial airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), are both busy, urban airfields. There are 44 million people traveling through Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airports, so they are up to the task of getting you in and out of the city. Direct Flight Times from Houston to: Atlanta 1:50 hrs Boston 3:40 hrs Chicago 2:25 hrs Dallas/Ft. Worth 0:30 min Denver 2:20 hrs

Los Angeles 3:30 hrs

Welcome to Rice University

Miami 2:20 hrs Minneapolis 2:40 hrs New Orleans 1:00 hr New York City 3:20 hrs Philadelphia 3:10 hrs Phoenix 2:40 hrs San Diego 3:20 hrs San Francisco 4:10 hrs Seattle 4:30 hrs Washington, D.C. 2:50 hrs Once in Houston, it is easy to get to downtown or campus by taxi, the Houston Professional Airport Shuttle, or the Texans Shuttle. The METRORail system offers convenient, accessible service within the heart of the city between downtown Houston and Reliant Park, and it stops right by campus, too.

Housing Although it is the fourth largest city in the U.S., Houston has one of the lowest costs of living of any U.S. metropolitan area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; well below the national average. Whether you are interested in campus housing, an apartment, condo, loft, townhome or house, the following resources can help you make that transition. If you would like more information on the surrounding neighborhoods, apartment complexes, rental housing, please contact the Admissions Office and we would be happy to put you in contact with some of our current students who can share their own experiences with you. If you are interested in campus housing, Rice University Campus Housing has three offerings: Rice Village Apartments, Rice Graduate Apartments and Morningside Square Apartments. All three offerings are located around the Rice University campus within walking distance or you can take the university shuttle. Rice Village Apartments: The Rice Village Apartments is a four-story complex featuring a modern design and just opened in the Spring of 2009. It is conveniently located on Shakespeare Street adjacent to the ever so popular Rice Village. The location can provide extra benefits to the residents without a car because the Rice Village showcases over 300 shops, boutiques, and restaurants. This distinctive community protects important green space and trees in this attractive neighborhood. There is a resident herb garden and fruit trees throughout. Each unit offers appliances certified by Energy Star to conserve

Welcome to Rice University

energy and protect the environment, giving residents lower electricity bills. The laundry machines alert you via email when your laundry is done. Disability accommodations are also provided. You will find the value of making the Rice Village Apartments your home, by offering affordable and unique floor plans within a prestigious area of Houston.

Rice Graduate Apartments: Rice Graduate Apartments is a garden style complex located on Bissonnet in the Houston Museum District only seconds away from Rice Campus. With ease you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts, Contemporary Arts Museum, Museum of Natural Science, Children’s Museum, Health Museum, and the Holocaust Museum. The Houston Zoo is also conveniently located in close proximity to the Graduate Apartments. This community was designed with you, the Rice University graduate student, in mind. We offer you the space you need to have success in your academic pursuits. Besides the large room you have in your apartment you will also find; a computer room, two study rooms, a television lounge, clubhouse, and two courtyards. When you make Rice Graduate Apartments your home, besides the obvious advantages: quick and easy access to campus and access to community resources, studies show that students living near campus actually have a better opportunity for growth and success. Morningside Square Apartments: The Morningside Square Apartments is a two-story 1950s vintage style community located on Shakespeare Street across from the Rice Village Apartments. If you are looking for an economical living arrangement, than look no further. Here you will find a lot more space for a lot less cost. With only 23 units, Morningside provides an intimate environment, and with its bigger apartments it is perfectly suited for families. This community is conveniently located near the Rice Village, leaving several restaurants, pubs, and shopping options within short walking distance. For more information on Campus Housing, please refer to: http://campushousing.rice.edu/graduate/ If you would like more information on the surrounding neighborhoods, apartment complexes, rental housing, please contact the Admissions Office. We would be happy to help answer your specific questions!

Technology OWL-Space: OWL-Space is a virtual workspace designed to promote teaching and learning, as well as collaboration between members of the Rice University Community. This workspace can be accessed over the internet in your Web browser and contains a set of customizable tools and features to facilitate communication between users (YOU) and site managers (Rice MBA Staff and Faculty.) If you have used a blackboard system in your other academic or work environments, OWL-Space is very similar. You will find many different websites housed in OWL-Space during the program. • •

Admitted Student site MBA Course sites

Welcome to Rice University • •

Student Club/Group sites Career Management site

Each site is managed by a different group and therefore the method with which they utilize OWL-Space may be different, but the overall system capabilities are the same. Most of the digital communication between you and the administrative staff before you arrive and during your two years in the program will come from OWL-Space in the form of: • • • •

Announcements posted to the site (with an optional e-mail notification) File Repository housing important documents (Schedules/Calendars, Policies, Instructions) Assignments with the capability to upload completed work and receive grades Discussion and Forum Tools

Facebook© Group: A closed Facebook© Group called Rice MBA Class of 2014 is dedicated to the communication and virtual social networking between you, your fellow admitted students, staff, and current students. You will receive an e-mail invitation to join sent to the e-mail we have on file, so don’t forget to continue checking it. ESTHER: Rice University’s student system is called ESTHER, and it stands for Employee & Student Tools, Help & Electronic Resources. You can use ESTHER to complete any of the following tasks: • • • • • • • • • •

Update your contact information View the course catalog and the schedule of course offerings Register, add, and drop courses Look at your course schedule Examine your academic history including finals grades and unofficial transcript Find information about holds on your account Obtain enrollment verifications View expected financial aid information Review charges and payments Pay your account online

ESTHER login details originate from the Rice University Student IT System. A login letter with instructions to access ESTHER is sent via e-mail shortly after the student has paid a deposit and has been uploaded into the student system by the Admissions Office. Rice University E-Mail: The Jones School uses the Microsoft Exchange Server for e-mail. You can expect to receive access to your Rice e-mail address after you have paid the admissions deposit and your user account has been migrated to the Exchange Server. The migration can take up to three weeks after your deposit has cleared.

Tech Jargon: • • • • • •

Welcome to Rice University

Student ID number (SID): This is your Identification number for the university. Tech Pack Assignment: The instructions you follow to acquire your NetID through Apply.rice.edu. NetID: Your Rice University internet/computer system user name. Apply.rice.edu: The website used to create and manage your NetID and e-mail aliases. E-mail Alias: A self-created alternate name for your e-mail address. ESTHER Pin: The pin number used to first access ESTHER.

Typical Tech Process 1. Receive admission decision via telephone. 2. Within 1 week of the admission decision receive the decision letter and access to the admitted student website. 3. Within 1 week of the admission decision receive an invitation from the Admissions Office to join the Facebook© Group Rice MBA Class of 2014. 4. Join the Facebook© group and interact with other admitted students, current students, and staff. 5. Pay the deposit. 6. Within 1 week of the deposit, receive an automated e-mail letter with instructions to access ESTHER and your student account. 7. Access ESTHER. 8. Within 2 weeks of the deposit receive an e-mail with the Tech Pack Assignment and Student ID number (SID). 9. Complete the Tech Pack Assignment which instructs you to visit apply.rice.edu in order to create your Rice NetID and password and possibly an e-mail Alias. 10. Access your Rice e-mail. 11. Login to OWL-Space using your Rice NetID and password.

Computer Requirements

Welcome to Rice University

All JGS students are required to have their own Windows-based laptop. Please note that Macintosh computers may not be compatible with some of the business applications utilized in many of the courses and their use is not recommended. Below are the requirements for incoming students. Minimum hardware: • • • • • •

2GHz processor 2 GB of system memory 80 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space DVD/CD Drive Audio output capability Gigabit Ethernet card

Recommended hardware: • • • • • • •

2GHz processor 4 GB of system memory 250 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space RW DVD/CD Drive Audio output capability Gigabit Ethernet card 802.11 A/B/G/N wireless card (for laptop)

Required software: • • • •

Current Antivirus software Microsoft Office 2010 Suite Adobe Reader Windows XP SP3 Operating System or higher

Student Health Services All students are required to have health insurance. Even if you have your own health insurance, you must inform the Rice University Health Services department of your health insurance status (which means either Waive or Accept). If you do NOT have health insurance, you may accept and purchase the Rice Health Insurance Plan. International Students are required to purchase the Rice Health Plan or the Rice Approved Alternative Health Plan. If you have questions about the actual health plan, you can view this plan at www.aetnastudenthealth.com for more information.

Welcome to Rice University

If you have specific questions about the plan as it relates to Rice University students, you can find more information at www.studenthealthinsurance.rice.edu Further information is available at www.rice.edu/health

International Students Rice University’s Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) believes that international students and scholars at Rice serve as a vital “bridge” in cross-cultural understanding. Our goal is to promote positive international educational exchange through all of our programs and interactions. The multifunctional role of the OISS includes serving as the primary liaison for community contacts, governmental (federal, state, and local) agencies and university departments, which interface with international students and scholars.

OISS Purpose: • • • •

To provide international students and scholars with advice and documentation necessary to maintain their legal status in the U.S.; To represent the university to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of State, and other governmental agencies dealing with international visitors; To guide international students and scholars in their adaptation to the American culture and campus life; To maintain university compliance regarding regulations concerning international students and scholars.

OISS Services • • • • • • • • • • •

Initial orientation for all international students and scholars; U.S. immigration advisement and forms; Travel authorization and counseling regarding application for new visas; Authorize and advise on visa benefits, such as practical training and extension of programs; Advise and assist dependents of international students and scholars with visa issues and benefits; Liaison with U.S. and foreign embassies/consulates; Assistance with matters of cultural adjustment; Liaison with the Institute of International Education (IIE) and its Friendship Family Program; Resource and referral to other offices and services within Rice University and in Houston, as needed; Reporting of Rice’s international population to government agencies, IIE, and the Rice community; Informational workshops, programming and cultural activities;

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Information on holiday hospitality programs; Provide networks for international students to assist one another.

For additional information, please contact the OISS at Office of International Students & Scholars Lovett Hall, Entrance A, Second Floor Rice University Houston, TX 77005 Phone: (713) 348-6095 Fax: (713) 348-6058 www.oiss.rice.edu

General Guidelines & Procedures for International Students From: Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) http://oiss.rice.edu Lovett Hall, Entrance A, Second Floor Rice University, Houston TX Phone: 713-348-6095 Fax: 713-348-6058 International students enter the U.S. as non-immigrants for the purpose of pursuing academic or educational objectives. They enter on F-1 Student visas (or on J-1 Exchange Visitor visas in the student category on rare occasions). Their immediate dependents arrive as F-2s or J-2s, respectively.

International Admissions for MBAs Students are encouraged to visit the OISS website for helpful Visa Processing information at http://oiss.rice.edu, and click on Gateway for Students. The international admissions procedure for international MBA students at Rice University begins after international students have accepted admissions by paying their deposit to the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business. Once the deposit is paid, the Jones School will send instructions and forms (find examples at the end of this section) to be filled out by the student and returned to the Admissions Office. The required documentation is indicated on the checklist found following this section. (e.g., Financial Declaration Form and Foreign Student Transfer Release Form.) Note: the Foreign Student Transfer Release Form is used only for students transferring from schools inside the U.S. The OISS reviews the admissions offers, and provided documentation is in order, issues the appropriate visa documents (I-20 for F-1 students; DS-2019 for J-1 students). The OISS will prepare a mailing packet with these visa documents along with supplemental information to inform international students about

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consular processing and U.S. health insurance obligations. Typically, the academic department will send visa documents in a secure, expedited manner using an express delivery service with a tracking system such as FedEx or DHL. The international students present these documents to a U.S. Consulate or Embassy in the home country to obtain the appropriate visa stamps to enter the U.S. The F-1 visa may be granted as early as 90 days before the reporting date listed on the I-20, however entry is restricted to only 30 days prior to the start date indicated on the I-20 or DS-2019. NOTE: Financial verification is extremely important and must be in order before visa documents will be issued. The financial verification should be in U.S. dollars and written in English.

Arrival Students are encouraged to visit the OISS website for helpful pre-arrival information at http://oiss.rice.edu and click on Gateway for Students, then click on Pre-Arrival Information. International students can enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days before the I-20 reporting date and must report within 30 days of their arrival to the OISS located in Lovett Hall, Entrance A, Room 201. During check in, the OISS reviews the international students' visa documents and provides a brief orientation, discussing legal responsibilities while in the U.S. International students are required to participate in specific orientation sessions designed for them in August. Time is set aside during these orientation sessions for international students to meet with staff from the OISS to discuss legal issues and other concerns.

Extensions The I-20 and DS-2019 student visa documents contain expiration dates. If an international student anticipates that the academic program will last beyond the expiration date stated on the I-20 or DS-2019, the student must apply for an extension of visa status. The extension process is not difficult, but it must be completed in full before the documents expire or the student will be out of status. International students are encouraged to speak with an OISS advisor at least 1 month before their I-20/ DS-2019 expires. Required documents for new intl students (Link/pdf?) Financial Declaration 2012-2013 intl grad students (attached pdf)

ACADEMICS Articulating problems. Exploring alternatives. Reaching solutions. These are the foundations of academic excellence. The Jones Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s challenging curriculum provides its students with not only basic business

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disciplines but also specialized electives that allow you to further integrate your knowledge and career objectives.

Boot Camp + Orientation + Networking + Jump Start + Coursework +Workshops + Social Events + Team Building

“Immersion was an intense, highly interactive, but extremely fun orientation and initiation process. I was really surprised at how close I grew with my team in such a short period of time. Immersion gave me the chance to really get to know the faculty and staff outside of a classroom setting and I enjoyed that experience. Immersion definitely provided me with some foundational skills to ensure success during my first year in this program.” Rahila Odhwani, Class of 2012 “Immersion was an amazing way to get to know my classmates and to get ready for the fall semester. It was academically intense, yet fun at the same time. I loved all of the planned activities that we knew were waiting for us at the end of a day full of case studies and accounting reviews. I felt like Immersion helped set expectations for the first semester. It gave all of us a good feeling for what classes were going to be like and helped us begin to learn time management. It also gave us a chance to get to know our teams very well and explore each person’s learning style. Clearly the academic program at Rice is of the highest caliber and I feel as though I am learning so much. But what I value most are the people. In just a few months, I have made great friendships that I know will last a lifetime. The Rice MBA experience is truly invaluable.” Lacey Goossen, Class of 2012 The Rice MBA Full-Time Immersion is Monday, August 6 – August 17, 2012. If you are an International Student, your Rice MBA Full-Time Immersion begins on Monday, July 30 – Saturday, August 4, 2012 and then continues with the rest of the Full-Time class on August 6. Be prepared for full days! We start every morning at 8AM and most days run into the evening. Note: First day of classes for Rice MBA full-time students is Monday, August 20, 2012.

What is Immersion?

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The Rice MBA Program Immersion is a rigorous experience that takes place prior to the start of the school year. Immersion is intended to help students acclimate to the Jones School culture as well as the rapid pace of a top-tier graduate business school program. At the end of Immersion, students will be better prepared academically, professionally, administratively and culturally to reap the full benefits of the MBA experience. The majority of Immersion activities take place on campus. During Immersion, students participate in many different courses, workshops, orientation sessions, networking opportunities, team building activities and social events. In addition, a variety of Rice MBA stakeholders (faculty, current students, alumni, and staff) are engaged to provide students with the best foundation for beginning their MBA experience. The Rice MBA Program Immersion is a mandatory activity for all incoming students. Students receive course credits which are part of the Rice MBA curriculum. Several required tasks need to be completed before Immersion begins. You may also access your OWL-Space account to check on any activities or communications regarding Immersion.

General On-Boarding Registering for Classes: Registering for classes is quite easy and done via the ESTHER system. Each course has a specific CRN (Course Registration Number). You register for all classes according to which section you are in. Students will register for classes each semester in this same method. It is important that you make sure that everything is in order prior to registration or you will not be able to register. Affirming the Honor Code, paying your tuition bill, accepting/waiving student health insurance should be done well in advance of Immersion. Since these are mandatory obligations, if not done, they will create a hold on your account.

International Student Immersion The Rice MBA Program Immersion for International Students is a three-week event. The first week is dedicated to General On-Boarding activities as well as several focused workshops and events specifically to help our Rice MBA International Students ease into life in another culture and country. The following two weeks is the start of the regular Rice MBA Program Immersion with the remaining members of the incoming Class of 2014 where you will begin your academic coursework with your new teams. Examples of events that have been scheduled during the International Immersion Week are: • • • •

Introduction to Rice University and the Jones School through escorted tours Career Management and Professional Development workshops to give you a jump-start on managing your career Cultural and Communications workshops to help you with your transition Networking and Social Activities including dinner with faculty and the deans to help you get to know your classmates, faculty and staff

Welcome to Rice University •

Trip to Department of Motor Vehicles to get Texas Driver’s License or Texas ID Card

The Rice MBA Program Immersion for International Students is a MANDATORY activity for all incoming students that begins on July 30, 2012 through August 4, 2012 and then continues with the rest of the class August 6-17. Students that have any questions about International Student Immersion or any administrative matters should contact the Admissions Office: Phone: 713 348-4918 or 888-844-4773 (toll free) E-mail: ricemba@rice.edu.

Academic Expectations The following provides you with some information on each course that you will be taking during Immersion as provided by the professors who teach those courses. Leadership Communications “We have designed your entire MBA experience to keep communications “front of mind” as a critical leadership competency. Beginning with the MBA Program Immersion, you will focus on learning and applying key leadership communication concepts, processes, and best practices. You will build upon these foundational skills throughout your first year, both in our classes and workshops, and in many of the other core disciplines, such as Marketing, Strategy and Organizational Behavior.” – Gale Wiley, Director of MBA Communications and Kim Kimmey, Lecturer in Management Financial Accounting “Financial statements are a key source of information about the economic activities of a firm. This course addresses the construction and interpretation of financial statements. The goal of the course is not to train you to become an accountant. Rather, the course should equip you to become an informed user of financial statement information. Because annual reports are somewhat formidable, we will study how firms present the information for various accounts in their financial statements, including the footnotes. By the end of the course, you should have a basic understanding of financial statements and the ability to use them for decision making. During Immersion, we will be focusing on the general overview of financial statements and some of the more technical details of accounting such as transactions analysis. The purpose of the work during Immersion is to get a head start in learning how financial statements are constructed so that we can focus on understanding and interpreting financial statement items throughout the semester.” – Brian Rountree, Associate Professor of Accounting Data Analysis “The ever-increasing capacity of computers to analyze data and the explosion of the amount of data available have resulted in an increased role for data analysis as an aid to business decision-making. This course exposes the student to the most important ideas and methods relevant for data analysis in a business context. Emphasizing practical applications to real problems, the course covers the following

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topics: sampling, descriptive statistics, probability distributions, and regression analysis.” – Sharad Borle, Associate Professor of Marketing Competitive Strategy (earn 1.5 credits during Immersion) “The field of strategic management aims to explore how firms achieve competitive advantage in a dynamic and complex environment from the general manager’s perspective. This course is organized around fundamental frameworks that will assist you in analyzing a wide range of strategic issues facing a firm. It will: 1) cover theories for in-depth industry analysis, for anticipating and predicting future industry developments, and 2) examine some of the firm specific underpinnings of competitive advantage and growth in both domestic and international settings and 3) explore some of the challenges in implementing the strategy that has been formulated. The best analysis in the world will have little effect if it cannot be communicated to others. Managers must be able to articulate their views coherently and persuasively, and they must be skilled at understanding and critiquing other points of view. Management is a “verbal sport;” perhaps 90 percent of a typical manager’s day is consumed by oral communication. Time is often scarce. You must learn to make convincing arguments and to make them quickly, or the merits of your ideas are likely to become simply irrelevant. This skill takes practice, and we will place a great deal of emphasis on it in class.” – Haiyang Li, Associate Professor of Strategic Management, and Prashant Kale, Associate Professor of Strategic Management

Honor Code Rice has a high trust culture that obligates individuals to preserve our legacy of honor. Developing principled leaders starts on day one. Academic integrity (Rice Honor Code, which students need to write and sign on every exam and paper that they submit for credit at Rice) and business honor (the MBA Oath) are presented as soon as a student begins the Rice MBA program. The code reads: “On my Honor, I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this [exam/paper/etc.]” Student Signature The three main student responsibilities of the Rice honor code are: 1. Do not violate the Honor Code; 2. Do not aid in a violation; 3. Report any suspected violations to the Honor Council. The Rice Honor Council is a group of students elected by the student body to investigate accusations, handle cases of suspected violations, orient new students to the system, and seek improvement to the Honor System. It is an objective third party and is not responsible for accusing students. The entire student body is responsible for ensuring that the Honor System continues to operate effectively.

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Along with the Rice Honor Code, the Student Mission Statement was created to set the long-term direction of the student body and to carry that culture of integrity beyond graduation. The Student Mission Statement reads:

As aspiring leaders, we join the Jones School to develop ourselves through academic pursuit and contributions to our community. To demonstrate our commitment, we will: • Act with integrity, • Value the differences in individuals, and • Strive for excellence. In accordance with this commitment we hold ourselves accountable to be prepared, respect the wisdom of our faculty and peers, and practice intellectual curiosity. We will also hold our instructors accountable to help us develop the skills and intuition necessary to distinguish Jones School graduates as superlative leaders. Upon graduation, we will demonstrate principled leadership in our communities and uphold strong ethical values while guarding the reputation of our peers, school , and professions.

Curriculum The Rice MBA Full-Time curriculum was designed to help students be more effective in today’s ever changing business world. The curriculum was developed with three goals in mind: (1) maintain the traditional academic rigor and preparation that is synonymous with the Rice MBA, (2) create a delivery format that maximized the student learning experience, and (3) provide students with the flexibility to customize the curriculum to meet their professional needs. As such, the curriculum is intended to allow students to build a strong general management foundation in the first year, while providing the flexibility to tailor the curriculum in the second year of the program. Second year customization allows students to declare up to two concentration specializations or take a more generalist approach and select from the over 40+ electives offered in the second year of the program. Each semester has two terms for traditional courses. After the first term in each semester, there is an Intensive Learning Experience (ILE) period for courses that are better taught in a workshop or seminar type format. In order to graduate students must complete 60 credits of coursework, 31.75 core coursework credits, and at least 28.25 elective credits.

Year One: Laying a Solid Foundation for Future General Managers The Rice MBA first year course load was designed to deliver academic content in a more distributed manner in order to improve the learning experience. While most of the classes are consistent with other top MBA programs, our teaching approach is varied. Some classes are case based, some are lecture, and some are experiential. Students start the program with the two week long Rice MBA Immersion. The goal of Immersion is to get students quickly acclimated to the MBA experience. In Immersion, students start the curriculum with

Comment [WM1]: Have asked Joe and he is getting back to me because three different people had three different answers to this.

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an introduction to ethics, communications and strategy. In addition to the academic coursework in ethics and communications, students will participate in a series of academic boot camps (financial accounting, finance, and data analysis), career and professional development workshops, team building and assessment, and a few camaraderie building activities.

After MBA Immersion, students will move into the first semester curriculum focused on the first level of foundational and functional preparation. Students will take courses in several areas: financial accounting, finance, managerial economics, marketing, strategy, and organizational behavior. Additionally, communications and ethics courses will continue throughout the first semester. So rather than having students take a stand alone ethics class, students will evaluate ethical dilemmas in each of the first semester classes (financial accounting, finance, marketing, etc.). At end of the first term, students transition to the fall semester ILE period where they will take workshop-based courses in leadership, communications and negotiation. In the second term of the fall semester, students round out the semester with capstone ethics and communications courses while completing the other traditional format courses (financial accounting, finance, marketing, and managerial economics). After the completion of the first semester, students will transition into the Action Learning Project (ALP). The ALP program is a twelve week applied learning capstone project in which Rice MBA students work with Houston area companies to solve pressing current business issues. ALP projects cover a wide array of functional and industry areas. In the past, companies such as Chevron, Exterran, JP Morgan Chase, Anheuser-Busch, Texas Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital, HP, Halliburton, and Waste Management have participated in the ALP program. Also in the second semester of the first year, students have the option to participate in one of our international trips to China, India, South America, and Mexico. In terms III and IV, students will continue to take the standard core curriculum courses plus one elective course. Students can further personalize their studies in term IV by choosing from a variety of Custom Core courses such as Business Government, Management Control, and Operations.

Year Two: Adding to the Professional Tool Kit While Finishing the Core In the second year of the program, students have the opportunity to tailor the curriculum to their professional needs. Some students choose to declare one or two formal concentrations (see concentrations below). Other students prefer a generalist approach and take elective courses in all the different functional areas. Add curriculum schematic from Becky The following course descriptions are from the 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 school year. The 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2013 schedule has not yet been created but the courses will be similar and may be subject to change.

Comment [r2]: Double check that it is just one elective for the whole semester, not 2 split up 1.5 & 1.5 like the chart makes it look

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Fall 2011 Core Courses MGMT 501 – Financial Accounting Financial statements are a key source of information about the economic activities of a firm. This course addresses the construction and interpretation of financial statements. The goal of the course is not to train you to become an accountant. Rather, the course should equip you to become an informed user of financial statement information. Because annual reports are somewhat formidable, we will study how firms present the information for various accounts in their financial statements, including the footnotes. By the end of the course, you should have a basic understanding of financial statements and the ability to use them for decision making. Fulfillment of these objectives involves acquiring several skills. The course will emphasize (i) gaining familiarity with the types of transaction firms engage in, (ii) the mapping of transactions into accounting numbers, (iii) understanding the accounting‐related choices that managers have for transactions and the rationale behind the various methods, (iv) developing fluency in accounting terminology, and (v) appreciating the complexity of accounting due to the (often considerable) discretion and judgment involved in choosing among alternative accounting methods, making estimates, and disclosing information in financial statements. MGMT 510 – Organizational Behavior Organizational life is built around a complex interplay of social forces. Issues involving power and influence, norms and values, and incentives and rewards shape individual and group behavior. In this course, our aim is to understand and harness these forces to enhance your managerial toolkit. Specifically, this course is designed to help you make more effective decisions, motivate and lead employees, and understand the processes underlying social interaction in organizations. Toward this end, we will adopt an “evidence‐based” approach. That is, we will focus on practices and techniques supported by rigorous academic research (as opposed to management folklore). Instruction in this course will include lectures, class discussions, and exercises/activities. MGMT 540 – Managerial Economics Managerial economics deals with the application of microeconomic analysis to managerial decisionmaking. It is therefore a very broad subject and serves as the foundation for all decisions in business. Therefore, the overall objective of this course is to familiarize students with the economist’s “way of thinking” and learn to apply basic economics principles to the decision making process within the firm. MGMT 543 – Finance Finance has three major divisions: 1. Corporate finance (how firms raise and invest capital) 2. Financial institutions (how capital markets facilitate the flow of funds in the economy) 3. Investments (how people allocate their savings among different assets)

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MGMT 543 focuses mainly on the first division: corporate finance. Upon completion of this course you should understand: • • •

The main financial decisions facing the firm How these financial decisions are related How to make these decisions

Spreadsheets are the primary modeling tool used by most finance professionals. By the end of this course you should be able to build simple financial models using spreadsheets. The course contains three problem sets that will require some spreadsheet work. In addition, there will be numerous spreadsheet demonstrations during class. MGMT 570 – Competitive Strategy The field of strategic management explores how firms achieve competitive advantage in a dynamic and complex environment from the general manager’s perspective. This course is organized around fundamental frameworks to assist you in analyzing a wide range of strategic issues facing a firm. It will: • • •

Cover theories for in‐depth industry analysis, for anticipating and predicting future industry developments Examine some of the firm specific underpinnings of competitive advantage and growth in both domestic and international settings Explore some of the challenges in implementing the strategy that has been formulated

Nevertheless, the best analysis in the world will have little effect if it cannot be communicated to others. Managers must be able to articulate their views coherently and persuasively, and they must be skilled at understanding and critiquing other points of view. Management is a "verbal sport;" perhaps 90% of a typical manager's day is consumed by oral communication. Time is often scarce. You must learn to make convincing arguments and to make them quickly, or the merits of your ideas are likely to become simply irrelevant. This skill takes practice, and we will place a great deal of emphasis on it in class. MGMT 580 – Marketing This course has the following objectives: • • • •

•

To introduce you to key marketing concepts, increase your familiarity with marketing practices, and develop an in‐depth understanding of the steps involved in the marketing process. To help you understand how the marketing research process works. To provide you with a set of tools to analyze the competition and conduct STP (Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning) analysis. To familiarize you with the marketing‐mix variables, the so‐called Four Ps: (Product/ service strategy, Integrated marketing communications – Promotion, Price, and Channels of distribution – Place). To provide you with experience in writing a marketing plan.

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This course uses a combination of lectures, case studies, class discussions, group exercises, quizzes, and a mid‐term exam. Readings will be assigned for each class section and learning will be assessed through quizzes, a mid‐term exam, and the group project.

MGMT 595 – Data Analysis I In almost all management domains, decision have to be made under conditions of uncertainty. Some of the uncertainty can be alleviated by obtaining good data and then analyzing and interpreting it properly. The main objective of this course is to acquaint you with some of the key tools in analyzing data. The toolkit that you will acquire will be useful for courses that you will later take at JSB and more importantly, in your careers later. MGMT 596 – Leadership Communications Leadership Communications is designed to ensure that you possess the communication skills and knowledge to assume a leadership role in your organization following graduation. By the end of the Rice MBA program, you should be able to do the following: • • • • • • •

Analyze audiences and design communication strategies tailored to them Plan and deliver presentations confidently and persuasively, whether impromptu or prepared, as an individual or in teams Structure and write effective business correspondence, proposals, and reports Integrate high‐quality graphics into oral and written reports Use PowerPoint effectively in stand‐up and roundtable presentations Work constructively in teams Communicate coherently, correctly, clearly, concisely, and confidently

MGMT 710 – Leadership Over the two full days of this course, we will engage in an intensive learning experience. We will experience and feel the pressure of running a company under difficult circumstances using a computerbased simulation. You will each get the chance to serve as the interim CEO of a sensor manufacturing company. Under your leadership, your management team will be responsible for strategy, marketing, financing, research and development, and operations. While keeping your company profitable (or even simply out of bankruptcy) will be a challenge itself, in addition, you will face some difficult leadership situations throughout the simulation. MGMT 711 – Negotiations Managers and professionals cannot be successful without possessing effective negotiation skills and strategies. The purpose of this ILE is to help you understand the processes of negotiation in a variety of settings. The ILE will cover a broad spectrum of negotiation problems faced by managers and professionals.

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This ILE helps students develop negotiation skills by tackling a series important topics central to effective negotiation. We address each topic experientially by 1) preparing for and simulating a variety of negotiations and 2) analyzing the students’ negotiation outcomes and strategies. We integrate the students’ experiences with negotiation theory during class debriefings. Readings complement the classroom experience and reinforce key messages from debriefs. Objectives • • • • •

improve your ability to negotiate effectively learn to analyze negotiation situations develop a strategic plan for effective negotiations gain an intellectual understanding of negotiation behavior build confidence as a negotiator

Spring 2012 Core Courses MGMT 502 – Management Accounting The general aim of this course is to develop your ability to prepare and interpret decision‐useful managerial accounting information. The course explores a mix of managerial accounting information preparation and interpretation issues. This course differs from traditional introductory courses in managerial accounting in four ways. First, the content is more contemporary than traditional introductory managerial accounting courses. This means there will be less emphasis on traditional accounting techniques and double‐entry bookkeeping and more emphasis on modern management accounting techniques. Second, some of the content is more advanced than in traditional introductory managerial accounting courses. The content will tend to be less procedural and more focused on managerial‐level decision‐making. Third, this course will integrate issues in managerial accounting practice directly into class discussions. This will be achieved through the class review of a number of cases that are mainly based on real world managerial accounting contexts. Fourth, the course will explore, at an introductory level, theories that underpin the discipline of managerial accounting. Both the textbook and lecture discussion will be instrumental in introducing those theories. Specific Objectives In summary, by the end of this course I expect that you will be able to: • • •

Identify, understand, and discuss the nature, purpose, and importance of different types of decision-useful managerial accounting information. Identify, understand, and apply fundamental quantitative tools and techniques used to generate decision‐useful managerial accounting information. Make informed strategic and operational business decisions based on your development / evaluation of supporting managerial accounting information.

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MGMT 503 Management Control Corporate governance and management control has taken on increased significance in light of corporate scandals such as Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, and the backdating of stock options. In decentralized organizations it is particularly important to implement appropriate management control systems as we assume that not only do managers act in the best interest of the organization, but they act in their own self‐interest as well. Oftentimes these interests will not be aligned. The general aim of this course is to develop your ability to analyze various organizational environments and assess aspects of the management control system. This course differs from traditional introductory courses in managerial accounting in four ways. First, the content is more contemporary than traditional introductory managerial accounting courses. This means there will be less emphasis on traditional accounting techniques and more emphasis on modern management control techniques. Second, some of the content is more advanced than in traditional introductory managerial accounting courses. The content will tend to be less procedural and more focused on managerial‐level decision‐making. Third, this course will integrate issues in managerial control practice directly into class discussions. This will be achieved through the class review of a number of cases that are mainly based on real world managerial accounting contexts. Fourth, the course will explore, at an introductory level, theories that underpin the discipline of management control. Specific Objectives In summary, by the end of this course students should be able to: •

•

Identify, understand, and discuss the nature, purpose, and importance of different types of decision-useful management control information (e.g., the levers of control framework, the balanced scorecard, the COSO framework, etc.). Identify, understand, and apply fundamental quantitative tools and techniques used to generate decision‐useful managerial control information (e.g., EVA calculation, statistical analysis of performance measurement, etc.). Make informed strategic and operational business decisions based on your development / evaluation of supporting management control information (e.g., suggest control procedures, assess risk exposure, etc.).

MGMT 512 – Organizational Change The primary goal of this course is to help students become effective leaders of organizational change. In the course of our daily lives, we frequently encounter the need to lead change, or at a minimum, adapt to change. In this brief three‐week class, students will learn, discuss and put into action several approaches for managing organizational change. Participation in this course will (a) provide you with effective frameworks and skills for managing organizational change, and (b) improve your competencies as a leader and participant in change.

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MGMT 541 – Economic Environment of Business EEB stresses an understanding of the major macroeconomic forces affecting business in today’s global economy. Fluency in major macroeconomic concepts and forces enhances business decision making in the globally competitive product, financial, and labor markets that characterize the modern business environment. With this in mind, the learning objectives for the course include an understanding of 1) the key economic policy goals and how they are related: low unemployment, price stability and longterm sustainable growth; 2) the primary economic policy tools: fiscal policy and monetary policy; and 3) key economy‐wide prices: inflation, interest rates, and exchange rates.

Throughout, there will be a focus on the tradeoffs implicit in allocating scarce resources (winners and losers) and an emphasis on understanding how differences between reasonable economists can arise from differing assumptions about government power and the consequences of market evolution. We will spend most of our time on current policy issues, such as the consequences of the government and trade deficits, economic development in the third world, the Fed’s power over interest rates and the banking system, and of course, policy prescriptions for the banking and economic crises. We address many of the characteristic features of any country’s economic environment: the labor force (demographics, employment rates, productivity), capital formation (savings rates, asset markets, interest rates, real returns), price levels and trends (consumer and producer price inflation). We consider these characteristics in the context of an economy’s short‐run business cycles and its long‐term growth potential. We take a look at macroeconomic accounting data (the components of GDP, balance of payments, and government budgets) and consider the dynamics of key economy‐wide prices (inflation, interest rates, exchange rates). Finally, while we focus largely on the markets and Adam Smith’s invisible hand, we also consider the direct effect of the government on economic activity and we keep in mind the sometimes subtle influences of cultural and social norms. MGMT 560 – Business Ethics This is a course in applied ethics. Our focus will be on the linkages between moral behavior and business. The course is not about telling you what values to adopt, but how to analyze moral problems that corporations, managers and employees inevitably face. This course is a conversation; there are no “right” or “wrong” answers, only strong and weak analysis. Business ethics is a complex and multidimensional topic, and successful resolution of an ethical dilemma is highly dependent on the specifics of the company situation and its environment. We will therefore build the analytical skills necessary to critically assess a situation – given a variety of pre‐existing facts, constraints, corporate histories, personalities, objectives, etc. – and develop well‐reasoned arguments and conclusions. As such, we will lean heavily on the case study method of learning. In addition, because the complexity of ethical dilemmas in business tends to increase with one’s level of responsibility, we will often take the perspective of the chief executive officer and other senior executives. More specifically, our learning objectives are three‐fold: •

Heighten our ability to recognize the existence and nature of ethical dilemmas in organizations;

• •

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Become adept at analyzing those dilemmas in terms of economic outcomes, legal requirements and ethical duties; and, Develop the skills to convincingly present our moral point of view to others in order to jointly best serve our organizations, protect our careers, and improve society.

MGMT 561 – Business Government Relations Business managers, and business schools, generally ignore government and public policy. Sometimes this is warranted as public policy is not always that binding over business transactions. At other times, this ignorance is imprudent, as government through laws, regulations, and other instruments exerts itself on business, something that we have seen exceptionally over the past two years at the federal level (i.e., financial sector intervention, TARP funds, off‐shore oil and gas permitting, etc.). It is important to understand that these public policies do not come from some “external being” but are created from the pressures brought forth by interest groups, including business firms. We will learn some tools to analyze political markets and political decision making. We will also learn about the incentives of non‐business actors to participate in the public policy arena. Our goal is to be able to construct a reasonable political strategy for a business firm or other organization. MGMT 571 – Strategy Formulation and Implementation Strategy Formulation and Implementation uses the case method to examine how general managers seek to create and maintain competitive advantage for organizations. This course considers how managers determine strategic direction and manage the strategy process. Recognizing that most general management decisions are inherently multi‐functional in nature, we employ explicit frameworks for strategic action while also integrating lessons from functional area courses to explore and reconcile the tensions that accompany decisions that involve the entire enterprise. Course Objectives 1. Understand the nature of strategic competitiveness and refine the ability to analyze the competitive environment facing a firm, assess the attractiveness of the industry and identify potential sources of competitive advantage and disadvantage in one’s organization introduced in your first term strategy course. 2. Understand the factors affecting organizational scope and structure and its consequences for competitive advantage and firm performance 3. Integrate knowledge and apply analytical techniques from your other first year core courses including finance, accounting, marketing, economics, operations, and organizational behavior. The goal is to identify and analyze strategic issues and develop solutions in the form of actionable plans to develop and sustain competitive advantage and to “see the big picture” of a firm. 4. Discriminate among the types of data that general managers need to evaluate alternative scenarios. Develop logical, coherent and persuasive analyses for a desired course of action. Consider how to effectively implement plans within the constraints imposed by the complex

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behavior of individuals within organizations. Each student should be able to effectively communicate his or her conclusions in both oral and written form. 5. Develop the ability to view the corporation as a whole and to assess it in relation to business unit goals and objectives.

MGMT 574 – Operations This course facilitates the development of ideas, concepts, analytic methods and skills needed to manage the effective integration of technology, people, and operations. The aim is to (a) familiarize you with problems and issues confronting operations managers, and (b) provide you with language, concepts, insights and tools to deal with these issues in order to gain competitive advantage through operations. The course will consider both the development and manufacture of products as well as the creation and delivery of services. The course takes a strategic and senior management view of important components of the operations of almost all organizations and is indented to enhance your understanding of: • • • • •

The operations function in a variety of manufacturing and service industries; The operations function in the context of corporate strategy; The relationships between operations and other functional areas of the organization; The view of an organization as a group of interrelated and interdependent processes; Decisions that must be made in operations and tools and techniques that are commonly used in making these decisions.

Specific topics to be covered include management and theories of constraints, the role and management of inventories, the role of quality, the importance and implications of allocating tasks and assigning responsibilities, push and pull production control systems, and the role of performance measurement and incentives. The approach to learning will be a combination of interactive lectures, case discussions, and in‐class group problem solving. MGMT 594 – Communications II This course introduces students to the strategy and practice of management communication. Assignments are based on core courses integrated across the curriculum. The class includes individual communication skills assessment and development, and team-based oral and written communication instruction. MGMT 597 – Data Analysis II The objective of this course is to continue from where Data Analysis I stopped in building up our Data Analysis skills and use methods of statistical inference in making business decisions. Action Learning Project MGMT 599 – ALP ALP is a capstone course that provides an opportunity for students to take what they learned in their

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first‐year courses and apply it to real business problems. So far, you have studied individual disciplines. But in practice, most business problems are not limited to any single field. Rather, they require some combination of various disciplines in both analysis and solution.

ALP is a bridge between the precisely defined, highly focused problems encountered in the classroom and the messier, less‐well‐defined issues encountered in summer internships and work after graduation. It is sometimes described as a “live” case study. Published cases effectively bring actual business problems into the classroom—but most business problems do not come organized n a ten‐page document with handy attachments. In practice, business problems are messy. They demand that you pay attention to various kinds of data and make judgments about what is relevant. ALP gives you invaluable experience in dealing with this “messiness.” 2011-2012 Elective Courses The Jones School faculty members give elective preview presentations prior to each semester. The presentations are compiled on a DVD and available to students in the Business Information Center. For elective course offerings and descriptions.

Faculty A list of faculty, including CV, academic areas and interests, can be found at http://business.rice.edu/onlinedirectory/personnellist.aspx

Concentrations In the fall of 2007, the Rice MBA program at the Jones Graduate School of Business began offering concentrations for students enrolled in the Full Time MBA program. The goal of a concentration is to provide students with the ability to demonstrate functional, professional, or industry expertise in a particular area of interest within a general management program. Concentrations are an essential point of differentiation and a critical element of the Jones Graduate School of Business strategic plan. Below is a list of the approved concentrations for the 2011 – 2012 academic year. Students may earn a maximum of two concentrations and the completion of each concentration will be recorded on the student’s transcript. Completing a concentration is optional; a student is not required to complete a concentration in order to graduate. Most concentrations consist of 9.0 to 12.0 credit hours of coursework. If a student completes two concentrations, a maximum of 3.0 credits can be shared between two concentrations. Similarly, a custom core course can be counted toward the completion of a concentration only if the student has taken two other custom core courses which can be counted toward the custom core requirement.

Accounting

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The concentration in Accounting provides a broad understanding of the use and importance of accounting information to decision makers within the firm and to external users of financial statements. The core financial and management accounting courses provide a basic understanding of accounting principles. Completion of the concentration in accounting will serve to reinforce the fundamental concepts from the core and to provide additional insight into accounting processes and principles and enhance the ability to analyze and interpret accounting reports.

Energy The concentration in Energy develops a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective and understanding of management issues in the energy industry. Fundamentals of the Energy Industry is a required course which covers the details of production, transportation, and distribution of different energy commodities, the organization of specific markets, and the characterization of different types of companies across all sectors of the energy complex. Students also take courses in three areas related to the energy industry: (1) global economic environment, (2) management in the energy industry, and (3) geopolitics. The geopolitics courses are taken outside the Jones School (e.g., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Economics, History, Political Science).

Entrepreneurship The concentration in Entrepreneurship presents students a framework for being an entrepreneur. The two required courses, The New Enterprise and Enterprise exchange, provide students with a process for starting a business. The remaining courses allow students to select specific entrepreneurial topics in which they might be interested.

Finance The Finance Concentration provides students with a broad foundation in financial management principles and an opportunity for further specialization. Students are required to complete the primary finance electives in the MBA program and Financial Statement Analysis. Students supplement these foundational courses with at least two more specialized offerings from a list of approved courses.

Global Business The concentration in Global Business prepares students for globalized commerce. No business escapes the effects of globalized commerce. From sourcing, staffing, financing, and developing ideas to reaching customers, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managers must consider the entire world to manage their business. Managers who are able to create advantage from such a complex and far-reaching world are likely to enjoy success while those who do not are likely to fail. The concentration draws upon coursework from several functional areas as well as courses taken outside the Jones School.

Health Care

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The focus of the concentration in Health Care is to provide students with an understanding of how management principles are interpreted and applied in the health care industry, and how different health care settings (pharmaceutical, hospital, and small practices) gives students an overview of the context that is uniquely health care.

Management Consulting The concentration in Management Consulting prepares students for careers as consultants. Students that choose consulting as a long-term career path enjoy solving problems and tend to have a strong analytical skills as well as the ability to integrate and synthesize a wide variety of information. In the business world, management consultants are the “jack-ofall-trades”. They advise corporations and other organizations regarding an infinite array of issues related to business strategy. They analyze a business problem from various angles and develop preliminary hypotheses for its cause. Then they study their hypotheses and either recommend a solution and present it to the client or implement it. The consultant’s main focus is to make the client’s business more competitive and more efficient.

Marketing The concentration in Marketing prepares students for careers in the field by providing exposure to critical perspectives and developing requisite skills for managing the marketing function. Among the specific career trajectories for which students will be prepared are brand/product management, marketing research and analytics, pricing, new products, marketing communications and direct marketing, and promotion.

Mastering Creativity and Innovation Creativity in business is the production of novel, useful, and ethical ideas concerning products, services, and processes. Innovation is the implementation of creative ideas and practices throughout an organization. Because creativity and innovation are essential skills for a wide variety of companies in different kinds of industries to gain competitive advantage, this concentration will tremendously benefit students whatever functional areas or industries in which they are interested in pursuing a career. The concentration will provide students with a theoretical understanding of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial behaviors within the organization as a coherent management process and a set of conceptual frameworks that can be applied to the creation, identification, analysis, and implementation of new ideas and new ventures within firms. It will also provide students with analytic frameworks and tools to examine the patterns and sources of technological change and the mechanisms for capturing the economic benefits from innovation. Students will also learn to explore the many dimensions of entrepreneurial behaviors, venture creation, and new business development in for-profit or not-forprofit organizations. Last, it will help students develop and strengthen managerial skills to nurture and promote creativity in their employees, and link creativity with innovation and entrepreneurial behaviors within their organizations.

Real Estate

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The concentration in Real Estate prepares the students for a career in the real estate industry. It includes two required courses; one introduces a series of basic concepts commonly used in the real estate industry, the other brings a series of guest speakers into the classroom to discuss a specific case or concept while providing real-world experience through a required development project that requires a team of students to identify a development opportunity, perform market research, identify and define the end-user, and provide a marketing strategy for the end product.

Academic Calendar Academic Calendar – Fall 2012 First-year International Student Immersion: Monday, July 30 – Saturday, August 4, 2012 First-year Immersion: Monday, August 6 – Friday, August 17, 2012 First day of Term I Classes: Monday, August 20, 2012 Labor Day Holiday: Monday, September 5, 2012 Reading Day: Tuesday, October 4, 2012 Final Exams: Wednesday, October 5 – Saturday, October 8, 2012 Fall Break: Monday, October 10 – Friday, October 14, 2012 First-year ILE: Monday, October 17 – Friday, October 21, 2012 First Day of Term II classes: Monday, October 24, 2012 Thanksgiving Holiday: Wednesday, November 23 – Friday, November 25, 2012 *Classes that normally meet on Wednesday meet on Monday, December 5, 2012 **Classes that normally meet on Thursday meet on Tuesday, December 6, 2012 Reading Day: Wednesday, December 7, 2012 Final Exams: Thursday, December 8 – Wednesday, December 14, 2012 Winter Break: Thursday, December 15, 2011 – Sunday, January 8, 2012 Academic Calendar – Spring 2013 International Trips: Friday, December 30, 2012 – Sunday, January 8, 2013 (max length – could be shorter)

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First Day of Term III Classes: Monday, January 9, 2013 First-year Spring Kickoff: Friday, January 13, 2013

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday: Monday, January 16, 2013 Reading Day: Tuesday, February 21, 2013 Final Exams: Wednesday, February 22 – Saturday, February 25, 2013 Spring Break: Monday, February 27 – Friday, March 2, 2013 International Trips: Saturday, February 25 – Sunday, March 4, 2013 (max length – could be shorter) First-year Intensive Learning Experience (ILE): Monday, March 5 – Friday, March 9, 2013 *Optional elective ILEs may be offered for second-year students First Day of Term IV classes: Monday, March 12, 2013 Reading Day: Friday, April 20, 2013 Final Exams: Saturday, April 21 – Thursday, April 26, 2013 ALP Final Presentations to Faculty: Friday, May 4, 2013 ALP Final Presentations to Companies: Monday, May 7 – Wednesday, May 9, 2013 Jones School Investiture Ceremony: Friday, May 11, 2013 Rice University Commencement: Saturday, May 12, 2013

Action Learning Project (AL P) During your first year’s Action Learning Project, you’ll join a team of four to six students in consulting for a dynamic host company over an twelve-week period, including five intensive weeks on-site. With guidance from faculty and a corporate liaison, you’ll study the scope of improvements needed and examine the company’s processes, then provide written recommendations and present your findings to senior management. An Action Learning Project helps you build excellent teamwork, interpersonal and communications skills; strengthens your critical thinking and analysis abilities; deepens your understanding of core course concepts and tools; and helps develop problem definition and project scoping skills. This fully integrated, multidisciplinary approach also provides practical experience in another critical real-world skill: the ability to implement change.

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How does the Action Learning Project program work?

Students build a superlative foundation in all of the traditional management disciplines during their first year in the Rice MBA program, including finance, marketing, operations, strategy, accounting, data analysis, entrepreneurship, global business, critical leadership and managerial skills, as well as ethics and customized instruction in managerial communication. To receive practical experience in integrating the concepts they have acquired, students bring all of this knowledge to host companies during the second semester of the first year. In January, students bid on projects submitted by potential host companies, then join four to six member teams overseen by a corporate liaison and faculty mentors who provide perspective and assure rigorous analyses. Projects are completed by early May. When their research is complete, each team submits a detailed, written report with specific recommendations for process design or improvements. They also make oral presentations of their findings in the classroom and onsite to host company managers and associates.

How is an Action Learning Project different from an internship? Unlike internships, Action Learning Projects are integrated into the Jones School curriculum for academic credit and are conducted with faculty guidance. Because they are performed by teams, their scope can be much broader than that of a typical internship project. Also, while interns typically receive wages, Action Learning teams receive no consulting fees. Internships are longer, typically three months, and the company hires the student on a temporary basis. Action Learning Projects are more similar to consulting engagements.

Are faculty members involved in the Action Learning Projects? Each Action Learning Project team is guided by a multidisciplinary faculty team from the Jones School. The facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role is to review and guide. They do not serve on the consulting team, but they do facilitate the educational process, provide insight and perspective, and assure rigorous analysis and effective communication.

How are students placed on Action Learning Project teams? Jones School students bid on a list of proposed Action Learning Projects, from which a smaller number of projects will be accepted. As a result, a project that meets the faculty and administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s criteria may not be necessarily selected by the students. Host companies are encouraged to present their proposals in person to students to improve the probability of their project selection. Students are placed with companies based on their preference, background, skills, and past work experience.

How are the projects graded? Grades for Action Learning Projects are determined by Jones School faculty mentors, who consider input from host company liaisons a crucial component of their evaluations. Host company feedback regarding the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; final presentations is particularly important.

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What business processes do the Action Learning Projects focus on?

Action Learning Projects focus on a variety of business functions, including finance, marketing, and data analysis. In the past, project focuses have included new product development, financial modeling, and product strategy identification, among others.

Examples of Action Learning Project focuses: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Brand Image Capital Appropriation Communications Development Competitive Industry Analysis Customer Service Distribution Logistics E-commerce Strategy Exception Processing Financial Modeling Financial Planning Human Resources Initial Public Offering Loan Application Market Entry Strategy Mergers and Acquisitions New Product Development Operations Scheduling Production Scheduling Product Launch Recruiting and Selection Sales Forecasting Strategy Identification Vendor Choice

What types of companies participate in Action Learning Projects? The Action Learning Project committee looks for a wide variety of companies and project types. In order to meet this goal, the committee will only accept one proposal per company. The committee intends to give students a large selection that touches upon various disciplines including but not limited to: finance, marketing, operations, strategy, accounting, data analysis, entrepreneurship, communications, and global business.

Recent Action Learning Project companies:

Welcome to Rice University • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Academy Sports & Outdoors Air Liquide America, L.P. American Red Cross AmReit Baylor College of Medicine Chevron Tech Ventures ConocoPhillips Continental Airlines Cooper Cameron Corporation Deloitte & Touche Services ExxonMobil Chemical Company Halliburton Houston Zoo, Inc. Hewlett-Packard Corporation IBM Business Consulting Identigene Imperial Sugar JP Morgan Chase Linbeck Lone Star Medical New Living Plx Pharma, Inc. Reliant Energy Saint Arnold Brewing Company Savage Design Group, Inc. Schlumberger SCF Partners Shell Energy (Royal Dutch Shell) Siemens Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P. Suez Energy Texas Children’s Hospital Triad Resources Waste Management Weisser, Johnson and Company

International Trips*

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Every year students from the Rice MBA programs may choose to embark on several international trips. Arranged during winter and spring breaks, the different options do not conflict with class schedules.

In keeping with the Jones School’s mission of developing principled, innovative thought leaders in global communities, trips to China, Mexico, South America, and India remain strategic destinations. Itineraries include visits to corporate offices, U.S. embassies, and plant sites, as well as alumni and prospective student events. For example, on the China trip, students take mini-courses at Rice’s partner universities, Tongji University and Tsinghua University. Students make business contacts and learn firsthand about the economic situations in the host country. Past trips have included Mexico City, Guadalajara, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Beijing, Shanghai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Dubai. This year’s destinations will include, Mumbai, Hong Kong and San Jose, Costa Rica. * In the course Tech Commercialization, Rice MBA students collaborate with Rice engineering undergraduates to create a sustainable commercial model for delivering life-saving technologies in developing countries, and then they put those products into action. Over fall break, second-year MBA students and their undergrad teammates travel to Africa (Kigali, Rwanda has been their most recent trip) where they refine and implement their business plans, introduce their bio-medical products — such as a low-cost incubator and lab-in-a-backpack —source their material, and helped Rwandan entrepreneurs launch their own businesses to produce and sell the products. The MBA students apply “bottom of the pyramid” principles and recognize that financial success could be derived through social entrepreneurship. They face and surmount many local challenges born from economic realities, sensitivities and concerns and discover effective and innovative ways to obtain certification; manufacture, distribute and market their assigned products; and make a difference.

Study Abroad Exchange Programs Rice MBA students are able to study abroad for a semester through our partnership with Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas (INCAE) in Costa Rica or the Escuela de Graduados en Administración y Dirección de Empresas (EGADE) business school at Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM). Students who wish to study at EGADE can do so at any of their 33 campuses in Mexico.

SHAPE THE WORLD The development of global thought leaders is built first and foremost on the strength of a school’s community. Relationships between students, faculty, alumni and the business community add tremendous value to the Rice MBA. Unlike many other MBA programs, Rice’s intimate atmosphere and access to an entire network of resources create one of the world’s best MBA environments.

Comment [WM3]: Becky, this was not included in your edits for this paragraph. Do you want to delete it or keep it?

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In addition to being a leader in the energy and health care industries, Houston also boasts a thriving entrepreneurial environment with a strong foundation in finance and real estate. Rice University sits at the center of the city and its close ties to the surrounding business community allow Rice MBA students to easily tap into the assets and innovations of Houston.

Career Management The Career Management Center (CMC) at the Jones School serves to support each student’s development of a career plan throughout their two years. The CMC provides group workshops and works individually with students to ensure they develop the strategy, job search skills, and networking opportunities that will help them succeed in the professional MBA job market. The full-time student’s career development begins even before classes start in order to prepare for the summer internship.

Services A student’s involvement and interaction with the Career Management Center (CMC) is a critical part of the MBA experience at Rice. The CMC offers a variety of services for student engagement — from the professional development series, mock interviews and career rodeo to parties on the patio (partios) and online initiatives such as webinars, workshops, podcasts, and social networking. Professional Development Series—The Jones School CMC offers several career development courses and experiential learning programs for incoming and returning students. Previous topics have included Training the Street Valuation Seminar, Targeting the Hidden Job Market, Social Etiquette is Good Business, and Re-entering the Workforce. Diversity Conferences—The school participates in and hosts events at the major MBA diversity conferences as another opportunity to present and promote Rice MBAs to potential employers. National and international companies hold interviews at all the conferences, including National Black MBA Association, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, National Association of Women MBAs, and Asian Business Student Association. Partios—“Party on the Patio” networking events are held every Thursday at the Jones School, allowing company representatives to meet students, faculty and administrators. Career Rodeo—Our Spring Networking and Recruitment Fair hosts major Houston companies, as well as entrepreneurial ventures, and includes a special event at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Student Treks—A hallmark programming feature of the CMC includes professional treks to key regions and companies. These treks allow students to connect with employers, learn about specific companies, and develop professional relationships. Current professional treks include visits to companies in domestic and international locations such as New York City, termed Week on Wall Street; Dallas;

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Houston; India; and China. Locations for these visits are determined by student interest and participation.

“Rice MBA students are highly valued at Cooper Industries. They bring a unique skill set; particularly in the areas of communication, analytical skills, and leadership. These skills are exactly what we look for as we develop future leaders at our company. As an alumnus of the Rice MBA program, I hope to continue the Cooper-JGSB relationship in the future.” Erin Reed Manager, Global University Relations, Cooper Industries Rice MBA Class of 2008

“The Rice MBA attracts very qualified students across its programs. I have both taught and recruited students from Rice and I find them to be interpersonally balanced, competent and engaging.” Jim Hackett Chief Executive Officer, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Adjunct Professor, Jones Graduate School of Business

Online Career Preparation Course Introduction to MBA Career Management, an industry leading online/distance education course designed for incoming fulltime MBA students, uses the Career Leader assessment, career development exercises, individual introspection, team exercises, and online lectures/podcasts to help students begin developing a strategic plan for creatively blending a professional career and a meaningful personal life. This mandatory course will be delivered via OWL-Space prior to Immersion. During the course, with assistance from professional Career Management Center staff, students will: • • • • •

Design an MBA Format Resume to be used in the internship job search. Design a personalized cover letter template to be used in the internship job search. Clarify professional interests, motivators, and abilities through completion of the Career Leader Assessment. Articulate short-term and begin to plan for long-term professional goals. Meet/Correspond with a Jones School alumnus and/or company contact to engage in the informational interview process.

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â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Draft appropriate business correspondence necessary for the job search process including: personalized job acceptance letter template, personalized job offer rejection letter template, and personalized interview thank you letter template. Participate and record a mock interview with a Career Consultant to be reviewed and critiqued by the student. Engage in online career based discussions with classmates and team members.

The all-encompassing goal of this course is for students to begin their MBA program with a complete, personalized portfolio of job search materials that can be utilized and updated over the course of the internship and full time job search processes. These types of courses and programs have enabled countless MBA students to discover their core interests and abilities, build a long-term plan for professional development, and learn what it takes to manage a career over the span of a lifetime. Through the Introduction to MBA Career Management prep course, students will discover how to partner with the CMC for a more self-directed and fulfilling career.

Resources To supplement our services to students and alumni, we offer additional online resources for managing your own career. The research and recruiting resources below are another way in which the CMC reaches all levels of the Jones School community to facilitate the connections necessary to succeed. Symplicity A comprehensive on-campus recruiting and Career Services management solution for students, employers, and Career Services staff. Students can apply for jobs, schedule interviews and career advising appointments, rsvp for events and more. MBAFocus Students may upload resumes and respond to job postings. Recruiters source MBA talent. Vault Online Library Industry information, including career guides, company profiles and career videos. JobBug A key-word driven search engine that collects over seven million published openings daily. Link 2011 pdfs for a) recruiting stats b) who hires Rice MBAs c) internship reports and d) 2011 employment stats

Networking At the Jones School, we strive for excellence in engagement between students, professors and the business community.

Council of Overseers

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The Council of Overseers consists of a number of community and business leaders who fulfill an important advisory role to the dean and faculty of the Jones School. Their advice is sought on key strategic issues and they are an important resource to the dean. The chair of the council is appointed by the president of the university and the council’s views are also taken into consideration by Rice University’s Board of Trustees. It is the mission of the council to work with the dean and faculty to ensure that the Jones School meets the highest standards attainable for a graduate school of business. Council members serve renewable three-year terms.

Dean’s Lecture Series The Jones Graduate School offers the Dean’s Lecture Series to bring influential national business people and thought leaders to campus throughout the year. MBA candidates are invited and encouraged to attend these free events. Full-time and MBA for Professionals students interested in planning and participating may join the Dean’s Lecture Series student club to recruit potential speakers and organize future events. Past speakers have included: Alex Counts, Grameen Foundation president and CEO Robert C. McNair, Chairman and CEO, Houston Texans Archie Dunham, Retired chairman of ConocoPhillips Carly Fiorina, Former chairman and CEO, Hewlett-Packard Company Drayton McLane, Chairman and CEO, Houston Astros Baseball Robert Peiser, President and CEO, Imperial Sugar Lynn Laverty Elsenhans, Executive vice president, Global Manufacturing, Shell Downstream, Inc. Jim Turley, Global Chairman, Ernst & Young Michael Capellas, President and CEO, Compaq Jack Malvey, Managing Director and the Chief Global Fixed-Income Strategist, Lehman Brothers Annise Parker, Mayor of Houston Lanham Napier, CEO, Rackspace Bill White, Former Mayor of Houston Bruce Wilkinson, Chairman of the Board and CEO, McDermott International Jarvis Hollingsworth, Partner, Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP; Chair, Teacher Retirement System of Texas Pension Fund Merrill A. (Pete) Miller, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO, National Oilwell Varco, Inc. Bastiaan de Zeeuw, President and CEO, Riviana Foods Louis Raspino, President and CEO, Pride International Alex Lopez-Negrete, President and CEO, Lopez-Negrete Communications

Company and Industry Events

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In addition to partios (parties on the patio) with corporate recruiters, Jones School students have many opportunities to meet and network with the business community throughout the year. Examples of past events include an annual marketing symposium, an interactive forum for a diverse group of marketing leaders from various industries including health care, telecommunications, banking, insurance, energy, and hospitality; an alumni panel answering questions about jobs in diverse fields such as energy, entrepreneurship, health care, financial services, real estate, consulting, and consumer goods and services; a health care symposium, and career rodeo among many others.

RICE ENERGY FINANCE SUMMIT This student-run event attracts high-level speakers and the Houston business community to campus. More than 200 industry professionals, alumni and students attended the inaugural summit, where leaders in energy and finance shared their perspectives on current issues and topics. Speakers include JGSB alumni and other industry heavy hitters, including organization presidents, CEOs, and CFOs.

Houston Technology Center (HTC ) HTC is a nonprofit organization that assists emerging technology entrepreneurs by providing in-depth business guidance, access to capital and service providers, and entrepreneurial education. It also promotes Houston as a leading technology city and serves as a hub for the local technology business community. Jones School MBA candidates have the opportunity to engage with the HTC in various project roles.

Executive Education The Office of Executive Education provides business leaders, at all levels, the opportunity to sharpen their business acumen through a variety of programs including certificate programs in finance and

accounting, health care and marketing; application-based management programs; custom-designed programs for organizations; and open enrollment.

Houston Angel Network The Houston Angel Network is a non-profit organization that provides its members a forum in which to efficiently evaluate promising early-stage investment opportunities. Its membership consists of active and SEC-accredited angel investors who share the goal of making informed, collaborative investments in promising early stage Texas-based companies. The Jones School MBA candidates have the opportunity to engage with the HTC in various project roles.

James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy Since its inception in 1993, the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy has established itself as one of the leading nonpartisan public policy think tanks in the country. The Baker Institute brings a unique perspective to some of the most important public policy challenges of our time. In conjunction with its

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more than 20 programs — including its research, speaking series, events and special projects — the institute attracts many domestic and foreign leaders who provide their views and insights on key issues. Many of the institute’s lectures and other special events are open to the Jones School students.

Business Excellence At Rice, business excellence refers to concepts taught in the classroom and practiced outside of it. Rice MBA students have the opportunity to experience critical links between the skills they’re learning and how to execute them in a professional environment. Every competitive advantage counts in today’s dynamic global economy. The Jones School delivers.

Rice Alliance The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship is Rice University’s flagship initiative devoted to the support of entrepreneurship. Unique among many entrepreneurship centers, the Rice Alliance was formed as a strategic alliance of three schools at Rice University: the George R. Brown School of Engineering, the Wiess School of Natural Sciences and the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business. The Rice Alliance’s mission is to provide entrepreneurship education and to support the commercialization of technology innovations and the creation of new companies in the Texas and Houston region. Since its inception in late 1999, the Rice Alliance has assisted in the launch of over 250 start-ups which have raised more than $500 million in early-stage capital. More than 750 companies have presented at the 115+ programs hosted by Rice Alliance.

Rice Business Plan Competition A shining star of the Rice Alliance, the Rice University Business Plan Competition (RBPC) celebrated its 11th year with record-breaking numbers in prize money, applicants, judges, categories and sponsors. As the world’s largest and richest graduate-level business plan competition, RBPC awarded more than $1.3 million in prizes to aid startup businesses. Based on their executive summaries, teams were chosen from across the globe to deliver their new technology business plans in six different categories: life sciences, information technology, energy, green tech, social, and other technologies. One hundred and twenty past competitors have gone on to successfully launch their business and are still in business today, raising in excess of $337 million in funding and employing more than 600 people. In 2011, applications increased to 510 teams from around the world, up from 420 the previous year. More than 120 corporate and private sponsors support the business plan competition. Over 250 venture capitalists and other investors from around the country volunteer their time to judge the competition, with more than half of the judges coming from the investment sector.

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More than 120 past competitors have gone on to successfully launch their businesses, raising more than $337 million in funding.

“Great ideas are just that – great. But, taking that novel idea, ensuring it holds a competitive advantage in the market, conducting market research and identifying opportunities, demonstrating management capability, financial understanding and investment potential are what develop that great idea into a venture and hopefully a financially successful business.” Brad Burke, Managing Director, Rice Alliance

M.A. Wright Fund Despite a volatile and challenging stock market, the Jones School’s student-run M.A. Wright Fund continues to generate impressive returns. Comprised of students selected through a rigorous application and interview process, the fund provides Rice MBA students with a hands-on opportunity to learn,

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develop and apply effective stock analysis and portfolio management risk and return techniques. The fund has outperformed its benchmark over the past five years and has supported $10,000 annually in scholarship funds. The program requires a two-semester commitment, with half of the students rolling off each semester to provide continuity of fund management.

The Wright Fund curriculum is designed for students who hope to pursue a career in securities research or investment management. Foote has noticed a significant improvement in the quality of employment opportunities for Wright Fund participants. The Fund runs a diversified balanced portfolio with 30 to 50 stocks and a few fixed income assets. Winner of numerous awards, the Wright Fund hosted the 2009 Texas Investment Portfolio Symposium where a team of Wright Fund students won the Portfolio Manager’s Competition. The M. A. Wright Fund was established in 1995 with a generous gift from the family of Myron “Mike” A. Wright, the former chairman of then Humble Oil, now ExxonMobil.

Case Competitions Rice MBAs know how to execute under tight deadlines. Nothing quite demonstrates this as clearly as their consistent success in external case competitions, including some of the most highly regarded international case competitions. During a competition, teams of students have a short time — sometimes as little as 24 hours — to develop a strategic solution to a problem, analyze unanticipated issues, and present a solution to a team of expert judges, usually from industries related to the case at hand. Add to this the competitive pressure of facing off against the best and brightest from many of the other top MBA programs from around the country, and you can understand the intense value that is created from participating in one of these competitions. Our students have competed against top-ranked international and US business schools in subject areas such as marketing, strategy, finance, real estate, energy, and business plans. Rice MBAs emerge from case competitions with a deeper understanding of both strengths and weaknesses in their analytical and presentation skills, as well as a profound appreciation of team dynamics (and hopefully a little extra spending money in their pockets). There is truly no better way to learn than “learning by doing.” Listed below is a sampling of case competitions where Rice students have competed. Case Competitions Wake Forest MBA Marketing Summit at Wake Forest Schools of Business, Wake Forest University Daniels Race & Case at Daniels College of Business, University of Denver Minority MBA Case Competition at Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University Net Impact Case Competition at Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado at Boulder

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Simon Marketing Association Case Competition at Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester National Black MBA Association Case Competition at location of annual conference National Hispanic MBA Association Case Competition at location of annual conference Global Business Challenge at National University of Singapore Business School Thunderbird Sustainable Innovation Summit at Thunderbird School of Global Management Innovation Challenge at Darden School of Business, University of Virginia Ethical Leadership Case Competition at Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University MBA Open Mic at McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin

National Energy Finance Challenge Case Competition at McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin UNC Real Estate Development Challenge at Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina Rice University Marketing Case Competition at Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University

Diversity Diversity has many faces: race, ethnicity, religion, creed, culture, gender, age, nationality, socioeconomic background. Here at the Jones School, diversity goes beyond the traditional definition of race and gender. We define diversity as embracing and encouraging a community of unique individuals. By bringing together people with diverse backgrounds and a variety of experiences, we are able to create a unique learning environment that leads to actionable ideas in the classroom which then translates to a more productive and innovative global workforce. Our commitment to diversity is reflected inside our classrooms and out.

Diversity Statistics Full Time Classes of 2012 and 2013 Underrepresented minorities

14%

Women

30%

International

24%

Diversity at the Jones Graduate School of Business

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National Headquarters for the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA) First ever lead academic sponsor of 2009 NAWMBA National Conference in Anaheim, California First ever lead academic sponsor of 2007 NSHMBA National Conference in Houston, Texas Host of the 2011 Women in Leadership Conference in Houston, Texas Rice MBA Student Club Presidents: 44% women

Leadership How can joining a student club impact your life and career? Organizing student clubs and holding key leadership roles within them gives Jones School students a chance to learn more about various professions and to improve their skills. These clubs and organizations sponsor guest speakers, visit area businesses, and take on special projects. Equally important, however, is the opportunity to apply membership in a club to a real-world career path. Club Name Asian Business Students Association Biotechnology and Healthcare Club Black Business Student Association Consulting Club Energy Club Entrepreneurship Club Finance Club Golf Club Hispanic Business Student Association Human Resources Club Global Business Club Jones Student Association Marketing Club Multi-Sports Club (Cycling) NAWMBA Rice Chapter Net Impact Chapter Operations Club Real Estate Club Technology Club Wine Club Educational Leadership Club Dean's Lecture Series Energy Finance Summit co-chair Energy Finance Summit co-chair

President Name Vikram Dasa-Rao Mary Lee Justin Straughter Joseph Abdou Vernon Henry Carlos Parra Brian Walker Adam Fulton Maria Alejandra Pelaez Cindi Burton Bryan Hagle Jimmy Moffett Van Nguyen John Levene Mallory Engler Tiffany Valentin Sunny Sun Tim Wingfield John Mauro Leah Brown Kelsey Adams Alberto Diaz Wild Erica Sedeno Brian Walker

President Email Vikram.Dasa-Rao@rice.edu Mary.A.Lee@rice.edu Justin.Straughter@rice.edu Joseph.A.Abdou@rice.edu Vernon.C.Henry@rice.edu Carlos.J.Parra@rice.edu Brian.H.Walker@rice.edu Adam.Fulton@rice.edu Maria.A.Pelaez@rice.edu Cindi.Burton@rice.edu Bryan.R.Hagle@rice.edu James.R.Moffett@rice.edu Van.Thi.Nguyen@rice.edu John.Y.Levene@rice.edu Mallory.E.Engler@rice.edu Tiffany.M.Valentin@rice.edu Zhonghuan.Sun@rice.edu Timothy.J.Wingfield@rice.edu Timothy.J.Wingfield@rice.edu Leah.G.Brown@rice.edu Kelsey.Adams@rice.edu Alberto.Diaz.Wild@rice.edu Erica.L.Sedeno@rice.edu Brian.H.Walker@rice.edu

Campus

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One of seven academic units at Rice University, the Jones School sits on the 285-acre campus in the heart of Houston. Along with all the benefits of going to graduate school on a campus, there are the advantages of having the faculty, staff, Career Management Center, Admissions, and Office of Student Services accessible and available in one place.

McNair Hall Janice and Robert McNair Hall houses the Jones School and combines beauty, function and technology. The building facilitates the innovative teaching style of the faculty and features large open spaces in which both faculty and students can mingle, study and learn from each other outside the classroom. The building offers plenty of space for students to conduct group meetings and work on assignments between classes. Built to enhance interactive instruction, the classrooms boast the latest technology and equipment, offering instructors flexible modes of displaying a wide array of course material.

El Paso Corporation Finance Center The El Paso Corporation Finance Center, a hallmark of McNair Hall, is designed to bring the markets to students â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the students to the markets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; through the Jones School MBA curriculum and through market-oriented extracurricular activities centered in the finance center. Offering students access to the tools and data used by finance practitioners around the world, the finance center is a conduit for the exchange of ideas, expertise, and talent between the Jones School and finance and energy markets.

Business Information Center The Ruth and Gilbert R. Whitaker, Jr. Business Information Center (BIC) occupies beautiful, sunlit quarters in McNair Hall and serves as a business research library not only for the business school, but also for the greater Rice community and the general public. Currently housed in the BIC are over 5,000 volumes in various formats, as well as a variety of electronic databases and services. The BIC offers access to a world of company information and bibliographic data, including online and compact disc electronic sources. Its services include Bloomberg, which provides online data from all of the major securities exchanges, corporate financial information, and financial news; Lexis, which contains full-text information from around the world on business and legal subjects; Mintel, which contains market research reports; IBIS, which provides industry information; and MarketLine, which offers Datamonitor company and industry reports.

Rice Campus Designed over a period of nearly a century, the university campus comprises 285 acres and approximately 70 buildings, many of which are based on a neo-Byzantine style with red, clay-tile roofs, rose-hued brick, cloistered passageways and elaborate stonework designed by the Boston architect Ralph Adams Cram. Campus buildings include classrooms, laboratories and auditoriums; faculty and

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administrative offices; a library; music studios and recital halls; art studios; a chapel; a student center; a center for continuing education; a media center; an art gallery; an observatory; an on-campus data center; an off-campus library facility; 11 residential colleges; private homes for college masters; and a newly renovated house for the president across the street from campus.

Houston The fourth-largest city in the United States, Houston has a thriving business community and is a major corporate center. It boasts 22 Fortune 500 company headquarters, second most in the nation, and is home to the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest center for medical research, education, and patient care. NASA’s Johnson Space Center is also located here. Houston has lush vegetation and a climate that makes outdoor activities possible year-round. With 650 parks and open areas, including 130 golf courses, the city has something for everyone. The 445-acre Hermann Park directly adjacent to Rice accommodates the Houston Zoo, jogging trails, Miller Outdoor Theater and a public golf course. Houston is one of only six American cities with resident professional companies in all four major performing arts: ballet, opera, theater, and symphony and second only to New York City in the number of theater seats (10,000) in a concentrated downtown area. Houstonians support more than 500 cultural, visual, and performing arts organizations; 75 art galleries; and five major museums. There is a thriving and varied live music scene, and the city promotes numerous international, cultural, or artsbased festivals and special events throughout the year. If sports are what you’re looking for, Houston is proud home to the 2005 National League Champion Houston Astros, the NFL’s Houston Texans, two-time NBA champion Houston Rockets, the two-time MLS champion Dynamo soccer team and AHL Houston Aeros hockey team. Your spouse or partner won’t have to put his or her career on hold while you attend the Jones School. Houston enjoys a thriving economy with abundant opportunity for professional growth in many diverse industries, including law, banking, international trade and finance, energy, engineering, design, health care, high technology, biotechnology, space technology, real estate and communications. Houston Living: According to an examination by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Houston offers the strongest purchasing power for living and doing business among an international list of 26 cities. The 2011 study says Houston offers the best value for the money, based on several key factors of doing business including cost, transportation, economic clout, ease of doing business, livability and intellectual capital and innovation. Also, the July 2008 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranks its 10 best cities based on the quality of living for singles, professionals, families, empty-nesters and retirees. The magazine’s list

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contains “places where creative people like you will thrive,” and Rice’s home, Houston, has proven itself just that. “Creative class workers — scientists, engineers, educators, writers and artists — just gives a city a certain sizzle that adds that extra something that you wouldn’t get [elsewhere],” Kiplinger’s Jane Bennett Clark said. “I found that Houston had a lot of energy, and I just found that there seemed to be an excitement in Houston that was a sense of possibility.” The news came as a pleasant shock to Rice sociology professor Stephen Klineberg, who, like many Houstonians, has never seen Houston on any top destination list. “It’s really surprising. Very interesting. Potentially a beautiful sign of a city doing the right kinds of things to position itself for success in this new economy.” And this economy may just be the reason Houston is now making its mark and getting noticed. But Houstonians know there’s even more the city has to offer than a great cost of living that will keep the city in the spotlight. “Houston has been largely ignored and unknown by the rest of the country, and this may be a very positive first sign of growing recognition of what we Houstonians have always known, that this is a very special place,” Klineberg said. “People outside of Houston have traditionally seen the city as an unattractive place … and maybe, just maybe, this is a first sign of a city coming into its own in the broader consciousness of Americans.” To read Kiplinger’s article in more detail, visit http://bit.ly/bestcity

Student Life Student Life at the Jones Graduate School of Business is all about YOUR EXPERIENCE . Students are offered a whole host of campus activities: networking events, business excellence, leadership opportunities and social events. At the Jones School, students enjoy a community intimate enough to build solid relationships but diverse enough to serve varied interests. But what is student life REALLY like for a Rice MBA student outside of the classroom? It’s fun. Because we’re here to build relationships that will last a lifetime, the atmosphere here at the Jones School is one of friends as family.

FOOD: It’s all about the meal. For you full-time MBA students, you have Lunch Colloquium every Monday morning after your first morning class. You will gather in the Anderson Family Commons from 11:30 11:30 – 12:30 for a catered lunch and hear announcements from staff, faculty and other students. DRINKS: Every Thursday starting at 6PM, we offer you the Partio (Party on the Patio). This weekly event is open to all students including the full-time MBA students as well as the MBA for Professionals students. Drinks and more FOOD are served in the outdoor Woodson Courtyard. Every Partio is 57

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sponsored by either a company that is recruiting on campus OR a student club. Come mingle with representatives from a company and visit with faculty and staff.

GATHERINGS: There will be plenty of social activities and opportunities to bond with your classmates. Each year, there is a holiday party at the end of the fall semester and a gala in the spring which includes dinner, drinks, and dancing for you and your guest. A multitude of more casual events are organized by student clubs and informally by groups of students throughout the year, including birthday parties, happy hours, the Annual BBSA Bowling Tournament, the Racquet Swingers Wii Tournament, International Partio, the Intra-class Softball Tournament and Soccer match, Net Impact’s Casino Night – just to name a few!

JGS FOLLIES: This annual school tradition is the one of the most highly anticipated events. Students create and perform skits about their experiences at the school. No one is spared. Prior skits have included unbelievably accurate caricatures of faculty members and staff. The Dating Game skit still emits chuckles and The Muppet Show theme song rewritten using student’s names still runs through people’s heads.

VOLUNTEER: Despite the hectic life and schedule of the Rice MBA student, there are many of you who will find time to volunteer your time to support your community. Jones School students get involved in a variety of volunteer activities through programs including the Rice-wide RSVP (Rice Student

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Volunteer Program), whose events are open to all members of the Rice community; NAWMBA’s relationships with Houston non-profits including Dress for Success; and the unique Board Fellows Program, which places Rice MBAs on local non-profit organization boards and provides guidance on the role of the non-profit board member and the particular needs of non-profit organizations.

ARTS: Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene. The Theater District is located downtown and is home to nine major performing arts organizations and six performance halls. It is the second-largest concentration of theater seats in a downtown area in the United States. Houston is one of few United States cities with permanent, professional, resident companies in all major performing arts disciplines: opera (Houston Grand Opera), ballet (Houston Ballet), music (Houston Symphony Orchestra), and theater (The Alley Theatre). Houston is also home to many local folk artists, art groups and various smaller progressive arts organizations. Houston attracts many touring Broadway acts, concerts, shows, and exhibitions for a variety of interests. The Museum District, located next to the Rice University campus, has many popular cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than 7 million visitors a year. Notable facilities located in the district include The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Holocaust Museum Houston, and the Houston Zoo. Located in the nearby Montrose area are The Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel. In addition to the vibrant arts scene in Houston, Rice students have access to a community of visual and performing arts right here on campus: Rice Art Gallery, Rice Cinema, Rice University Media Center, Shepherd School of Music and Rice Players (Houston’s oldest collegiate theatrical troupe).

ATHLETICS: The David and Barbara Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center facility is located directly across the street from the Jones School building. The new facility which opened in September 2009 has two indoor basketball courts, four racquetball courts, two squash courts, a 9000 sq. ft. weight/cardio room, a 50 meter outdoor competition pool, an outdoor recreation pool, two outdoor lighted basketball courts, outdoor adventure center, four multi-purpose rooms for yoga and aerobic, personal training and fitness assessment center. The current fees for graduate students are $120/year and $240/year for a graduate student plus dependent.

Investiture A day before Rice University’s commencement, the Jones Graduate School of Business celebrates Investiture, a two-hour ceremony that honors the graduating classes of all our programs. The ceremony is meant to formally invest you with the master’s hood and the authority of your new designation as MBA and Rice alumnus. A Jones School tradition, Investiture is the last official function of the academic year prior to graduation. It gives faculty and staff, parents and children, spouses and friends a chance to wish the class well in an

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environment where the soon-to-be graduates have spent many – some would say most—of their waking hours over the past two years. The ceremony also gives the school an opportunity to recognize those graduating student who, in a class of high achievers, stand out in academic distinction, in service to the school and fellow students, or in mastery of a particular discipline or skill. When you hear your name called by the dean and you walk across the stage to be hooded, your incredible journey becomes a part of the Jones School story. The afternoon concludes with an outdoor reception in Woodson Courtyard at McNair Hall where friends, family, and the Jones School faculty and staff celebrate together and wish you well in new endeavors. Investiture, from the Latin (preposition in and verb vestire, 'dress' from vestis 'robe'), is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent in public office, especially by taking possession of its insignia, which can include formal dress and adornment. The term is normally reserved for formal offices of state, aristocracy and church, but has a secular usage used to describe the installation of individuals in institutions. For example, the installation of heads of state and various other state functions with ceremonial roles are invested with office. Usually the investiture involves ceremonial transfer of the symbols of the particular office. Also judges in many countries, including justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, are invested with their office, as are university presidents, rectors and chancellors. The academic hood is comprised of a fabric shell, usually black, degree velvet and school lining. The velvet color of the graduation hood represents your degree.

Rice Alumni Network As one of over 4,000 Jones School graduates, you are now part of the close knit group of Rice alumni — 45,000 strong — living and working throughout the U.S. and around the world. Alumni stay involved by interviewing prospective students, hiring Rice MBA talent, participating in career-planning activities, mentoring students, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

Alumni Services All alumni become lifetime members of the Jones Graduate School Alumni Association (JGSAA) upon graduation. This entitles graduates to the following benefits and services:

Alumni Career Services: Lifelong support for alumni throughout their careers; confidential access to job postings and other online resources, as well as avenues to recruit top caliber students at the Jones School.

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Lifelong Learning: Discounts on Executive Education Open Enrollment programs; custom

programs for your corporation; class audit opportunities; lecture series events; “Alumni College” weekend.

Online Networking Resources: See JonesAlumni.com for directions to join these online networks: Jones Alumni Directory; official JGSB groups on LinkedIn and Facebook.

“You get out of it what you put into it. This is about taking your career to the next level, and the Jones Graduate School excels at making sure everybody gets the most they can from the experience. I made lifelong friendships and I can say without a doubt that the program really changed my life.” Jay Hawthorn, Rice MBA Class of 2005 Vice President, Investment Banking, Barclays Capital

Corporate Investors: Talk to your company today about the networking opportunities and other benefits of joining the Corporate Investors’ annual membership program. Jones Alumni Real Estate Club: A club for Jones alumni who are interested in building their network in the real estate community via monthly happy hours and other events.

Alumni Get Involved by: Sharing their professional and life experiences with future leaders in a variety of ways. Alumni Mentoring Program Alumni mentor second-year Rice MBA students seeking first-hand information about prospective careers from professionals. Through the mentoring program, alumni: • • •

Cultivate a deeper connection through an open forum Share professional and life experiences with future alumni Provide guidance in an ongoing relationship

Jones Alumni Volunteers for Admission (JAVA) Alumni from around the world became ambassadors and represent the school in attracting top-tier candidates to the Rice MBA program. JAVA ambassadors may: • •

Represent Rice at recruiting events Counsel admitted students during the decision-making process

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Alumni-Student Lunches The Alumni-Student Lunch Series is an opportunity for current students to meet with alumni. Lunches provide students an informal setting to gain insight into professional areas of interest and to engage the alumni in current happenings at the Jones School. Jones Graduate School Alumni Association (JGSAA) The JGSAA sponsors an annual career forum for students, hosts social events, awards scholarships, and publishes an online directory for its members.

Frequently Asked Questions Q. How are the teams selected and how often do they change? A. The teams are put together by the Admissions and Student Services Offices prior to Immersion. Their goal is to form diverse and balanced teams in terms of work experience, industry, areas of expertise, geography, and work style. You will find out who is on your fall semester team during the summer prior to Immersion. You will work with this team for the entire fall semester, and then will be placed on a new team at the start of the spring semester in January. In the second year, you have the opportunity to select your own teams and work groups depending on the classes you choose to take. Q. How and when do I register for classes? A. The first year is composed of core classes which are the same for everyone. Your courses are assigned to you, but you are still required to sign up for them. Instructions will be shared with you prior to Immersion via OWL-Space. You do not need to select courses or sections in the first semester. In the second semester you will have the opportunity to choose from a list of custom core courses, and the Student Services Office will help you choose and sign up for these courses via OWL-Space later in the fall. Q. Can I miss classes? A. The Student Services Office will provide the formal class attendance policy for regular classes. You cannot miss ANY of Immersion. Due to the amount of information that is presented in each class and the fact that a part of your grade for most classes will depend on class participation, it is strongly suggested that you attend every class. Because attendance is a key part of the learning experience at the Jones School, an attendance policy is communicated during Immersion. You are expected to attend all class sections. If you miss more than two sessions (out of 12) per six week term, your grade will be reduced by one third of a point per excess absence on a 4.0 grading scale (e.g., from an A to an A-). Grade reductions do not take into account potential class participation losses associated with missing a class. Also, students are responsible for self-enforcement of the attendance policy. As such, students should report all absences to the course

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instructor as soon as possible (before or after the course). Non-reported absences will be considered Honor Code violations and will be reported to the Honor Council. Q. How engaged is the faculty with the students?

A. The Jones School faculty is the foundation for this program. Not only are they educators, but they are researchers, business professionals, academics and most importantly, your champions. They are here to ensure that you not only learn the material but that you grow as a business professional and thoughtful contributor and leader. Oftentimes, you will see your professor staying after class to continue a class discussion. You will see your professors at the various social functions. Their office is always open to you for questions on the class material or to engage in a discussion about a business idea. Q. What is the Rice Alliance? A. The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship is a Rice University organization housed in McNair Hall dedicated to the development of technology and entrepreneurship with a focus on energy, life science, IT, nanotechnology, engineering, and materials science. It assists new technology companies by conducting educational programs, venture forums, and competitions. Q. How can I be a part of the student clubs? A. Student clubs at the Jones School are all managed and lead by our students. Most of the clubs have a membership fee to join and hold elections each year to change leadership. Our clubs represent many different interests from professional to recreational, and with our small community, you have an opportunity to leave your legacy on the program by making an impact leading your classmates. Q. Are there other students like me? A. The Jones School takes pride in the diversity of its student body and strives to bring students from many different cultures, geographic regions, and professional backgrounds. At any given time you can find groups of students with similar interests to you but also with a different perspective to help you see the world in a new light. Q. Where will I live? A. In addition to the three graduate housing complexes at Rice, there are numerous apartments in the area surrounding the university, and the cost of living in Houston is affordable. Being the fourth largest city in the United States allows for plentiful opportunities to indulge in the arts, sports, and cuisine. If you have specific questions about housing, please contact the admissions office, and we will be happy to answer your questions. Q. When do I start working with the Career Management Center?

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A. The staff of the Career Management Center (CMC) will start reaching out to you during late spring of 2012, and you will participate in a mandatory online Introduction to the CMC course starting in June. The course uses the Career Leader assessment, career development exercises, individual introspection, team exercises, and online lectures/podcasts to help students begin developing a strategic plan for creatively blending a professional career and a meaningful personal life. The goal of this course is for students to begin their MBA program with a complete, personalized portfolio of job search materials that can be utilized and updated over the course of the internship and full- time job search processes. After completing this course, you will be prepared with your MBA format resume and correspondence materials, and be able to hit the ground running with career planning and the internship search. Q. What are the best methods for networking with companies?

A. Companies will sponsor weekly Partios (party on the patio) on campus and give a presentation followed by a party with all students, faculty, and staff on the Woodson Courtyard. In addition, the Jones School students attend professional treks and international trips, and there are major conferences taking place each year across the country where companies will answer questions, accept resumes, and even conduct interviews. Q. Will the school help me find my summer internship? A. When you start the program in the fall you will already have prepared your MBA format resume and several pieces of correspondence to help you in the internship search – so when you start meeting with your career counselor in the fall you will begin working on your career development plan and strategizing your internship search. There are many opportunities in the fall and spring of your first year to participate in recruiting activities both on and off campus, including: • • • •

Weekly Partio presentations sponsored by company recruiters Student-club organized interview workshops with company representatives National recruiting fairs at NSHMBA, NAWMBA, NBMBAA, and ABSA conferences Week on Wall Street and Houston trek – student trips to companies

Q. How close is Rice to the Houston business community? A. Rice has strong connections with all the major industries in Houston and combined with the Council of Overseers and the Jones Partners, students can easily tap into the vast business community in Houston. Q. How strong is the Alumni Network? A. The Rice community is one of strong ties and close relationships, and that same tradition is carried forward by the Jones School alumni. Our alumni go out of their way to give back to the Jones School because the program didn’t just give them an education; it created a family of students with life-long connections. The network of Jones School graduates includes over 4,000 alumni living and working

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throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries. Many alumni serve as champions for recruiting Rice MBA students within their organizations, get involved with international trips, meet regularly with students at monthly student-alumni lunches, or participate in Rice Alliance or Jones Partners events as panelists and speakers. Q. Are there Alumni Activities?

A. There are numerous activities for Jones School alumni engagement, continued learning, and networking. A few examples include mentoring a new Rice MBA student, representing Rice at recruiting events, counseling admitted students, attending lecture series events, and taking a continuing education class, just to name a few.

Admissions Deposit: Q. What if I have been deferred admission for the next year? When is my deposit due? A. Even if you have decided to defer your admission, you need to pay your admissions deposit at the time of the acceptance letter. In addition, admissions deposits are non-refundable. Q. Can I request an extension to pay my Admissions Deposit? A. Yes, you may request an extension but these decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Admissions Office if you would like to request one.

Tuition: Q. How and when do I pay the remainder of my tuition? Is there an incentive for early payment? A. Tuition statements will be available via your ESTHER account approximately 1 month prior to the semester payment arrangement deadline. Once you have access to ESTHER, you will be able to view your bill and make the necessary payment arrangements. E-mail notices to make payments will also be sent to your Rice e-mail account. The first semester (Fall 2012) payment arrangement deadline generally falls between August 10th and August 15th. There is no discount for paying your tuition early; however, a late fee is assessed for late payments.

Q. I received a Merit Scholarship with my acceptance letter. How is that accounted for in my tuition bill? A. The Rice University Cashierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office is aware of your scholarship award amount. Your tuition balance will reflect tuition and fees less your scholarship award and admissions deposit already paid. Q. I see that the tuition figure is for the first year of the MBA program. What will tuition be for the second year?

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A. Typically, tuition will increase in the second year and the rate of increase has been at 5 percent in the past.

Financial Aid: Q. I was accepted into the Rice MBA program in December, and I want to get started with my financial aid process right away. What can I do right now to get my student loan process moving? A. If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and plan to take advantage of Federal Student Loans administered by Rice University, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to pay close attention to the Financial Aid process. You can complete your FAFSA online as early as January 1, 2012, but we suggest that you wait to do so until after you have filed your 2011 tax return. There are a few things you can get started with and these include completing the steps to get access to ESTHER, setting-up your @rice.edu e-mail account (instructions will be included in the Tech Pack email), and by preparing your personal budget using the Estimated Annual Expenses Worksheet. Students who would like to use private loans instead of Federal Student Loans can start researching lending institutions and other forms of educational funding at any time.

CMC Summer Course: Q. When is the CMC Summer Course available? A. The CMC Summer Course is posted online by June 1 to allow plenty of time over the summer to complete all of the work before school starts. Q. If I wanted to complete the specific assignments in the five modules in a shorter time period than the five weeks allotted, is that possible? A. Yes and no. The course is composed of two main parts. Part 1: there are individual assignments that you must complete by the designated assignment deadline, but you can complete these early if you want as long as they are submitted by the given individual assignment deadline; Part 2: you do however need to engage online, on a weekly basis during the five-week course schedule with your class to provide and receive feedback on each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work.

Student Health Services: Q. I already have health insurance coverage and will not need to purchase a plan through Rice. What do I need to do to show proof of health insurance? A. Every student is required to have health insurance. International Students are required to purchase the Rice Health Plan or the Rice Approved Alternative Health Plan. If you already have your own health insurance, you still must complete two things: Health Data Form (HDF) (business.rice.edu/hdf to download form and submit via mail or fax)

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Student Health Insurance Waiver Form (studenthealthinsurance.rice.edu to complete online form) Q. I do NOT have health insurance so I will need to purchase some. How can I do that?

A. If you do NOT have health insurance, Rice University offers a health insurance plan for purchase. You still must complete two things: Health Data Form (HDF) (business.rice.edu/hdf to download form and submit via mail or fax) Student Health Insurance Application Form (studenthealthinsurance.rice.edu to complete online form) Q. Who administers the actual care if I get sick while at school? A. The Rice Student Health Services provides preventive and outpatient clinical care for the students of Rice University. Student Health is located on-campus and is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of students, with an emphasis on prevention. Q. When is the Health Data Form due? A. The Rice Health Data Form (HDF) must be turned in by July 1, 2012. Forms received after that date will be considered late and you will be assessed a late fee of $30. Q. What health insurance can I use as an International Student? A. International Students are required to purchase the Rice Health Plan or the Rice Approved Alternative Health Plan. The criteria for health insurance is set by the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS). This criteria must abide by governmental agency requirements when working with international visitors. Please contact their office directly at 713-348-6095 or email Adria Baker at abaker@rice.edu or Cory Owen at cory.owen@rice.edu. For information on the medical care requirements as stipulated by the OISS – just click under Students and then Health Insurance. www.oiss.rice.edu

Immersion: Q. What can I expect during Immersion? A. Immersion is an intensive two-week program and we do mean intensive. (NOTE: For International Students, you have a three-week program with the first week being dedicated solely to you.) You will be taking classes for credit, getting to know your new classmates, and reacclimatizing yourself to the classroom setting. You can expect to be in class each day (except Sunday) from approximately 8:00AM – 6:30PM, and to be working on class assignments and preparing presentations during the evenings and off hours. It is imperative that you come to Immersion prepared to participate in class – you should make every effort to complete the readings before you arrive on campus for the first day of Immersion. It would be wise to take care of any logistical errands that you need to complete before the first day of Immersion, as you will not have time once it starts. The most common regret of students after

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Immersion is that they assumed they would have time during the week to complete the readings. All that said, Immersion is also a wonderful time to get to know your classmates, and there will be multiple opportunities to relax and have fun in a more social setting. Q. I am an international student. Why do I have a separate six-day Immersion?

A. As an international student, you will have a total of three weeks for Immersion. The first week is dedicated solely to all international students in the Rice MBA program. That first week is to help you get acclimated to this new city, new country, new school and new culture. After that first week, you will then join the rest of your Rice MBA full time class for the remaining two weeks of Immersion. Q. How do I get my books for the school year? A. The Office of Student Services will post the book list on OWL-Space in mid-June prior to the start of the school year. You are responsible for purchasing your books. Books are available at the Rice University Campus Bookstore (located in the Rice Memorial Center across from McNair Hall) OR you may purchase your books through other bookstores or through online sellers. Q. When does Immersion start for the full-time MBA student? A. Immersion for the full-time MBA student starts on Monday, August 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday, August 17, 2011. If you are an international student, your Immersion starts on Monday, July 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday, August 4, 2012 and then continues with the rest of the full-time MBA students starting on August 6, 2012. Q. When is the actual first day of class for the full-time MBA student? A. The first day of class for the full-time MBA Class of 2014 is Monday, August 20, 2012. Q. Is Immersion required? A. Yes, Immersion is required. You will actually start some of your classes during the weeks of Immersion so attendance is mandatory. Q. How much preparation work was needed to start Immersion? A. There is a great deal of reading to do ahead of time before the week of Immersion. You will have your pre-Immersion assignments posted on OWL-Space over the summer so you should have plenty of time to read through all of the materials to be ready for the start of school. Q. Are social events a part of Immersion? A. Yes, social events are an integral part of Immersion and life at the Jones School. Oftentimes, there is some sort of a social gathering after the day that runs into the evening. Q. How do I find out more information about daily student life as a Rice MBA student?

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A. Please feel free to contact the Admissions Office. We would be happy to set up a meeting with a current student who has a similar background to yours. This is a great way to meet someone who is actually going through the program and can answer your personal questions. You can reach the Admissions Office at ricemba@rice.edu.

Investiture: Q. Is the Jones School ceremony in lieu of the overall Rice University Commencement Ceremony? A. No, as a graduating student of the Jones School, you are eligible to walk at the overall Rice University Commencement ceremony which is typically held the day after the Jones School Investiture. Q. What do I wear at Investiture? A. All Jones School students wear business attire along with their caps and gowns and the traditional MBA hoods. Q. Where is the Jones School Investiture held? A. Investiture is held in Tudor Hall on the Rice University Campus. The ceremony takes about two hours. And then an afternoon reception follows in the Woodson Pavilion at McNair Hall.

General Information: Q. If I have other questions, is there a way to get in touch with different departments? A. Jones Graduate School Offices Street Address Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business McNair Hall, 6100 Main Street Houston, Texas 77005-2932 Mailing Address Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business MS 531, P.O. Box 2932 Houston, Texas 77252-2932 Admissions Office Phone: 888-844-4773 (toll free) 713-348-4918 Fax: 713-348-6147

E-mail: ricemba@rice.edu Web: business.rice.edu

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Office of Student Services Phone: 713-348-3473 Fax: 713-348-3185 E-mail: oss@rice.edu Web: business.rice.edu Career Management Center Phone: 713-348-5371 Fax: 713-348-5838 E-mail: jgscmc@rice.edu Web: business.rice.edu Rice University Offices The Office of Financial Aid Phone: 713-348-4958 Fax: 713-348-2139 E-mail: jgsfina@rice.edu Web: financialaid.rice.edu Cashierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office Phone: 713-348-4946 Fax: 713-348-5851 E-mail: cashier@rice.edu Office of International Students & Scholars Phone: 713-348-6095 Fax: 713-348-6058 Web: oiss.rice.edu Student Health Phone: 713-348-4966 Fax: 713-348-5427 E-mail: hlsv@rice.edu Web: rice.edu/health Disability Support Services Phone: 713- 348-5841 Fax: 713- 348-5199

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E-mail: adarice@rice.edu Web: dss.rice.edu Calling from a TTY/TDD dial 711 or 800-735-2989 to be connected through a relay operator. Parking Office Phone: 713-348-7275 E-mail: parking@rice.edu Web: park-trans.rice.edu Rice University Police Department (Student IDs) Phone: 713-348-3956 (Emergency) 713-348-6000 E-mail: jrico@rice.edu Web: rupd.rice.edu

GLOSSARY McNair Hall – The building that houses the Jones Graduate School of Business Symplicity – A comprehensive on-campus recruiting and career services management tool for students, employers, and career management staff. Students can apply for jobs, schedule interviews and career advising appointments, RSVP for events, and more. StudentID – Rice University Universal Student Identification Number, which is assigned to each admitted student to be used throughout their tenure here at school. JGS Follies – The annual, highly anticipated school tradition where students create and perform skits about their experiences in the MBA program. No one is spared. JAVA – Jones Alumni Volunteer for Admission: As an admissions ambassador, you will represent the Jones School at recruiting events and counsel admitted students during their decision making process. NetID – Network Identification Number: Assigned by the IT department to be your user login name for the computer system. Investiture – The Jones School graduation ceremony in May of second year. REEP MBA for School Leaders – Rice Education Entrepreneurship Program FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid Partio – Party on the Patio: Networking events held every Thursday at the Jones School, allowing company representatives to meet students, faculty, and administrators.

Welcome to Rice University Exchange – The email server used at the Jones School BIC – Business Information Center CMC – Career Management Center OISS – Office of International Student Scholars OWL-Space – Web based communication portal for courses, programs, calendars, schedules, clubs, and career management RBPC – Rice Business Plan Competition: World’s largest and richest business plan competition Immersion – MBA Boot Camp and Orientation