No, the MLS program does not require its applicants to have taken the GRE or any other standardized test. You must complete the application form in its entirety.

Students admitted to the MLS program are expected to take all courses within the Rice MLS program; however, up to 6 hours may be transferred in on a case-by-case basis.

Classes are held in a dual delivery format. Students may choose to attend class on the Rice campus or join class virtually via Zoom. Classes meet once a week for three hours.

No. Classes meet during weekday evenings.

The program stresses small classes and most classes will have 12 students, although some classes may be slightly smaller or larger.

Yes, but you must take at least two courses per academic year and submit a leave of absence form prior to the start of the semester you will miss.

Benefits-eligible Rice staff who demonstrate a financial need can receive a 50% tuition discount. The MLS is not eligible for the Rice tuition waiver, but students may be eligible for Rice tuition reimbursement.

Yes. MLS and DLS program graduates will be able to attend graduation ceremonies with all other Rice graduates.

We currently do not offer online courses; however, students might be able to attend class remotely via Zoom.

For part-time students, the answer is no. The F-1 student visa requires a full-time course of study. International applicants requiring a student visa must enroll full-time. International applicants who are legally in the United States (such as permanent residents) may enroll in the program since a student visa will not be required.

Students seeking admission to the MLS program who completed coursework and/or degree(s) at institutions outside the United States must present a professional course-by-course evaluation of the foreign official transcript. The professional evaluation must verify that the degree obtained is equivalent to baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. academic institution and must include an explanation of credits earned (including U.S. semester hour equivalents), grade equivalents, and course levels (lower or upper level). Two reliable services with course-by-course evaluations that include this required information are:

• SpanTran (spantran.com) and
• Education Credentials Evaluators (ece.org).

All professional evaluations should be obtained from one of these two recommended credential services and submitted to the MLS Program. Payment for the professional evaluation is the responsibility of the applicant.

Yes, we prefer e-Trancripts!  The Rice University Master of Liberal Studies and Diploma in Liberal Studies programs accepts electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions via secure electronic transcript providers. Consult with your institution to see if they are part of a secure e-delivery network. All electronic transcripts should be sent to mls@rice.edu. Please note transcripts are not accepted by fax or personal email. Official transcripts that are mailed must arrive in the original sealed envelope issued by the institution.

For students entering this year and completing their degree within four years, we estimate the program will cost approximately $36,000 in tuition and fees.

Part-time students who take one course per semester can earn the degree in 10 semesters or in a little less than four years. Students can earn it sooner by taking two courses per semester and/or in the summer. Part-time students are required to take only one course during their first semester, but may take up to two courses per semester after that. Given that scenario, you could finish in two and a half years. 

Full-time students who take three courses (9 hours) in the fall and spring semesters and at least 2 courses (6 hours) in the summer can earn the degree in two years.

It is the policy of the DLS program that you must finish your degree requirements within seven years from the date you first began the program. 

In some cases, a student may want to take a course outside of the DLS program to gain knowledge in one or more focus disciplines.  Please coordinate with the GLS program office.

Yes. After completing a core course in each of the three areas – social sciences, humanities, and natural science – students can choose to take courses (or a majority of courses) in one of those tracks to complete their degree. Additionally, certified High School English and History teachers can focus all of their electives in these subjects to meet Dual Credit Teacher Credentialing requirements.

Yes; however, the TOEFL and the IELTS may be waived for an international student who received a degree from an institution in which English is the official language of communication. For 2021 admission, the following tests are accepted and will be used to assess English language proficiency.

• The TOEFL IBT Home. A minimum score of 90 is required.
• IELTS Indicator. A minimum score of 7 is required.
• Duolingo. A minimum score of 115 is required.

For 2021, Rice will not accept the ITP Plus test to evaluate English language proficiency, but scores/interviews are able to be reported to Rice as a supplemental material via Vericant.

Applicants should visit graduate.rice.edu/admissions/qualifications for additional information and reporting details.

Joining our Online Information Session is Easy

The online information session is delivered over the internet using voice-over-IP technology. This means that the ideal setting for participating in the information session includes a computer/tablet with a solid connection to the Internet and a headset with a microphone. We highly encourage you to test the information session link provided in your email at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the session. This allows you to work through any technical issues you may encounter without missing any information.