Rice University MCS and MDS in AI and Machine Learning

Rice University offers a 30-credit Master of Computer Science with specializations in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and Machine Learning. Students may complete the MCS online or on campus in Houston. Rice also offers a separate 31-credit online Master of Data Science with an Artificial Intelligence specialization.

Quick Facts

FactDetails
SchoolRice University
LocationHouston, Texas
DegreesMaster of Computer Science; Online Master of Data Science
Credits30 credits for the MCS; at least 31 credits for the online MDS
FormatMCS: Online or Campus; MDS: Online
Estimated tuitionOnline MCS: about $51,000; campus MCS: about $76,800; online MDS: about $52,700
LengthMCS: 12–18 months full time or about 2–3.5 years part time; campus MCS normally takes 3 semesters; MDS: 18–24 months full time or about 2.5–3 years part time
AI/ML optionsMCS specializations in Artificial Intelligence or Data Science and Machine Learning; MDS specialization in Artificial Intelligence

Curriculum

The 2026–27 Rice catalog divides the MCS into theory, systems and software, professional skills, a specialization, and graduate electives. Students complete one theory course, one systems and software course, Workplace Communication for Computer Science Professionals, 9–12 specialization credits, and 6–12 elective credits.

Students who want the closest connection to this site can choose one of two specializations:

Artificial Intelligence: Students choose three courses from options such as Artificial Intelligence, Reinforcement Learning, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, Deep Learning Systems Design and Optimization, Deep Learning for Vision and Language, and AI-enabled robotics.

Data Science and Machine Learning: Students choose three courses from options such as Statistical Machine Learning, Applied Machine Learning and Data Science Projects, Machine Learning with Graphs, Machine Learning, deep learning, information retrieval, and high-efficiency machine learning.

The MCS is a professional, non-thesis degree. It also requires an approved internship lasting from 10 weeks to six months. Students must arrange an internship that fits their career goals.

Credits and Program Length

The MCS requires 30 graduate credits, with at least 24 credits completed at Rice. The campus program normally takes three semesters. Rice states that online students can finish in 12–18 months with full-time study or about 2–3.5 years with part-time study. Students have up to five years to complete the online degree.

The separate online MDS requires at least 31 credits. Rice lists a completion time of 18–24 months for qualified full-time students or about 2.5–3 years for most part-time students.

Tuition and Cost

Rice lists 2026–27 online MCS and online MDS tuition at $1,700 per credit. This produces estimated base tuition of $51,000 for the 30-credit online MCS and $52,700 for the 31-credit online MDS. These estimates exclude fees and assume the student completes only the minimum required credits.

The 2026–27 tuition schedule lists the campus Professional Master’s in Engineering rate at $2,560 per credit. At that rate, the 30-credit campus MCS has estimated base tuition of $76,800, before student fees, insurance, books, housing, and other expenses.

Rice states that the MCS does not receive university or department tuition waivers, stipends, fellowships, or assistantships. Select online applicants who meet early deadlines may receive consideration for a $10,000 merit scholarship.

Admissions

The online MCS admissions page requires a bachelor’s degree and looks for programming experience, basic data structures and algorithms, and calculus-level mathematics. Rice describes a 3.0 undergraduate GPA as ideal, although the admissions committee may consider experience, recommendations, graduate study, test scores, and individual circumstances.

Applicants submit transcripts, a resume or CV, a statement of purpose, two recommendation letters, and the application fee. The GRE is not required for applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants with a GPA below 2.9 generally need GRE scores unless Rice grants an exception.

Online or Campus Format

The MCS is available in a 100% online format and as a campus program in Houston. Online courses combine self-paced lectures with scheduled assignments and weekly live faculty sessions. MCS students may take up to nine credits in the other modality with advisor approval.

Rice awards the same MCS degree to online and campus students, and the diploma and transcript do not identify the online format. The online MDS is fully online and also uses structured course schedules and live sessions.

Online Master of Data Science AI Specialization

The online MDS Artificial Intelligence specialization provides a data-science-centered alternative to the MCS. Its featured subjects include Statistical Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, and Deep Learning.

The MDS also includes Python programming, statistics, big data, data visualization, data security and privacy, and an applied capstone. It fits students who want to use AI and machine learning within data science rather than build a broader computer science plan.

Machine Learning and AI Focus

Rice is a strong fit because the MCS offers two distinct paths into machine learning. The AI specialization favors intelligent systems, vision, language, reinforcement learning, and robotics. The Data Science and Machine Learning specialization places more weight on statistical learning, data-centered projects, graphs, optimization, and scalable ML systems.

Rice also supports related research in deep learning, large-scale machine learning, optimization, robotics, network analytics, and graph signal processing through its AI and machine learning groups. The MCS remains a professional degree, so applicants who want a research thesis should compare Rice’s research-focused MS and PhD routes.

Who Is This Program Best For?

Choose the MCS if you want an AI or machine learning specialization inside a broad computer science master’s degree, need an online program with live faculty interaction, or can complete an intensive campus plan with an internship.

Choose the online MDS if you prefer a data-science-centered AI curriculum with an applied capstone and fully online delivery.

Bottom Line

Rice offers several credible paths into graduate AI and machine learning study. The MCS provides the broader computer science foundation and the clearest choice between AI and machine learning specializations, while the online MDS gives students a more focused data science route. The main tradeoff is cost: estimated tuition starts near $51,000 online and rises to about $76,800 for the campus MCS before fees.