Students may combine a CS B.A. or B.S. with any of the Master's degrees offered. The M.C.S. requires 30 hours of upper- and graduate-level course credits. The M.S. requires a combination of coursework and research. Students receiving the B.A. and M.C.S. often graduate in 4.5 years.
Students interested in this option should plan ahead and keep in mind the following. Any course taken as a Rice undergraduate may apply towards the requirements of either the undergraduate or graduate degree, but not both. For either master's degree, a student must be a full-time graduate student for at least one semester. M.C.S. students do not receive any financial aid from Rice, while M.S. students receive full tuition support, provided they are supported as Research Assistants. Students interested in the M.S. are advised to start an appropriate research project while still an undergraduate.