# Master of EngineeringManagement & LeadershipOnline Program
**Source**: https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml
**Parent**: https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/graduate-degree-programs
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[Attend an upcoming information session](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml#info-session)
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MEML@RICE
# Master of Engineering Management & Leadership **Online Program**
An [ASEM Certified](https://www.asem.org/Graduate-Program-Cert) MEM Program and Top 15 Engineering Master's Degree School *[(CollegeFactual, 2025)](https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/rankings/best-graduate-schools/masters-degrees/)*
[GET INFORMATION](#enrollment-coach)
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###### ADVANCE YOUR CAREER
## Master of Engineering Management & Leadership (MEML) Degree
A Master of Engineering Management & Leadership (MEML) degree provides skilled engineers
with the leadership and management training needed to become effective [engineering
managers](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/blog/what-does-an-engineering-manager-do), VPs of Engineering, Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), and innovative leaders of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution, the emerging technology era known as [Industry
4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0).
**Online Master of Engineering Management degree program students will enjoy these
benefits:**
- Top-ranked graduate school for engineering and management master's degrees, and #1 in Texas
- Prestige and recognition of joining the newest of only 12 [ASEM Certified](https://www.asem.org/Graduate-Program-Cert "List of ASEM Certified Programs Graduate MEM Programs") MEM programs in
the U.S., and the first program in Texas
- Rice MEML graduates have a direct path to becoming a Certified Associate in Engineering Management®
([CAEM®](https://www.asem.org/CAEM "Information about the Certified Associate in Engineering Management credential from ASEM")),
without having to take the certifying exam, and will have an accelerated path to the Certified
Professional in Engineering Management ([CPEM®](https://www.asem.org/cpem "Information about the Certified Professional in Engineering Management credential from ASEM"))
credential
- Rice MEML graduates can immediately sit for the PMP® exam and earn their [Project
Management Professional® credential](https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp "Information about the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification from PMI")
- Training in the engineering leadership, [management](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/blog/what-is-engineering-management)
and communication skills needed to climb the technical side of the management ladder
- Convenience to complete 100% online at your own pace, blended with weekly live sessions
- Opportunity to establish themselves as innovators and [Industry
4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) engineering leaders
[GET MORE
INFORMATION](#enrollment-coach)
###### JOIN LEADING COMPANIES
## Stand Out as a Rice Graduate
Rice's strong reputation with some of the world's best employers improve your chances of
getting the job you want.\
**Some of our alumni have gone to leading companies including:**
[GET MORE INFORMATION](#enrollment-coach)
[VIEW ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/admissions)
## Earn Stackable Credentials Within Your MEML Degree
As an [ASEM Certified
program](https://www.asem.org/Graduate-Program-Cert), Rice MEML graduates will now have a direct path to becoming a Certified Associate
in Engineering ManagementⓇ [(CAEMⓇ)](https://www.asem.org/CAEM), without having to
take the certifying exam, and will also have an accelerated path to the
Certified Professional in Engineering Management [(CPEMⓇ)](https://www.asem.org/cpem) credential.
The CAEM and CPEM are valuable credentials for engineering professionals entering technical management
roles.
[Engineering projects](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/blog/engineering-project-management) are among the most complex and expensive to
manage. To best prepare you, Rice's MEML program includes a course in Engineering Project Management
(EPM) that allows students to earn their PMPⓇ project management education/training hours and
sit for the certification test to become a Project Management Professional (PMPⓇ).
[VIEW OUR
CURRICULUM](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/curriculum)
###### A HIGH-DEMAND OCCUPATION
## Enter or Advance in a Growing Engineering Market
Engineering managers are among the highest earners in the U.S., and thanks to investments in
ESG and sustainable infrastructure, digital transformation, and automation, jobs are growing in the tech
leadership space.
### NOW
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a engineering manager with a master’s degree earn
on average
$135,592/year(+48%)
### FUTURE
The [Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/architectural-and-engineering-managers.htm#tab-5) projects that jobs for engineering managers will
grow
+6%
by 2026, with nearly 10,000 new roles added during that time.
[GET MORE
INFORMATION](#enrollment-coach)
[SEE MEML CAREER
PATHS](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/careers)
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## See How We Rank Amongst Top Schools
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Best Engineering Master's Degree Schools in Texas
[College Factual, 2025](https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/rankings/best-graduate-schools/masters-degrees/southwest/texas/)
Image
Best Engineering Master's Degree Schools (U.S.)
[College Factual, 2025](https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/engineering/rankings/best-graduate-schools/masters-degrees/)
Image
Most Innovative National Universities
[U.S. News & World Report, 2024](https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/innovative)
Image
Best Engineering Graduate Schools
[U.S. News & World Report, 2024](https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/eng-rankings)
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Engineering Grad Programs in Top 30 of U.S. News
[Rice
Engineering Facts & Rankings](https://engineering.rice.edu/about/facts-rankings)
## Apply for the Summer 2026 Intakes
For Summer 2026, applications (with all completed materials) are due by March 1st, 2026. To learn more about applying to our online Master of Engineering Management & Leadership program, please visit our [Admissions page](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/admissions).
[APPLY TODAY](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/apply-now)
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## Robust Master of Engineering Management & Leadership Curriculum
### Career Skills to Prepare You For an Evolving Workplace
Core coursework focuses on topics related to
engineering leadership, project management (with PMI® credit), engineering economics, applied statistics
and data science, and [Industry
4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) technologies. In addition to core coursework, students will choose a [specialization](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/curriculum)
that consists of three courses (9 credits) in technical coursework through the School of Engineering.
### Earn Your Degree Part-Time While Working
Rice's Master of Engineering Management &
Leadership degree program requires 30 credit hours of graduate-level coursework. Students earning their
master’s in engineering management online part-time should be able to complete their [coursework](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/curriculum)
in 20 months (based on 2 courses per semester). The program is designed for those who will continue to
work while earning their degree.
### Real World, Hands-On Learning
Master of Engineering Management & Leadership
students must complete a capstone project. For it, students will be expected to devise [Industry
4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) solutions to solve real-world problems, while demonstrating their newly acquired engineering
manager leader skills and advanced engineering and data-informed insights.
### Online and Face-to-Face Learning Opportunities
Master of Engineering Management & Leadership
(MEML) Online courses are taught by world-class Faculty from the George R. Brown School of Engineering
and the nationally-renowned [Rice Center for Engineering Leadership](http://www.rcelconnect.org/). If you live in the Greater Houston,
Texas area or are willing to commute, you have the flexibility to take up to [three courses on-campus](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/master-engineering-management/curriculum) ("online hybrid").
[APPLY
NOW](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/apply-now)
###### BEST-IN-CLASS
## Online Student Experience
The Master of Engineering Management &
Leadership program is more than just an online degree in engineering management. Rice University
goes above and beyond to provide the necessary tools for program participants to lead and innovate
in the [Industry
4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) era. MEML@Rice classes are led by distinguished [Faculty](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/faculty)
from the [George R. Brown School of
Engineering](https://engineering.rice.edu/) and the [Rice Center for Engineering Leadership](http://www.rcelconnect.org/) and enhanced by former engineering
executives from the industry.
Students
can learn online and in-person from professionals in small class groups and via 1:1 faculty
interaction, and gain real-world skills that support their career goals.\
Our alumni network and professional connections in the Houston area and beyond provide students with
access to companies and organizations in energy, biomedical, space, manufacturing, and technology
sectors.
[LEARN ABOUT
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/student-experience)
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Students who complete the Master of Engineering Management & Leadership degree can choose to be more things, they can choose to be leaders, they can choose to be entrepreneurs. All of those doors become open to them after completing a program like this.
-David Van Kleeck, PhD.\
Professor in the Practice, Engineering Leadership
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## MEML@Rice (Online) Information Session
[Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CDT)](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Learn what career-advancing knowledge and skills you can expect to build within the MEML@RICE online program and what specialized tracks are available.
[SIGN UP](https://gradadmissions.rice.edu/register/MEML_03.10.26)
[Thursday, April 2 , 2026, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CDT)](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Learn what career-advancing knowledge and skills you can expect to build within the MEML@RICE online program and what specialized tracks are available.
[SIGN UP](https://gradadmissions.rice.edu/register/MEML_04.02.26)
[Tuesday, April 21 , 2026, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (CDT)](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Learn what career-advancing knowledge and skills you can expect to build within the MEML@RICE online program and what specialized tracks are available.
[SIGN UP](https://gradadmissions.rice.edu/register/MEML_04.21.26)
[Have questions before the info session? Get in touch !](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: [GET MORE INFORMATION](#enrollment-coach)
## MEML (On-Campus) Information Session
[Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 10:00 p.m. - 11:00 a.m. (CDT)](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Learn what career-advancing knowledge and skills you can expect to build within the MEML@RICE online program and what specialized tracks are available.
[SIGN UP](https://gradadmissions.rice.edu/register/MEML_03.24.26)
[Thursday, April 9 , 2026, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (CDT)](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Learn what career-advancing knowledge and skills you can expect to build within the MEML@RICE online program and what specialized tracks are available.
[SIGN UP](https://gradadmissions.rice.edu/register/MEML_04.09.26)
[Thursday, April 14 , 2026, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (CDT)](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Learn what career-advancing knowledge and skills you can expect to build within the MEML@RICE online program and what specialized tracks are available.
[SIGN UP](https://gradadmissions.rice.edu/register/MEML_04.14.26)
[Thursday, April 30 , 2026, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (CDT)](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Learn what career-advancing knowledge and skills you can expect to build within the MEML@RICE online program and what specialized tracks are available.
[SIGN UP](https://gradadmissions.rice.edu/register/MEML_04.30.26)
[Have questions before the info session? Get in touch !](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: [GET MORE INFORMATION](#enrollment-coach)
## Important Dates
| SESSION | APPLICATION DUE | CLASSES START |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SUMMER 2026 | March 1, 2026 | May 4, 2026 |
| FALL 2026 | June 15, 2026 | August 24, 2026 |
[APPLY NOW](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/apply-now)
###### WHAT’S HAPPENING
## The Latest MEML Faculty Expertise and Resources
Engineering management and leadership skills are becoming increasingly valuable as businesses and organizations seek to grow and maintain a competitive edge. Visit our [Latest News & Stories](https://engineering.rice.edu/news) to learn about Rice's innovative research & development, understand how engineering leadership is making a difference for our graduates, and see how Rice is shaping the future of [Industry 4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0).
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###### INDUSTRY-LEADING FACULTY
## Faculty With Technical and Engineering Leadership Experience
Our [award-winning Faculty](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/faculty) combines real-world experience with academic excellence to provide a multi-faceted approach to engineering management. Our faculty members draw from both the School of Engineering and the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership, considered a national thought leader in engineering management and leadership.
With experience working with Fortune 500 companies and top engineering executives and tech entrepreneurs, our faculty can provide you with the skills you need to develop your leadership potential while also growing your engineering expertise.
[VIEW OUR FACULTY](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/faculty)
## MEML@RICE FAQs
Get answers to common questions about the **online Engineering Management Master’s** program including information on costs, financial aid options, and more.
[Is Rice University's Online Master of Engineering Management & Leadership an accredited program?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Yes, Rice University's Online Master of Engineering Management & Leadership degree program is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
[What can I do with a MEML degree?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: An engineering management degree can provide you with the leadership, management, and communication skills needed to [advance your career](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/careers) from engineering manager to VP of engineering to Chief Technical Officer (CTO). It helps to put the individual contributor on the technical management track.
[Which is better, a MEML or an MBA?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: It depends on your passion. Are you someone at a company (or an entrepreneur) who wants to lead engineering, or are you interested in leaving engineering or other related technical areas to branch out into a company's other functional areas (for example, marketing or operations)?
While an [MBA](https://business.rice.edu/) provides broad understanding of the core business disciplines (e.g., strategy, accounting, finance, etc.), the MEML provides engineers with vital engineering management and leadership skills and cutting-edge data and tech skills, so that they can advance in their careers as engineering managers and ultimately engineering executives (e.g., senior director, VP of Engineering, CTO, etc.). The MEML is not a combination of engineering and business management -- it fills the knowledge gap between them. [Read on to see if a MEML degree is right for you](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/blog/is-mem-worth-it). [You can also read on here to learn more about a MEML vs. an MBA.](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/blog/meml-vs-mba)
[Is a Master of Engineering Management & Leadership a STEM degree?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Yes. While the focus of the MEML degree is to develop the leadership and management skills necessary to lead teams of engineers and technical professionals, there is also a strong focus on helping engineers leverage advanced STEM knowledge to connect the fundamental workings of new technology products and ideas to economic outcomes.
[Which additional engineering manager certifications can I earn while pursuing my Rice MEML degree?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Diligent Rice MEML graduates can obtain two additional certifications, in addition to their engineering management master’s degree, before they walk into their new jobs in industry. As an ASEM certified graduate program, MEML graduates can skip the certification exams and obtain their CAEM, or if they have sufficient work experience, obtain their CPEM credential. The ASEM certification also means that Rice MEML graduates can immediately sit for the PMP exam, pass it, and get that credential too.
[What is Industry 4.0?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Companies thriving in the fourth industrial revolution are a part of [Industry 4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) (I4). [Industry 4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) technologies consist of artificial intelligence (machine learning), big data interactions, autonomous robotics and vehicles, additive manufacturing, digital twins, blockchain, advanced materials, quantum computing, augmented reality, cloud computing, cyber-security, simulation-based engineering, and the Internet of Things. I4 companies develop data-enabled technologies and processes that lead to radically smarter and connected products and services.
[How is the Rice MEML degree unique?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: According to labor market insights firm [Lightcast](https://lightcast.io/resources/research/2023-global-talent-playbook), top skills for 2023 include innovation and adaptability; for example, growth mindedness, intrapreneurship, and adaptive leadership. [Industry 4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) is all about innovation and adapting traditional engineering processes and practices to newer, evolved ways of working to unlock greater effectiveness, safety, and other goals. Rice's engineering leaders see that individual engineering contributors are increasingly being turned to (and elevated!) within their organizations to lead digital transformation. They quickly need to blend existing technical skills with new human skills. For example: how to influence others with empathy, or how to cultivate curiosity and creativity within diverse teams.
Led by a diverse team of world-class Faculty with Fortune 500 experience, Rice's Master of Engineering Management & Leadership is uniquely designed to develop engineering leaders who not only have fundamental technical management skills, but who also can put an Industry 4.0 ‘lens’ on technical problems, ideas, and products and understand how solutions can be best realized via existing and Industry 4.0 technologies. MEML graduates will be able to lead and manage teams of engineers to continually create ethical-technical product solutions to societal problems; solutions that consider user data and leverage Industry 4.0 technologies.
[Does Rice University have a good master of engineering management program?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: The George R. Brown School of Engineering at Rice University boasts one of the best engineering master's programs, [ranking](https://engineering.rice.edu/about/facts-rankings "nationally ranked college") #29 out 30 in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools. Rice’s undergraduate engineering program, ranked #19 in the country by U.S. News & World Report, remains the top ranked engineering program in Texas.
[For Rice MEML, am I required to know programming languages?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: In order to succeed in Online MEML's Data Science or Computer Science specializations, we recommend MEML students brush up on basic programming and/or math skills prior to starting their degree. One option is to enroll in Rice's [online Computer Science / Data Science Bridge Course](https://glasscockcatalog.rice.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=33991456&showInternal=true). This 6-week mini-course covers essential foundational knowledge in calculus, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, and programming basics, including algorithms and data structures with practice in Python language.
If you live in the Houston, Texas area, you have the flexibility to take up to [three courses on-campus](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/master-engineering-management/curriculum) ("online hybrid"), which may include your Engineering Disciplinary Specialization elective courses.
[Why should companies hire Rice MEML graduates?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Today, all companies must become technology companies. For companies to take full advantage of [Industry 4.0](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/online-meml/industry-4-0) (I4), they must hire people who have been extensively educated on the best ways of leading, managing, and inspiring teams of engineers and technical professionals in this new technology era. Companies that want to accelerate their pace of technology innovation will need engineering leaders, Rice MEML graduates, who can harness the full power of teams comprised of digital natives and traditional engineers and technical professionals. Whether a hard hat or a software engineer, companies will need an engineering leader manager to not only help their engineering units become I4 ready, but to help engineering organizations put an I4 ‘lens’ atop of existing engineering leadership practices and know how to update them.
[Will a MEML professional master’s degree increase my salary potential?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average Engineer Manager salary with a master’s degree is around [$135,592/year](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm), or about 23-50% more than an individual contributor Engineer’s salary, which ranges from about $90,000 - $110,000 depending on their specialization, industry, company and geography.
[Why should I pursue an engineering professional master’s degree at Rice University?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Rice University is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States with the George R. Brown School of Engineering recently [ranking #29](https://engineering.rice.edu/about/facts-rankings) in U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools. Therefore, companies in Houston and Texas are aggressive about hiring Rice graduates. Rice also has a long history of engineering graduates becoming executives at Fortune 500 companies. While many MEML graduates will choose to remain at their companies outside of Texas, some MEML graduates will choose to remain in or come to Texas or Houston.
[What does the program cost?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: The current costs for the program are $1,667 per credit hour, which comes to $50,000 for the entire program. For those seeking to advance their careers and increase their earning potential, the MEML@Rice program can be a valuable long-term investment.
[Are scholarships or financial aid available?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: Because the Master of Engineering Management & Leadership (MEML) is a non-thesis (non-research) degree, Rice University does not offer tuition waivers, stipends, fellowships, or assistantships for this program. Corporate and employer scholarships are sometimes available, and all accepted students are eligible to apply. Students are also encouraged to visit the Rice Office of Student Financial Services for more information about loans and outside sources of aid.
[How does Rice MEML support veterans and active military members?](https://engineering.rice.edu/academics/graduate-programs/ckeditor-accordion-container)
: [Veteran education benefits](https://military.rice.edu/veterans-education-benefits) are available to qualified full or part-time Rice students who are active duty or reserve military personnel, veterans, or in some cases, the dependents of deceased or disabled veterans whose death or disability is a direct result of their military service. There are a variety of options to help you pay for your education at Rice.
Please select one option that applies to you to learn more about veterans education benefits.
[I am a Veteran](https://military.rice.edu/veterans-education-benefits/veterans)
[I am a Dependent of a Veteran](https://military.rice.edu/veterans-education-benefits/dependents)
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## Learn More About MEML@Rice
If you’re ready to take the next step to advance your career, fill out the form to connect with a Rice Enrollment Coach.
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