No matter your academic interest or career goals, the arts and humanities at Rice offer something for everyone. Our students are drawn to the opportunity to work closely with inspiring, award-winning faculty in small, dynamic courses that move in and outside of the Rice campus, allowing you to engage with the city and communities of Houston and the world beyond.
Our innovative curriculum and rich resources support meaningful research, creative expression and immersive global experiences. Whether you’re learning a new language, exploring different cultures, interpreting and comparing evidence, or critiquing and debating the crucial issues facing us today, you’ll develop the skills to think critically, communicate effectively and lead thoughtfully. There has never been a better — or more important — time to study the arts and humanities at Rice.
Top-Ranked Areas of Study
Niche — which relies on U.S. Department of Education data and analysis of more than 1,000 universities, and is the market leader in connecting colleges and schools with students and families — has ranked five of our areas of study among the best in the country in its latest report:
Art #2
Religion #6
English #11
History #20
Philosophy #20
Small Class Sizes
Our classrooms are small, personal and dynamic, and many of our faculty are leading scholars in their fields. Passionate and innovative teachers and mentors, our faculty are fiercely committed to critical engagement and rigorous analysis of the world’s most pressing problems — past, present and future.
Interdisciplinary Areas of Inquiry
While fostering the imagination of a new future, the humanities and arts at Rice live and thrive in new spaces beyond the disciplines in our collaborative and interdisciplinary centers, programs and minors, which form the foundation for the more fully integrated and connective humanities and arts we pursue.