William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It is situated on a 300-acre campus, opened in 1912 after the murder of its namesake William Marsh Rice. Rice is a research university with an undergraduate focus. Rice is noted for its applied science programs in the fields of artificial heart research, structural chemical analysis, signal processing, space science, and nanotechnology. In 2010, it was ranked first in the world in materials science research by Times Higher Education (THE). Rice's undergraduate program offers more than fifty majors and two dozen minors, and allows a high level of flexibility in pursuing multiple degree programs