UT Austin Stakes New Ground in Houston

The University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business announced today a $13 million commitment to its Houston constituents over the next decade, as its highly ranked Working Professional MBA Program in Houston relocates from the Texas Medical Center to state-of-the-art facilities near Memorial City.

"This move represents a significant, earnest investment in our students who live and work in Houston," said Urooj Khan, Texas McCombs' associate dean for MBA programs. "This represents more than a real estate decision. Houston is where some of the most important business innovations are happening, and our students are at the center of it. Our commitment to this facility reflects our commitment to being part of Houston's economic leadership for decades to come."

Starting in Fall 2026, students will attend classes on the sixth floor of a 15-story Class AA office tower at 990 Town & Country Blvd., at the gateway to CityCentre inside the Energy Corridor. The building is the former Marathon Oil Corporation headquarters, built in 2022. The sixth-floor McCombs-leased space will house two tiered classrooms, each seating about 70 students; a 7,000-square-foot multipurpose media/ballroom area that can double as two classrooms and a dining room; staff offices, including UT Admissions; eight study rooms; and access to a terrace with sweeping views of West Houston. On weekends when the students attend classes, the total space available for their use is 30,000 square feet.

Operated in Houston since August 2005, the Working Professional MBA is housed under the Hildebrand MBA Program at Texas McCombs, named for Mindy Hildebrand, BBA '86, a dynamic Houston philanthropist and leader. The program is currently ranked No. 6 by U.S. News & World Report, earning a spot in the ranking's Top 10 for the past 16 years. Fortune ranks it No. 3 in the country.

Khan said the current project deepens the school's longstanding commitment to serving Texas' most populous city. More than 17,000 McCombs alumni live in the Houston metro area. About 1,700 of them have earned their degree through the Houston MBA program's flexible weekend class schedule, designed for aspiring leaders who want to pursue an MBA without interrupting their careers.

"When you're learning finance on Saturday and presenting to your board on Tuesday, location and logistics matter," said Joe Stephens, Texas McCombs senior assistant dean and director of the Working Professional and Executive MBA programs. "This world-class facility removes every possible friction point so our students can focus on what they came here for."

The program's alternating weekend format allows students to immediately apply classroom lessons in their Monday-through-Friday careers. The 21-month curriculum includes 12 hours of courses each weekend, three academic intensives in Austin, and a seven-day Global Studies course. Most faculty members also teach in McCombs' highly ranked Full-Time MBA and other Austin-based programs. Application deadlines for the 2026 Houston program are Jan. 15, April 1, and May 28.

Stephens cited the building's central location, easy access from Katy Freeway West, and attached parking as key advantages for busy professionals.

Texas McCombs is leasing the building from MetroNational, a Houston-based, family-owned real estate firm that develops and manages a 10 million-square-foot portfolio across asset types. Its landmark asset, Memorial City, is a 300-acre mixed-use development that anchors the Memorial District.

"We're honored Texas McCombs has chosen 990 Town & Country as the next chapter for its Houston Working Professional MBA Program. This investment expands educational and professional opportunities across West Houston and further reinforces Memorial as a premier hub for business growth and leadership development," said Brad MacDougall, MetroNational's vice president of office leasing.

Khan said the space will also serve as a meeting place for McCombs' robust alumni network in the Houston Metro area. "We look forward to using this beautiful new space to strengthen our bonds with McCombs' Houston community," he said.

Story by Judie Kinonen