Relative to a hereditary torsion theory $tau$ we introduce a dimension for a module $M$, called {em $tau$-rank of} $M$, which coincides with the reduced rank of $M$ whenever $tau$ is the Goldie torsion theory. It is shown that the $tau$-rank of $M$ is measured by the length of certain decompositions of the $tau$-injective hull of $M$. Moreover, some relations between the $tau$-rank of $M$ and complements to $tau$-torsionfree submodules of $M$ are obtained.
