Richmond, Virginia, United States
The VCU School of Social Work was founded by a small group of Richmond citizens interested in improving the social conditions of Virginia’s urban and rural poor. Their efforts led to a training school for social workers, the first of its kind in the South.
Bachelor's programmes
Arts, Design & Architecture (33)
- B.A. Cinema
- B.A. Communication Arts
- B.F.A. Fine Arts (Art Education)
- B.A. Graphic Design
- B.F.A. Interior Design
- B.F.A. Kinetic Imaging
- B.A. Music
- B.F.A. Sculpture
- B.A. Theatre
Social Sciences (29)
- B.Sc. Anthropology
- B.Sc. Psychology
- B.Sc. Sociology
Natural Sciences & Mathematics (26)
- B.Sc. Biology
- B.Sc. Biomedical Engineering
- B.Sc. Physics
Humanities (15)
- B.A. English
- B.A. History
- B.A. Philosophy
- B.A. Religious Studies
Business & Management (14)
- B.Sc. Accounting
Applied Sciences & Professions (9)
- B.Sc. Real Estate
- B.S.W. Social Work
Engineering & Technology (9)
- B.Sc. Biomedical Engineering
- B.Sc. Computer Engineering
- B.Sc. Electrical Engineering
- B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
Medicine & Health (9)
- B.Sc. Dental Hygiene
- B.Sc. Nursing
Education & Training (5)
- B.F.A. Fine Arts (Art Education)
Computer Science & IT (4)
Journalism & Media (4)
Hospitality, Leisure & Sports (2)
Law (2)
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (1)
- B.Sc. Environmental Studies
About
History
Way back — we’re talking more than 175 years ago — in 1838, VCU was known by another name. We were the Medical College of Hampden-Sydney, later becoming the Medical College of Virginia. It wasn’t until 1968, when we merged with Richmond Professional Institute, that we were given the name Virginia Commonwealth University. But one thing is for sure: We have never stopped making history.
Education
Academics should mean more than sitting in a classroom. At VCU, you’ll find yourself doing exciting research, working with people in other disciplines, making a difference in the community and stepping off campus grounds to gain real experience. Explore our 200-plus programs to find the one that’s right for you.
Research
Interdisciplinary research strengths include neuroscience; cancer; substance abuse and addiction; the human microbiome; and nanoscience, nanomedicine and nanotechnology
Awarded $25 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to lower cost of lifesaving drugs. The College of Engineering leads this multidepartment and multi-university research collaborative.Career
VCU Career Services is a community committed to respect by upholding values that promote collaboration, diversity, inclusion, integrity and learning. Our mission is to provide career education and build partnerships to support student success as they become engaged citizens in a diverse community.
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2019
GSSA 2019
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2019. By rating institutions on a scale from 1 to 5, on multiple studies-related questions, we found the top educators in the world.
Learn more about the Global Student Satisfaction AwardsUniversity Ranking
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2020
201
2019
201
2018
201
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2021
402
2020
402 -29
2019
373
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
2021
651 -50
2020
601
2019
601
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
Services
Student services
The Dean of Students office aims to help students chart a path toward success.
Housing services
Residential Life & Housing at VCU provides safe, inclusive, and well-maintained facilities where we build intentional communities to empower residents in their academic excellence, citizenship and personal growth.
Library services
For many years, the Friends of VCU Libraries has held an annual book sale to raise funds to support library programs. The annual fall sale was not held in 2014 and 2015 during construction of the new library. During the hiatus, the development office and the book sale committee evaluated the sale and decided that it, like the building itself, was due for a makeover.
ICT services
To best support the mission of the University, VCU Technology Services strives to ensure that:
- Technology resources at VCU will be available from anywhere at any time.
- Technology solutions at VCU will be creative, innovative, and add value to University activities.
- Technology support at VCU will maximize the use and worth of technology tools for our constituents.
Medical services
Clinics on both campuses provide high-quality outpatient medical, allergy and gynecological clinics; pharmacy, laboratory and vaccination services; after-hours phone consultations; and affordable group health insurance.
Student Life
Campus life
You can’t tell where one ends and the other begins, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our two main campuses are located a mile away from each other, both in downtown Richmond.
The Monroe Park Campus is home to most of our undergraduate students and their classes. Our five health sciences schools and top-rated medical center are located on the MCV Campus. Both boast a mashup of old and new architecture, and a round-the-clock energy that never quits.
Sports facilities
Rec Sports offers a variety of group exercise classes for all fitness levels which are FREE for all Rec Sports members! All instructors are certified and will motivate you to reach your fitness goals. Classes are held at both the Cary Street Gym and MCV Campus Recreation Center.
Accreditation
VCU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Student Reviews
Art student vcu
Anonymous rated 2 out of 5 stars
The program focuses on no real point of training or study in communication arts. Any student who attends will be ill-prepared for a career and loose vast amounts of money each year.
Culture Shock
Anonymous rated 3 out of 5 stars
I have lived in Europe since I was five and moving back to the US to study was a culture shock. I am transferring to a college in the EU to be closer to my family.
Anonymous rated 5 out of 5 stars
Being a student at university is much different than in high school. There are a lot more responsibilities but at the same time much more freedom and time to do fun things. Also, studying in universities are more interesting, because we are studying the things we like for the most part. University is fun, and everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy it before jumping...
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