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.
- #201 Ranking
- 92 Bachelors
- 2,441 Academic Staff
- 28,919 Students
- 1,033 Students (int'l)
- Public Institution Type
Bachelor's programmes
Arts, Design & Architecture (33)
- B.A. Art History
- B.A. Cinema
- B.F.A. Communication Arts
- B.F.A. Costume Design
- B.F.A. Craft and Material Studies
- B.F.A. Fashion Design
- B.F.A. Fashion Merchandising
- B.A. Filmmaking
- B.A. Graphic Design
- B.F.A. Interior Design
- B.F.A. Kinetic Imaging
- B.F.A. Lighting Design
- B.A. Music
- B.F.A. Photography
- B.Sc. Real Estate
- B.F.A. Scene Design
- B.F.A. Sculpture
- B.A. Theatre
- B.F.A. Theatre Performance
Humanities (17)
- B.A. Art History
- B.A. English
- B.A. Foreign Language
- B.A. French
- B.A. German
- B.A. History
- B.A. Music
- B.A. Philosophy
- B.A. Religious Studies
- B.A. Spanish
- B.A. Theatre
- B.F.A. Theatre Performance
Business & Management (16)
- B.Sc. Accounting
- B.Sc. Advertising
- B.Sc. Economics
- B.F.A. Fashion Merchandising
- B.Sc. Finance
- B.Sc. Financial Technology
- B.Sc. Information Systems
- B.Sc. Marketing
- B.Sc. Real Estate
Social Sciences (15)
- B.Sc. Anthropology
- B.Sc. Economics
- B.Sc. Finance
- B.A. French
- B.A. German
- B.A. Political Science
- B.Sc. Psychology
- B.S.W. Social Work
- B.Sc. Sociology
- B.A. Spanish
Natural Sciences & Mathematics (13)
- B.Sc. Bioinformatics
- B.Sc. Biology
- B.Sc. Biomedical Engineering
- B.Sc. Chemistry
- B.Sc. Forensic Science
- B.Sc. Mathematical Sciences
- B.Sc. Physics
- B.Sc. Psychology
Applied Sciences & Professions (8)
- B.F.A. Craft and Material Studies
- B.F.A. Fashion Design
- B.F.A. Fashion Merchandising
- B.Sc. Forensic Science
- B.Sc. Real Estate
- B.S.W. Social Work
- B.Sc. Sociology
Medicine & Health (8)
- B.Sc. Dental Hygiene
- B.Sc. Health Services
- B.Sc. Nursing
- B.Sc. Psychology
Education & Training (7)
- B.F.A. Art Education
- B.S. Ed. Elementary Education and Teaching
Engineering & Technology (6)
- B.Sc. Biomedical Engineering
- B.Sc. Computer Engineering
- B.Sc. Electrical Engineering
- B.Sc. Financial Technology
- B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science & IT (5)
- B.Sc. Bioinformatics
- B.Sc. Computer Engineering
- B.Sc. Computer Science
- B.A. Graphic Design
- B.Sc. Information Systems
Journalism & Media (3)
- B.Sc. Advertising
- B.Sc. Journalism
- B.Sc. Public Relations
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (2)
- B.Sc. Environmental Studies
Hospitality, Leisure & Sports (1)
Law (1)
- B.Sc. Criminal Justice
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 2021
GSSA 2021
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2021. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 8 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
University Ranking
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2022
201
2021
201
2020
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
2023
439 -22
2022
417 -15
2021
402
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
2023
701
2022
701 -50
2021
651
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.
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2023
501
2022
-
2021
-
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE 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
Virginias' most hip University
Anonymous rated 5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed my Universities Diversity and its connection with the city. The professors are all knowledgeable and the advising staff in on point. The school could do better with more communal activities or advertising more clubs or groups to be associated with. Being in the middle of a city can be overwhelming and having a community that's closer together would help.
VCU
Anonymous rated 5 out of 5 stars
Amazing community, professors, and curriculum
VCU Social Work
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
I’ve learned a lot in my program to prepare for the field and was even offered a job
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