The VCU difference
Undergraduate studies
Experience is everything
We challenge traditional learning models, and we don't let the walls of the classroom close students off from learning in the world beyond, just steps away in the city that surrounds us.
What you learn in class is very important, but we also value the knowledge and experience gained when you complete an internship, study abroad, participate in a service-learning project, launch a startup or conduct independent research. And employers do, too. That’s why at VCU, experiential learning is built into the curriculum no matter what you study.
Make the most of your education
When you go to college, someone you know is going to give you a version of this advice: Take advantage of all the opportunities you can get your hands on. And guess what? They’re 100 percent right. Here are some ways you can get the most out of your academic experience at VCU.
VCU Transform
In this two-year living-learning program, students build skills to become leaders and global citizens through a specialized curriculum and outside-the-classroom experiences like community service – all while living together in a supportive community. Added bonus: They earn a certificate to go on their resumes. Learn more about VCU Transform.
Study abroad
Brazil. South Korea. Estonia. For students who want to see the world, VCU offers study, research, internship and service abroad programs in a variety of disciplines in more than 50 countries. The best part? Many program fees cost the same as VCU’s in-state tuition, room and board. Learn more about study abroad.
Honors College
The Honors College offers high-achieving students special opportunities to realize their potential as part of a vibrant community of dedicated scholars. Its innovative curriculum — integrated with experiential learning, including research, service and study abroad — provides the feel of a small, liberal arts college. Honors welcomes students of all majors, and those who are interested in attending VCU’s professional health science programs can apply for the Guaranteed Admission Programs.
Internships
Internships can lead to jobs after school, and they can help you decide if the career path you’ve chosen is a good fit. You’ll meet people who may have an impact on the rest of your life. They give you a chance to get your work out into the world and to make a difference. And they’re increasingly becoming an essential part of the college experience. Learn how VCU can help you land an internship. And we offer funding for unpaid or underpaid internships.
VCU REAL
Hands-on learning is essential to a VCU education. So much so that students must complete at least one VCU REAL activity before they graduate, whether it’s study abroad, a research project, an internship, volunteering… the list goes on. There are plenty of options and your adviser can help you figure out the best choice for you. Check out what these students had to say about their REAL experiences.
Support when (and how) you need it
VCU is serious about student success. We offer resources to help you graduate on time, even during unprecedented times. Many of the services below offer both in-person and online appointments.
Campus Learning Center
Offers one-on-one tutoring, academic coaches, supplemental instruction sessions, study groups and drop-in tutoring
Writing Center
Offers in-person or online writing consultations to help you with your papers and projects
Academic Advising
All students are assigned an advisor who not only helps ease the transition from high school to college, but also helps create a plan focused on successful career outcomes after graduation
Transfer Center
Offers resources and support specifically for transfer students
Military Student Services
Offers resources and support specifically for servicemembers and their families
TRiO
Offers enhanced academic advising, tutoring, financial counseling education and more to students who are first-generation, low-income or have a documented disability
You First at VCU
Helps first-generation students connect with other first-gens as well as the academic and social resources they need to achieve their college goals
Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity
Offers advocacy, adapted materials and alternative testing to students with disabilities
Major Maps
Combines academic planning and career planning to allow students to create individualized success plans based on their major
Facts/Stats
16:1 student-faculty ratio
27% increase in scholarship funding from 2019 to 2022
Looking for online options?
Faculty who inspire
VCU’s nationally recognized faculty have a huge variety of expertise and a passion for collaborating across disciplines. They strive to prepare students for successful careers and to inspire lifelong learning.
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M. Samy El-Shall
Mary Eugenia Kapp Chair in Chemistry and department chair
El-Shall is known across the globe as a leader in the fields of physical chemistry and nanoscience. He has published more than 250 research papers and holds seven U.S. patents. In 1999, he received the Outstanding Faculty Award of Virginia, the commonwealth’s highest faculty honor, and in 2009 the Distinguished Research Award from the Virginia section of the American Chemical Society. El-Shall was a Jefferson Science Fellow at the State Department in 2012-13, working on the impact of complex scientific issues on foreign policy. He is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and American Physical Society.
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Marcus Messner
Associate professor of journalism
Messner is a social media expert whose research focuses on the influence and adoption of social media in journalism, public relations and health communication. He was elected to the national teaching committee of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Messner teaches undergraduate digital journalism courses, and his “iPadJournos” mobile and social media reporting project with WTVR-CBS 6 has spearheaded the use of mobile devices as reporting tools in the Robertson School of Media and Culture.
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Sarah Golding
Assistant professor of biology
A molecular biologist by training, Golding’s former research focused on the activation of pro-survival signaling by low clinically relevant doses of radiation therapy. Currently, in addition to teaching biology courses, she is the director of undergraduate research in the Department of Biology, as well as associate research-training director in the School of Medicine’s Center on Health Disparities. She helped develop summer "boot camps," where students undergo a weeklong immersion in best practices for molecular laboratories.
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Jay Albanese
Professor of criminal justice and program chair
Albanese is an award-winning scholar who has also been recognized at the school, college and university levels for his teaching. He taught the first online course in criminal justice at VCU in 1999; today he works to incorporate an assortment of media and technology into his classes at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Paramount in his approach is enabling students to connect the subject matter to their daily lives. Through critical-thinking exercises and real-world scenarios, he helps students see the broader picture.
Get comfortable, and get to work
Great spaces lead to great scholarship. Sure, you can study in your dorm room and try to ignore your roommate’s ever-growing pile of dirty laundry, but VCU has plenty of cutting-edge yet comfortable facilities with the resources you need to do your best work.
If someone told me at the beginning of my undergraduate studies that I would do as much research as I have done, I wouldn’t have believed them.
Maria Vera
Biology/pre-med
Class of 2017
