Humanities and sciences

The College of Humanities and Sciences — along with its L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, School of Mass Communications and School of World Studies — carries the central responsibility for instruction and research in the basic components of all education: the humanities, sciences and social sciences. In addition, the college offers preparatory programs for entry into allied health professions, dental, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and veterinary medicine programs, and interdisciplinary programs in emergency medical sciences and administration and liberal studies for early and elementary education.

Programs in the college consist of three major components: general education, the major concentration and electives. All curricula within the college are designed not only to build competence in a specific major area, but also to expose students to a variety of ideas. Students have the opportunity to develop a variety of other competencies, such as research techniques, report writing, observation methods and interpersonal skills, which will apply to a wide range of employment or advanced educational possibilities. For information on transferring prerequisites, review the recommended courses guidelines.

The humanities and sciences program provides students with a foundation of understanding, knowledge and skills leading to careers, continued learning and involvement as active citizens.

Degree programs

The College of Humanities and Sciences offers baccalaureate degrees in 24 areas. In addition, a student may elect a minor area of concentration in any department or program offering a minor program. The minor may be used to fulfill career needs to investigate a discipline of secondary interest in depth. A minimum of 18 credit hours is required for designation on the transcript as a minor, and a minimum GPA of 2.0 must be achieved in the minor. Prerequisites for courses remain in effect as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

Pre-professional programs

The College of Humanities and Sciences, in addition to its mission of providing studies in liberal arts at the undergraduate and graduate levels, offers undergraduate preparatory programs for the following areas:

A degree is not awarded upon completion of a pre-health sciences program. Students must apply to the health sciences program on VCU’s MCV Campus or at another institution to complete the degree program. Students interested in medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine generally major in biology, chemistry, mathematical sciences, physics or psychology and then apply to the professional school. Admission to and satisfactory completion of a pre-health sciences program in the College of Humanities and Sciences does not guarantee admission to the corresponding program on the MCV Campus.

In addition to the formal pre-health sciences programs offered by the College of Humanities and Sciences, students may pursue the prerequisites for other health careers. Through the pre-health sciences advising process, students can identify and enroll in the courses necessary for their particular health sciences goals. Faculty members advise students of application procedures, admissions tests and changes in prerequisites that relate to professional study in the health sciences.

Elementary and secondary education — Extended Teacher Preparation Program

Students interested in careers in elementary and secondary education participate in the Extended Teacher Preparation Program. The student obtains two degrees simultaneously in the extended program: a baccalaureate degree (including courses taken at the two-year institution) and a Master of Teaching degree. To be licensed in the state of Virginia, students planning on teaching must obtain a liberal arts undergraduate degree. For more information, see the VCU GAA-TEPA agreement statement.

VCCS and RBC students should follow the A.A., A.S., or A.A.&S. programs at their respective institutions, choosing courses (where there is a choice or elective) that will lead to the completion of a liberal arts and sciences major fitting with their desired teaching area — elementary or secondary education.

Students planning on a secondary level career will choose a liberal arts and sciences major in the endorsement area in which they wish to teach — English, a particular foreign language, history/social sciences, mathematics or one of the sciences — biology, chemistry, general sciences or physics.

Students planning on an elementary education career will choose the interdisciplinary studies program with the liberal studies concentration for early and elementary education.

With the completion of 60 credits (including courses taken at the two-year institution) students enrolled at VCU apply for admission to Teacher Preparation. Students with the associate degree will have the Teacher Preparation application deferred until the completion of one semester of course work at VCU. A 2.5 GPA and successful completion of Praxis I are required for admission to Teacher Preparation. After the completion of 90 credits, students apply for admission to the Graduate School where a minimum 2.8 GPA is required to enter the Master of Teaching part of the Extended Teacher Preparation Program.

The required undergraduate education courses are taken at VCU beginning in the junior year concurrently with the undergraduate courses in the College of Humanities and Sciences leading to the completion of the student’s undergraduate degree. Necessary graduate-level education courses and any remaining liberal arts courses are taken during the fifth year, along with the required internship in a school.

Students who are initially undecided about a liberal arts and sciences major in the College of Humanities and Sciences should choose the undeclared major with a concentration in the projected teaching area. Academic advisors will assist in identifying an appropriate major in the college.

Undeclared majors

Some students choose not to make an initial commitment to a particular school or major; they prefer instead to explore a variety of areas. Students who wish to investigate available options in the College of Humanities and Sciences may register as undeclared humanities and sciences majors. This flexible advising program enables students to learn more about VCU’s various academic disciplines while accumulating credits that will generally apply to any major curriculum. In addition, the University College has a Discovery Program to help students choose the best major for them.

Additional information

Questions concerning the transferability of courses into the College of Humanities and Sciences should be directed to:

Virginia Commonwealth University
College of Humanities and Sciences
Office of Undergraduate Student Services
Hibbs Hall, Room 211
P.O. Box 842507
Richmond, Virginia 23284-2507
Phone: (804) 827-8211
Fax: (804) 827-4512
E-mail: jaclark@vcu.edu

VCU Transfer Guide Virginia Commonwealth University