Tools for using the Transfer Guide

Art student drawing

The VCU Transfer Guide is designed to assist transfer students with enrolling in recommended courses and completing prerequisites, as well as determining course equivalences and transfer credit. This resource, however, is not a detailed analysis and may exclude some specific major requirements. Students planning to transfer to VCU should refer to the current Undergraduate Bulletin for the specific degree requirements of their intended major. Students also are encouraged to consult with their college counselor, and to e-mail or call the VCU contact person for their intended area of study.

A maximum of 63 credits may be accepted, including not more than 50 percent in the major field of study. If the number of credits completed at the community college exceeds 63, VCU will accept those courses that fulfill general education and major requirements first.

Courses that do not appear in the Transfer Guide are not transferable to any school or major at VCU. General education requirements differ according to school; therefore, the type of transfer credit awarded may depend on the school or major program to which the student applies. If a course is equivalent to an upper-level VCU course (300- or 400-level courses), it applies toward the 45 upper-level credits required for graduation at VCU.

VCU course abbreviations

The following is a list of VCU course abbreviations used in this guide.

ACCT Accounting GEOG Geography
AFAM African American studies GDES Graphic design
ANTH Anthropology GRMN German
APPM Applied Music HIST History
ARBC Arabic INFO Information systems
ARTH Art history ITAL Italian
BIOL Biology LATN Latin
BIOZ Biology lab MASC Mass communications
CHEM Chemistry MATH Math
CHEZ Chemistry lab MGMT Management
CHIN Chinese PAPR Painting and printmaking
CMSC Computer science PHIL Philosophy
CRAF Craft and material studies PHYS Physics
CRJS Criminal justice PHYZ Physics lab
DANC Dance POLI Political science
ECON Economics PSYC Psychology
EGRE Electrical/computer engineering RELS Religious studies
EGRM Mechanical engineering RUSS Russian
ENGL English SOCS Social science
ENGR Engineering SOCY Sociology
ENVS Environmental studies SPAN Spanish
ENVZ Environmental studies lab SPCH Speech
FASH Fashion STAT Statistics
FREN French UNIV University College
FRLG Foreign language    

Type of credit awarded

GE – General education
A course that fulfills a general education requirement or a general requirement of a particular school or major.

FE – Free elective
A course accepted as a free elective and as part of the total credits required for graduation.

MR – Major requirement
A course used as part of a specific requirement in a particular major or school.

NT – Not transferable
A course that does not transfer in a particular school or major.

Undergraduate divisions

VCU is comprised of the following undergraduate units:

  • AH – Allied Health Professions
  • AR – School of the Arts
  • BU – School of Business
  • DN – School of Dentistry
  • ED – School of Education
  • EG – School of Engineering
  • HS – College of Humanities and Sciences
  • LF – VCU Life Sciences
  • NR – School of Nursing
  • SW – School of Social Work
  • UN – University College

Undergraduate majors

The guide makes reference to the following VCU majors:

    • AFO – Art foundation
    • ANT – Anthropology
    • BIO – Biology
    • BNF – Bioinformatics
    • CHE – Chemistry
    • CRAF – Craft and material studies
    • CRE – Chemical and life science engineering
    • CRJ – Criminal justice
    • CSC – Computer science
    • ECO – Economics
    • ENG – English
    • ENS – Environmental studies
    • FDE – Fashion
    • GDS – Graphic design
    • HIS – History
    • MAC – Mass communications
    • MAS – Math
    • MUF – Music foundation
    • PAP – Painting and printmaking
    • PHI – Philosophy
    • PHY – Physics
    • POS – Political science
    • PSY – Psychology
    • RST – Religious studies
    • SOC – Sociology
    • STA – Statistics
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VCU Transfer Guide Virginia Commonwealth University