vcu college of humanities & sciences

What vcu college of humanities & sciences does

VCU College of Humanities & Sciences is one of 18 academic units within Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a public research university headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The college is VCU's largest academic unit, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across the humanities, sciences, and social sciences disciplines. It serves a 29,288-student, 137-country body alongside 2,464 full-time faculty and operates within a two-campus Richmond footprint (Monroe Park and MCV Campuses), with additional regional centers in Abingdon, Falls Church, and Colonial Heights, plus the VCUarts Qatar international branch. The college sits within an R1: Very High Research institution that ranks among the top 50 public research universities per the National Science Foundation and top 20% of Best Global Universities per U.S. News & World Report.

Academic technology is built on standard higher-ed infrastructure including Canvas LMS, student information systems, research computing facilities, the VCU Mobile App for dining, athletics, and study room reservations, the VCU Alert emergency notification system, and Microsoft Clarity for web analytics. Research output is substantial: $550M+ in FY2025 sponsored research funding, 171 patents filed by VCU TechTransfer and Ventures in FY2025, 725+ open clinical trials and research studies in 2024-25, and five health sciences schools and departments ranking in the top 15 for NIH funding. Complementary programs include the da Vinci Center for Innovation, the VCU REAL experiential learning mandate, and the Graduate Certificate in Applied AI.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across tuition and fees ($17,963 in-state, $41,127 out-of-state for undergraduates in 2026-27), room and board (~$15,889), sponsored research funding ($550M+ FY2025), healthcare services through VCU Health System (#1 hospital in Virginia), continuing education and online programs via VCU Online, and auxiliary services (bookstore, parking, recreation). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through admissions (Common App, in-person Welcome Center, virtual tours, Weeks of Welcome events), with VCU Online extending reach globally and VCUarts Qatar serving 379 students in Doha. Customer segments are split primarily across prospective and current undergraduate students, graduate and professional students, patients at VCU Medical Center, Virginia residents benefiting from economic impact, and online/adult learners.

Name

vcu college of humanities & sciences

Legal name

Virginia Commonwealth University

Website

https://vcu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1838

Operating status

Operating

Short description

VCU College of Humanities & Sciences is the largest of 18 academic units at Virginia Commonwealth University, a public R1 research university in Richmond, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in humanities, sciences, and social sciences to 29,288 students from 137 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Humanities programs
• Social sciences
• Natural sciences
• Research university

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, with different rates for Virginia residents and non-residents. Undergraduate tuition for Virginia residents is $17,963 and non-residents is $41,127 for 2026-27 academic year.
2. Room and Board: On-campus housing and dining services revenue. Room and board is approximately $15,889 for the 2026-27 year based on double occupancy and meal plan.
3. Sponsored Research Funding: Over $550 million in sponsored research funding in FY2025 from federal agencies including NSF and NIH, as well as private research grants.
4. Healthcare Services: VCU Health System generates revenue through patient care services at VCU Medical Center, the No. 1 ranked hospital in Virginia.
5. Continuing Education and Online Programs: Revenue from online degree programs, certificates, and continuing education offerings for professional development.
6. Auxiliary Services: Revenue from bookstore operations, parking services, recreation facilities, student activities, and campus retail establishments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VCU College of Humanities and Sciences is the largest college at Virginia Commonwealth University, providing undergraduate and graduate instruction, research, and degree programs across the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences disciplines. It operates within a broader university framework delivering 200+ academic programs, certificates, and experiential learning pathways including VCU REAL. The college is part of a public research university with R1 Carnegie classification and a top 50 NSF public research ranking.

Product overview

VCU is a comprehensive public research university with the College of Humanities and Sciences as one of its 18 colleges and schools. The university offers 200+ undergraduate and graduate degree programs across diverse disciplines including arts, business, engineering, health sciences, and social sciences. The institution operates both traditional on-campus programs and VCU Online for distance learning. Key academic units include the College of Humanities and Sciences, School of the Arts (ranked top 10 nationally), College of Engineering, College of Health Professions, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, and School of Public Health. The university also houses specialized programs like the da Vinci Center for Innovation and the VCU REAL experiential learning requirement. VCU Medical Center serves as the teaching hospital and is ranked #1 in Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• College of Humanities and Sciences: The College of Humanities and Sciences is one of VCU's major academic units offering programs in humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
• VCU Health

Products and services

• College of Humanities and Sciences Largest college at VCU, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences disciplines for traditional and online students.
• College of Engineering Engineering college offering undergraduate and graduate programs across biomedical, chemical, electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering disciplines.
• College of Health Professions Health professions college offering degrees in clinical laboratory sciences, health administration, patient counseling, and other allied health fields.
• School of the Arts Top-ranked arts school offering programs in fine arts, design, music, theater, and performing arts for undergraduate and graduate students.
• School of Business Business school offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting, business, finance, marketing, and management.
• School of Dentistry Dental school offering Doctor of Dental Surgery and advanced dental education programs, ranked #7 nationally for NIH funding.
• School of Education Education school offering degrees in teaching, counseling, educational leadership, and special education.
• School of Medicine Medical school offering MD degrees and graduate programs in medical sciences with associated NIH-funded departments.
• School of Nursing Nursing school offering Bachelor of Science in Nursing, RN to BSN, and advanced practice nursing degrees; undergraduate program ranked in top 40 nationally.
• School of Pharmacy Pharmacy school offering Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and graduate programs in pharmaceutical sciences with an Inova Campus location in Falls Church.
• School of Public Health Public health school offering degrees in biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy, and community health.
• School of Social Work Social work school offering Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees; home to the first school of social work in the American South.
• VCU Online Online learning platform offering fully online and hybrid undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs accessible globally.
• VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation Innovation hub fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration to develop innovators and creators, with a focus on diversity in entrepreneurial ecosystems.
• VCU REAL Experiential Learning Required experiential learning program mandating all students complete at least one REAL (Real-world Experience for Active Learning) activity before graduation.
• Graduate Certificate in Applied AI Non-programming, practice-focused graduate certificate teaching strategic AI application, ethical decision-making, and evaluation of AI tools covering neural networks, large language models, and algorithmic bias.
• L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Government and public affairs school offering degrees in public administration, policy, and government.
• Richard T. Robertson School of Communication Communication school offering degrees in mass communications, advertising, and public relations.
• School of World Studies School offering programs in international studies, world languages, and global studies.
• School of Life Sciences and Sustainability School offering programs in biology, environmental studies, and sustainability sciences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 29,288 students enrolled with 84% full-time
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Public Land-grant UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023VCU received the Innovation & Economic Prosperity Talent award from APLU in 2023, recognizing the university's contributions to regional economic development and workforce talent.
• Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021VCU earned a Gold Rating from AASHE for sustainability practices, demonstrating commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable campus operations.
• Common AppcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCU participates in Common Application for undergraduate admissions, allowing prospective students to apply through the centralized platform.
• National Institutes of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive VCU health sciences schools and departments rank in top 15 for NIH funding: School of Dentistry (No. 7), Department of Family Medicine (No. 8), Department of Human and Molecular Genetics (No. 12), Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (No. 14), Department of Psychiatry (No. 14).
• National Science FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCU ranks among top 50 public research universities per NSF classification, supporting research initiatives and graduate education.
• Carnegie FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCU holds R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production classification plus Community Engagement status, one of only six R1 universities in Virginia.
• Local Farms and DistributorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCU Dining partners with local farms and distributors to provide fresh, quality foods including local kale, sweet potatoes, Asian pears and tofu.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Alabama at Birmingham: Urban public R1 university with an academic medical center and broad humanities, sciences, and professional programs — closely mirrors VCU's urban R1 + health system structure.
• Virginia Tech: Virginia's flagship public R1 research university; comparable Carnegie R1 status, state funding structure, and large research enterprise make it the most direct in-state peer for VCU.
• Wayne State University: Detroit-based public R1 university of similar size (~24,000 students) with a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as its largest unit and an academic medical center — directly comparable to VCU on urban R1 with strong humanities and health sciences.
• George Mason University: Virginia public R1 research university with comparable enrollment scale and a College of Humanities and Social Sciences as a major unit — competes directly with VCU for Virginia students and federal research funding.
• Temple University: Urban public R1 research university with a College of Liberal Arts and a Health Sciences Center including a medical school — closely matches VCU's urban, comprehensive R1 profile.
• University of Louisville: Urban public R1 university with a College of Arts and Sciences and an academic medical center — comparable scale and Carnegie R1 + urban health system positioning.
• University of Maryland Baltimore County: Mid-Atlantic public R1 research university of comparable scale with strong emphasis on sciences, humanities, and graduate research — comparable Carnegie classification and regional public research mission.
• University of Cincinnati: Urban public R1 research university of comparable size (~46,000 students) with an academic health system and comprehensive colleges including arts and sciences — the closest structural peer to VCU's comprehensive urban R1 model.
• Indiana University Indianapolis: Urban public R1 university with a large College of Liberal Arts and an academic health sciences center — comparable scale, urban R1 mission, and humanities/health sciences balance.

Regional players

• Old Dominion University: Virginia public research university that competes with VCU for in-state students and research funding, though it lacks VCU's medical center and R1 designation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/VCU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/virginiacommonwealthuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/VCUCHS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/virginia-commonwealth-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/vcu

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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