Five Schools, One University
A University of Richmond education is so spectacular because it gives students all the benefits of a liberal arts education but draws on the strengths of each of its five schools, including a law school, a school of leadership studies, and a top-ranked business school.
Wondering where you’ll find your fit? You may be surprised to learn that all students call more than one school home.
At the heart of the University’s liberal arts curriculum, the School of Arts & Sciences is where most undergraduate students at Richmond choose to spend a good bit of time. Since you won’t declare a major until your second year at Richmond, all students begin their journey as Arts & Sciences students. With majors, minors, and concentrations that span the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences, approximately 70 percent of all undergraduates choose to declare a major in the School of Arts & Sciences, making the school their four-year home.
Robins School of Business
You’ve probably heard about Richmond’s nationally ranked undergraduate business program. Ranked 12th in the country by BusinessWeek’s “The Best Undergrad B-Schools,” the Robins School of Business requires business students to build competencies in five key areas before they choose a specialization in either accounting, business administration, economics, finance, international business, management, or marketing. While students don’t declare a business major until their sophomore year, most begin taking business courses as soon as they arrive on campus.
Jepson School of Leadership Studies
The first undergraduate school of its kind in the nation, the Jepson School of Leadership Studies uses the liberal arts curriculum to educate students for and about leadership. Students apply for admission to Jepson in the fall of their sophomore year and are chosen based on essays, academic performance, recommendations, and extracurricular activities. Once accepted, they begin a rigorous course of study that touches the history and theory of leadership, ethics, and leader-follower relationships. Graduates earn a bachelor of arts degree with a major or minor in leadership studies.
University of Richmond School of Law
Located in the center of campus and very much a part of University life, the University of Richmond School of Law is home to 500 full-time students. Law students earn a juris doctorate and can exercise the option of working toward one of several dual degree programs in business, health administration, social work, urban studies and planning, or public administration. Undergraduate students who are already considering a career in law can take advantage of two programs at Richmond: pre-law advising and the Honors Law Admission Program, which offers selected first-year students automatic admission to Richmond School of Law following graduation. Assuming that they maintain a 3.5 GPA and are of good moral character, honors law students don’t even have to take the LSAT.
School of Continuing Studies
Dedicated to providing relevant courses to the greater Richmond community, the School of Continuing Studies plays an active role in campus life, even for full-time undergraduate students. The school runs the University’s summer study abroad programs as well as summer school courses and a large variety of “Think Again” classes—classes designed to expose you to new things in both small and large doses. Whether you’re interested in spending the summer in Italy, learning to cook Thai cuisine, or becoming certified in SCUBA diving, you’re likely to find something that strikes your fancy in the School of Continuing Studies. In addition to courses that are open to undergraduates, the school also offers select bachelor and master’s degrees for part-time and non-traditional students of all ages.
