Mission

The College of Humanities and Sciences, the largest academic unit at VCU, is the intellectual heart of our institution. It is the place where excellence and access meet to offer students foundational knowledge and skills for the twenty-first century. With that mission, the College of Humanities and Sciences strives to:

• Propel excellent scientific research and scholarship across all disciplines to create new knowledge, explore the human condition, cure and treat diseases, and promote healthy environments
• Prepare lifelong learners ready to participate actively as engaged and responsible citizens
• Empower students to examine our present human condition and to creatively explore solutions for thriving local and global communities
• Create graduates equipped with the skills, insights, and knowledge necessary to succeed in the workforce

Vision

As the intellectual lifeblood of VCU and our community, the College of Humanities and Sciences inspires students to pursue their passions, questions, and dreams, while also providing career preparedness for life beyond higher education. We provide students with the context to understand their place in the world and their connections with others. Our educational and research environment explores myriad scientific, historical, and societal challenges, grapples with the impacts of new technologies, and offers insights and reflections on what it means to be human. A space of interdisciplinary learning and research, the College of Humanities and Sciences seeks to equip students with the skills for critical thought, meaningful reflection, engaged citizenship, and professional success.

Values

The College of Humanities and Sciences commits to providing:

1. An education in the liberal arts and sciences that offers pathways for students to become productive leaders, engaged citizens, and contributing members of society
2. A dynamic learning and working environment in which individuals of all cultural and intellectual perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences are welcomed, valued, and supported by faculty, staff, and peers
3. An environment of academic and scholarly excellence in every form
4. An intellectual community that fosters bold expression, interdisciplinary thought, and the pursuit of uncommon knowledge and discovery