Virginia Commonwealth University is the largest university in Virginia and ranks among the top universities in the country in sponsored research. Located on two downtown campuses in Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 32,000 students in 208 certificate and degree programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Sixty-five of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU’s 15 schools and one college. MCV Hospitals and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University compose the VCU Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers.
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a large, public American research university with two main campuses located in downtown Richmond, Virginia. VCU is the largest university in Virginia with over 32,000 students enrolled.
VCU was founded through a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968.
It is classified as one of four Virginia research universities with high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
Though officially created with the merger of the Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) and Medical College of Virginia (MCV) in 1968, VCU's history stretches back to 1838, when MCV first opened its doors as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney College. VCU recognizes the earlier date on its official seal and on promotional materials. RPI traces its roots back to 1917, when it began as the Richmond School of Social Work
