Virginia Commonwealth University Reviews

"The Mass Communications program at VCU is unlike any other in the country. The fast-track, multi-disciplined cohort grants real-world exposure into the ever changing field of Public Relations."

"I love the flexability of the program! it's great to be able to build a program based on my ideas."

"The quality of education was on the level, though I feel VCU's partnership with Christ University in India led to abnormally large classes and a decrease in the average quality of student (there were issues of honor code violations). VCU is very much a school where you'll get out of it what you put into it. You won't be able to skate by on the school's name alone, but you'll come out of it relatively well educated, particularly for the cost."

"The Psychology program is great; however, the funded is not competitive at all. GTA's are underpay for the amount of work that is required. Also, the program will only give $300 to travel to research conference no matter location, which means the majority of the cost are at the students expense. It sad because the stipend for other graduate programs are double that of psychology and the other programs will fully support travel to research conferences."

"Great program with wonderful faculty and fellow students!"

"The CLS program at VCU is amazing. Not only do they do their best to prepare you in the field, they treat everyone with respect. My only issues with VCU is the rising cost of tuition, the high cost of living in the area, and the unsafe areas surrounding campus."

"Attending the graduate program in Information Systems at VCU. Finished 1 semester as a full-time student. It was a challenging and a good learning experience. Faculty is very accessible. Management is very responsive.Coursework has definitely helped me bring value to my work in my field."

"This program is fantastic and pushes students to succeed in their goals."

"I wish there were more classes for the masters in math offered on evenings, weekends and in the summer as it is very hard to get a masters in math while maintaining a full time job"

"I worked harder than I ever had in my life, and it completely paid off. There were those who kind of skated through, and I feel sorry for their future clients. Thankfully, I got out of it what I put into it. Many of the professors (including adjunct) are very accessible and willing to mentor students in their areas of interest. It's a great program that offers a strong generalist foundation, so that when I got thrown into professional areas of practice outside my specialty, I had a solid base of skills and knowledge to fall back on and carry me through."

"The VCU community is wonerful. I love the atmosphere of the city and the diversity of the student population. Our community is so supportive and has great school spirit."

"I really enjoy the classes and professors at VCU, I am learning a lot of important and relevant information for my future work as a social worker. Professors are very helpful and willing to work with the needs of students. VCU provides transportation between MP and MCV campuses which is very helpful. However, working with administration is a nightmare, I received the wrong admissions letter and instead of fixing it, they made me take the 2 year track instead of the 1 year which I was originally accepted into but given the 2 year acceptance letter. Because of the location of the campus I do not feel safe and VCU alert texts about a robbery, stabbing, or shooting happen on a regular basis. Graduate housing is old and has mold issues. Staff says they are being proactive but in reality if you submit a work order saying you have mold growth in your room they only come wipe it off. Overall, I know that thanks to my classes and professors I will be extremely prepared once I enter the field of social work next year."

"There are issues with safety being an urban research university, but the administration has done it's best to ensure the safety of the students. My department is paired with Massey Cancer Center and is conducting cutting-edge cancer research which can translate clinically to treatments for cancer in the future. Students in the program are all competitive and we push each other to do our best. The work is heavy but that is to be expected from a top research university, I wouldn't have been accepted if they didn't think I could handle it."

"The Strategic Public Relations Program at Virginia Commonwealth University is definitely worth it. The professors and schedule caters to professionals who may have a full-time position which makes it much easier to succeed in such a demanding environment. As a graduate student, you also have to option to travel to China for a small study abroad trip. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interesting in furthering their education in PR!"

"Excellent graduate program in psychology at VCU. Outstanding faculty & support."

"Pros are the student diversity, and quality of training. I feel well prepared in my field. Faculty are research-focused (which is also a "pro"), which occasionally leads to less time for effective mentoring."

"The program offers what I consider to be before-it-hits-the-industry knowledge and strategy. The professors are active and relevant in their fields, and it's because of their constant connection to industry that makes them able to give our class the insight and current advice to succeed in our chosen careers in the business world."

"VCU has very good research in the field of Life Sciences, and have excellent courses to stimulate learning and understanding various concepts."

"I am in a fast track program, which is convenient for my lifestyle as a full-time, government employee and mother. The financial and class time constraints are very clear, which helped me decide to apply. So far, my experience in the program has been pleasurable and it far exceeds my expectations. VCU's School of Mass Communications is very immersed in the professional community. Thus, I have encounter a number of professionals whom I can call on for resources and guidance. If I had to pick a con, it would be a lack of job placement resources, particularly for the public relations field. Many of my classmates are searching for employment, lack real work experience, and are young. But, they feel being a master's student should open up more doors and aren't being afforded such opportunities. The value of obtaining a master's degree isn't quite clear to them as it is not yielding a favorable result, yet."

"VCU is a wonderful university with such a diverse student population that is so rewarding to the learning experiences. The school of education department is wonderful! They are always available if needed and so nice! The teachers are excellent and the surrounding area provides many opportunities for learning experiences outside the classroom. The campus is a little unsafe since it is part of downtown Richmond, however the school and police have increased security and are doing their best to make all students feel safe!"