Academic Initiatives

Academic Initiatives

Investing our resources strategically allows the University of Richmond to converge our efforts to advance our educational mission. By strengthening signature programs and linking high-impact educational practices, we create pathways to specific, powerful outcomes for our students.

Student working on a project in the printmaking studio.

Creativity-Innovation-Entrepreneurship (CIE)

CIE fosters creativity, entrepreneurial ingenuity, willingness to take risks, resilience, and competence in addressing challenges from multiple perspectives. By combining the expertise of our five distinguished schools, the University of Richmond has a unique opportunity to engage students and faculty in innovative and stimulating collaboration around real-world problems. CIE assists students and faculty through all stages of development – from back-of-the-napkin concepts to complete execution – with support in programming, mentorship, and funding.

A student works intently at a laptop, alone in a classroom with a bright window backlighting her.

Data Analytics & Data Science

We are training our students for future careers in the marketplace. Data science and quantitative computational analysis are emerging as critically important disciplines. Many of our students will work in fields impacted by and reliant upon fluency in these disciplines.

Three students, who appear to be studying, in Ryland Hall. There is a large Gothic window behind one student sitting in a chair with a laptop.

Inclusive Pedagogy

We benefit from the diversity of our student body, with increasing enrollment from underrepresented minority groups, international students, first-generation students, Pell grant recipients, and students identifying with a range of religious, gender, political, and sexual orientations. However, educational access does not always translate into meaningful inclusion or the dividends it affords. Our Inclusive Pedagogy program supports the development and incorporation of course content and pedagogical practices that enhance inclusion in the classroom.

Aerial image of campus.

General Education

Our recently approved new General Education curriculum provides a clear identity that is purposeful and coherent. Six areas of inquiry – literary, scientific, social, historical, symbolic reasoning, and visual and performing arts – are complemented by integrated focus areas: quantitative data literacy; equity, power, inclusion & culture; and written and oral/embodied communication. Students explore these areas through a foundation of liberal arts experiences, which includes a First Year Seminar, WELL 100, and a second language proficiency.

Students at Boatwright Beach

Enhance Student Learning

We are committed to ensuring all our students can make the most of their Richmond experience and accomplish what they set out to achieve. We provide academic resources at every stage of the educational journey, complementing and integrating skill-building with our curriculum to enhance and support holistic student development.

A female student speaking with a professor in her office

Academic Program Review

As part of our continuous pursuit of excellence, we established a systematic and rigorous external review of academic units. External reviews complement departmental self-assessments by inviting individuals from peer institutions to share their perspectives and to provide advice on resource allocation and future direction. At least every ten years, each academic unit will undergo an external review.