Majors, Minors, & Concentrations

The study of accounting (preparing and analyzing financial transactions) provides the skills students will need to enter the profession of accountancy. The accounting program at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business stresses the theory behind accounting and students are taught to understand accounting and its many complexities.

Africana Studies critically examines the African diaspora from multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. At the University of Richmond, students will study the breadth and depth of the global experience through a variety of methods and mediums including: anthropology, art and art history, communication, English, geography, history, journalism, language, media, political science, sociology, theatre and dance, and the sciences.

American Studies focuses on the complexity of the social, cultural, and political lives in – and in relation to – the United States. University of Richmond's approach to American studies combines coursework from a variety of departments into a single major as we encourage students to craft a distinctive program of study that meets their intellectual interests.

Anthropologists study what it means to be human from past to the present day. They are curious about how humans adapt to physical and social environments and how they use symbols, or language, to interact. At the University of Richmond, students primarily study cultural anthropology, which is the study of living cultures.

Arabic is the language spoken by over 300 million people but is also the canonical language of Islam. The program in Arabic Studies at the University of Richmond not only provides you with opportunities to acquire advanced Arabic language skills, it also introduces you to Arab culture and history through courses on literature, film, and history of ideas.

Archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains. The University of Richmond's minor in archaeology within the classical studies department draws upon courses in anthropology, art history, biology, classical studies, and geography that focus on archaeological evidence, material culture, methods of archaeological inquiry and analysis, and/or the study of human behavior.

Studying art history allows students to explore the historical, social, political, philosophical, and formal contexts in which art is made and to consider the various theoretical perspectives used to interpret it. At the University of Richmond, students work in an environment where they can develop their intellectual and creative abilities to the fullest potential, which includes courses on both Western and non-Western art, as well as museum studies courses.

The interdisciplinary minor in arts management and creative industries (AMCI) at the University of Richmond is a collaborative, cross-school program that brings together coursework from the School of Arts & Sciences, the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, and the Robins School of Business. Designed to complement existing programs in the arts, the minor explores the intersections of creativity, management, leadership, business, and cultural engagement across the creative industries.

Biochemistry and the closely related discipline of molecular biology involve the study of life processes at the molecular level and provide a chemical and physical basis to understanding all aspects of biology, from viruses to humans. Our approach at the University of Richmond offers students the opportunity to study life processes at the molecular level and gain an understanding of biological organisms from a chemical and physical basis.

Biology is the science of life. It is a broad and rapidly changing field with many unanswered questions. The University of Richmond's approach to the biology major offers students the opportunity to study the living world, from biomolecules to ecosystems.

Business Administration allows students to develop a comprehensive worldview that equips them to view problems holistically and create solutions that tackle every piece of an issue — economic, environmental, political, social, and technological. At the University of Richmond Robins School of Business, our students become world-ready graduates who are exhilarated by the global marketplace and ready to make an impact.

Business administration majors must choose a concentration

Organizations are gathering and analyzing more data than ever before. This trend is continuing to accelerate, and business managers are actively seeking business school graduates with data management and data analysis skills. The business analytics minor at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business provides students with the tools and technologies to analyze data for business applications.

Chemistry is the study of matter and the transformations that occur in material things. The University of Richmond's chemistry major provides a strong foundation of the discipline’s principal components — analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemistry.

As China has recently become the largest economy in the world, becoming proficient in Mandarin Chinese will open the way to different fields in Asia, enable you to communicate with chinese speakers around the world, and to gain a multi-faceted view of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. At the University of Richmond, the program in Chinese studies aims to build language competency in spoken and written Chinese and to provide interdisciplinary exposure to Chinese history, politics, literature, and art.

The field of classics is inherently multidisciplinary. In addition to language and literature, students study a range of subjects from history, politics, and religion to science, medicine and art. In our approach at the University of Richmond, students learn archaeology, art, history, linguistics, literature, mythology, philosophy, political theory, religion, and science of the Greeks and Romans.

Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary study of the human mind. The University of Richmond's major in cognitive ccience is designed to prepare students to ask and answer questions about the nature of the mind from a variety of approaches.

Comparative literature in the broadest sense may be defined as the text-based investigation of themes, issues, and works of art, free from the fetters of artificial geographical, cultural, political, or disciplinary demarcations. In this concentration at the University of Richmond, students willing to acquire additional linguistic and disciplinary skills will develop the habits and tools necessary to address problems or topics of interest from a number of literary and disciplinary perspectives.

From communications devices to the latest medical technology, computer science touches every aspect of our lives. The University of Richmond’s computer science program offers students a framework for understanding computer technology and its mathematical foundations.

Creative writing is a vital component of the University of Richmond experience. The creative writing program, administered under the auspices of the English department, offers both classroom and extracurricular writing opportunities for English majors and non-majors alike.

The Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Richmond provides a unique liberal arts experience where students thrive by engaging across difference and critically investigating the world through creative processes. As artist-scholars from very different disciplines, we engage with students in solving complex problems through high-impact learning experiences that develop critical thinking, an appreciation for complexity and context, and the ability to communicate clearly in a variety of languages (verbal, visual, aural, spatial, behavioral, kinesthetic).

University of Richmond's data science and statistics minor prepares students to address the challenges of collecting, understanding, and presenting structured and unstructured data from a variety of different domains and contexts.

Students studying economics gain a keen understanding of the global implications of economic activity and policy, and a mastery of the analytical and decision-making skills that drive them.

While largely grounded in practice, education courses are strongly embedded in the liberal arts tradition and embody a life-long learning focus where students question, learn, react, apply, and problem-solve in order to contribute to the meaningful education of all citizens. At the University of Richmond, the elementary education major prepares students to become reflective educators who make significant impacts on learning in preK-6 classrooms.

The study of literature is more than just the critical analysis of written works throughout the centuries — it is the study of human cultural production and aesthetic experience. The University of Richmond's approach to the English major offers students deep engagement with literary study, a pursuit that develops writing and critical reading abilities along with strengthening communications skills and critical thinking.

Entrepreneurship, innovation, and design are inherently multi-disciplinary topics and complement many other courses of study. At the University of Richmond Robins School of Business, this minor is specifically designed to provide non-business school students with knowledge and training that will allow them to practice their (non-business) major studies within start-up and small business environments.

Environmental studies explores the interactions between human societies and the environments in which we exist. Students in this program at the University of Richmond examine a broad range of environmental issues throughout their coursework, using methods and perspectives from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

Film studies examines how individual movies, particular genres and forms, and different regional and national film traditions reflect and influence the worlds of which they are a part. At the University of Richmond, students develop the ability to think critically, analyze both visual and written texts, communicate persuasively, and produce their own digital media projects.

Progressive yet practical, the finance courses available at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business provide students with a broad base of knowledge and relevant experience that prepare graduates to join the ranks of some of the most distinguished names in the finance profession. Students leave their finance classes with the tools, knowledge, and experience to be leaders in finance.

All courses in programs in languages, literatures, and cultures are taught in the target language. Elementary and intermediate language courses integrate vocabulary and grammatical structures with cultural materials in order to build students’ linguistic and cultural proficiency. French is a major or minor offering within the languages, literatures, and cultures department.

Gender and sexuality studies offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to examine their assumptions and ask the big questions about our cultural and societal realities. Over their course of study at the University of Richmond, students are encouraged and enabled to develop their own positions on current academic and social issues, cultivate their own voices in their speaking and writing, and test theoretical assumptions by applying them to real-life situations.

The discipline of geography cultivates informed and engaged global citizens through an emphasis on integrative problem solving, spatial analysis, and communication skills. Our approach at the University of Richmond prepares students to explore and understand cultural, bio‐physical, and geospatial environments, and their interactions and transformations, thereby empowering our students to shape a just and sustainable world.

German is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union and Germany wields enormous economic and political influence. The University of Richmond's German studies program combines a solid foundation in German language, literature and culture with an interdisciplinary array of elective options in film, cultural studies, history, linguistics, philosophy, and psychoanalysis.

Global studies aims to educate students about cultures, nations, and societies, and enable them to deal with the economic, political, cultural, and security issues confronting the world today. This major at the University of Richmond focuses on important issues such as the origins and implications of diversity and interdependence among nations, cultures, regions and peoples.

The field of classics is inherently multidisciplinary. In addition to language and literature, students study a range of subjects from history, politics, and religion to science, medicine and art. In our approach at the University of Richmond, students learn archaeology, art, history, linguistics, literature, mythology, philosophy, political theory, religion, and science of the Greeks and Romans.

As the world prepares for future pandemics, the healthcare needs of an aging population, and the adverse effects of climate change, there is a growing demand for professionals who understand the complexities of medical and public health systems. The University of Richmond's approach to the health studies major equips students with theoretical and empirical frameworks for understanding the social, cultural, environmental, biological, psychological, ethical, economic, legal, and policy contexts that shape individual and population health.

In studying history, we learn about the past in all its complexity. In small classes on topics that can range from the materiality of tobacco to the abstractions of communism, we place evidence into context, consider it from multiple perspectives, assess its significance, and draw on it to understand the world of past and present. The University of Richmond's approach to the history major explores the past, seeking to understand how people have made the world, live in it, and seek change.

The over-arching theme of integrated science is exploring the richness of types of problems that may be approached using a combination of sciences rather than one alone. The University of Richmond's approach to this program is designed to help students interested in science and mathematics to explore these interests in their first year of college in a highly structured, highly collaborative environment.

Students who major in interdisciplinary studies all have one thing in common. They are interested in many fields of study. The interdisciplinary studies program at the University of Richmond allows students to design their own majors.

At the University of Richmond Robins School of Business, students are fully immersed in global business, with a rigorous course of study at every level, and a classroom size that encourages and cultivates their worldview. Students are constantly reading the pulse of the global marketplace in their classes, through rich extracurricular experiences, and by interacting with visiting international faculty and students.

Italian is a major or minor offering within the languages, literatures, and cultures department. At the University of Richmond, all courses in programs in languages, literatures, and cultures are taught in the target language. Elementary and intermediate language courses integrate vocabulary and grammatical structures with cultural materials in order to build students’ linguistic and cultural proficiency.

As various aspects of Japanese culture have permeated into the larger global society, many have become motivated to learn this language spoken by over 100 million people. In the University of Richmond’s Japanese program you will learn the inner workings of Japanese through a systematic breakdown of the grammar and syntax.

Jewish Studies examines Jewish culture, thought, and history in various settings and socio-political interactions. Our approach at the University of Richmond allows students to learn cultures and traditions vital to an understanding of ethics, aesthetics, politics, and the history of communities.

As Americans continue getting their news from a growing number of nontraditional sources, in addition to newspapers, television, radio, and magazines, journalism education becomes increasingly important even for those who do not intend to make it a career. The journalism program at the University of Richmond provides students with the tools they will need to become successful storytellers — no matter what the medium, including traditional print and broadcast outlets.

The classics department strives to sustain an engaging environment that welcomes students from all backgrounds into the study of languages, material cultures, histories, and receptions of the ancient Mediterranean world with special emphasis on ancient Greek and Latin. At the University of Richmond, students can explore the stories, experiences, identities, institutions, and thoughts of ancient Mediterranean people through an interdisciplinary mixture of art, archaeology, architecture, gender studies, history, language, linguistics, literary analysis, and mythology.

Latin American, Latino, & Iberian Studies (LALIS) offers students a curriculum that embraces the cultural and linguistic diversity and complexity of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America. The Spanish language and Hispanic literatures comprise the core of the department’s program; yet the LALIS curriculum also brings students into contact with Portuguese, Basque, Catalan, and Galician languages, literatures, and cultures.

Law and the liberal arts is an interdisciplinary minor at the University of Richmond that consists of courses from across the curriculum. The courses that count toward the major are among those that are generally recommended by law schools for students thinking about going to law school. The purpose of the courses within the minor is to prepare one to think critically and analytically as a well-rounded liberal artist.

The first institution of its kind in the world, the University of Richmond Jepson School of Leadership Studies helps students gain a rich understanding of leadership, enabling them to become active, thoughtful, and effective participants in the world and lead lives of consequence. Students examine leadership as it was, as it is, and as it should be, and develop conceptual tools that support the exercise of leadership in a variety of settings.

Engaging in linguistic analysis enables students to view culture through the lens of language. Linguistics at the University of Richmond is an interdisciplinary minor that studies the system of language as a medium of cognition and perception as well as a social institution.

From the politics of the European and African Unions, to the economic blossoming of Asia and Brazil, the study of Portuguese language and cultures at the University of Richmond can be highly advantageous for students preparing to work in a broad range of professional contexts in the twenty-first century.

Organizations compete for customers, employees, suppliers, investors, and host communities by consistently creating and delivering value to them. We teach courses at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business that give students essential skills, knowledge, and capabilities to excel as leaders in any specialty area, including finance, marketing, accounting, or operations management.

Marketing is a concentration offered within the business administration major. Our goal at the University of Richmond is to provide students with an innovative curriculum and an active learning experience that is firmly rooted in the fundamentals, yet relevant in the face of rapid change. In addition to building students’ strategic, analytic, and communication skills, the marketing department provides experiential learning opportunities that allow students to work on real marketing projects for real companies.

Graduates with strong analytical skills are highly valued in today’s increasingly data-driven and interconnected business world. Mathematical economics at the University of Richmond provides a course of study that allows students to not only acquire some of these highly valued analytical skills, but also integrates that knowledge with a deeper understanding of the business world.

Mathematics, the abstract science of number, quantity and space, touches all the sciences and offers logic, rather than observation, as a vehicle to move scientists from hypothesizing a result to proving it with accuracy and certainty. At the upper level, studying math has very little to do with calculators. Math students at the University of Richmond work with their professors to write and prove theorems that are sophisticated and even beautiful explanations of hidden patterns all around us.

This concentration was created for English majors at the University of Richmond interested in deepening their knowledge of the cultures of the middle ages and renaissance through interdisciplinary study.

The Department of Music leads students to integrate creative and practical musical skills with critical thinking and intellectual inquiry, empowering them for a lifetime of learning. The curriculum at the University of Richmond provides an excellent foundation that prepares students to be adaptive leaders equipped to actively engage in their communities through the arts.

Combining the sciences of biology and psychology, neuroscience is an interdisciplinary concentration that offers students a wide variety of courses and integrated research opportunities. Regardless of whether they approach the study of the brain from the perspective of the natural sciences or social sciences, students at the University of Richmond are guaranteed a research-intensive experience that puts them in close proximity to passionate faculty members who are dedicated to preparing their students for challenging careers in a constantly changing field.

Philosophy addresses fundamental questions regarding reality, knowledge, morality, and the mind. The philosophy major at the University of Richmond offers many courses designed to reinforce studies in a variety of fields, as well as an undergraduate major and minor for those who want to pursue philosophy systematically.

Normative claims are claims about what people ought to do, and normative theories provide general frameworks for answering such questions. The philosophy, politics, economics, and law (PPEL) program at the University of Richmond focuses on normative questions relating to public policy and law.

Physics is the study of the physical universe and its contents — from the tiniest particles to distant galaxies. Majoring in physics at the University of Richmond is a great first step toward physics graduate school and a life-long career of exploring the most fundamental secrets of our universe.

Political science is the empirical and theoretical study of systems of governance and power, political attitudes and behavior, and public policy and law, both abroad and in the United States. The department of political science at the University of Richmond teaches students the critical thinking, analytical, and communicative skills needed for understanding how governments and politics function in contemporary and historical contexts.

Students who ultimately want to pursue a degree in engineering but who would like the benefit of the University of Richmond’s liberal arts experience can take advantage of the University’s Pre-Engineering Advising. Although the University of Richmond does not offer an engineering major, many students successfully continue into engineering after their time at Richmond.

Pre-Health studies at the University of Richmond provides students with the guidance, support, academic preparation, and clinical opportunities they need to be successful applicants to health professional schools.

Undergraduates at the University of Richmond who aspire to a career in law are advised to develop relevant skills, including: research, writing, analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and public speaking. The pre-law advisor works with students in pursuing courses and opportunities that will help students to improve their skills and learn more about their own interests and aspirations. Starting to think about your career interests early will help you to get the most out of your law school experience.

Psychology is one of the youngest branches of science, yet it seeks to answer questions that have existed since the beginning of human history. How do humans think and feel? The department of psychology at the University of Richmond aims to immerse students in the intellectually exciting processes of discovery and interpretation related to human behavior.

A brief look at contemporary events suffices to explain why it is important to study and understand religion. Religious studies majors at the University of Richmond learn thinking, reading, writing, and communication skills that prepare them for diverse careers and advanced degrees.

Rhetoric and communication studies (RHCS) is quite versatile, making it an excellent liberal arts major. At the University of Richmond, RHCS students learn critical thinking, speaking, writing, and relating skills that prepare them to be good citizens of a pluralistic society.

Russian studies illuminate an eye-opening array of creative responses to oppressive structures of power — from a vast multinational region with deep experience in resistance and resilience. Our evolving curriculum at the University of Richmond will introduce you to the literatures and film traditions of Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, and parts of Siberia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

Sociology is the systematic study of social life in order to understand the causes and consequences of human action. The University of Richmond offers students an opportunity to develop new insights and different perspectives on their lives, and to understand everyday social life as a combination of both stable patterns of interaction and ubiquitous sources of social change.

Sustainability is the creation of environmental, social, and economic conditions that foster the health and well-being of people and the natural world in this generation and generations to come. This minor at the University of Richmond empowers students to shape a just and sustainable world through: systems thinking, justice, sustainability knowledge, integration, and acting for positive change.

The Department of Theatre & Dance provides a unique liberal arts experience where students thrive by engaging across difference and critically investigating the world through creative processes. University of Richmond Faculty engage with students in solving complex problems through high-impact learning experiences that develop critical thinking, an appreciation for complexity and context, and the ability to communicate clearly in a variety of languages (verbal, visual, aural, spatial, behavioral, kinesthetic).

The visual and media arts practice major nurtures students’ creative and critical growth through interdisciplinary approaches to traditional and contemporary media. The University of Richmond's approach combines foundation courses and art history surveys to provide the basis for conceptual and creative engagement with a variety of media and prepares students for developing individually conceived projects at the intermediate and advanced level.