University of Richmond School of Professional & Continuing Studies

Rigorous and challenging, but flexible.

We understand how important education is in today’s world, but we also understand how life can sometimes get in the way. Our degree programs are designed to meet the needs of working professionals and adult students, balancing academic rigor with flexibility and value. You can attend part time in the evening at a pace that supports your other life commitments and earn your Richmond degree on your terms.

Convenient admissions process.

We offer rolling admission for fall, spring, and summer semesters. Our undergraduate programs require a high school diploma or GED but no standardized test scores, and we provide undergraduate admissions pathways to match incoming students’ preparedness for college-level work. Our graduate programs require a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university but no standardized test scores. And our online application takes just a few minutes to complete.

Apply Online

Relevant and marketable.

We offer degrees in several in-demand career fields as well as options in the liberal arts. More importantly, our degree programs integrate the liberal arts with professional studies. Students will be exposed to the latest theory and real-world practice to give them the skills and knowledge to move their careers to the next level. Career goals aside, our programs develop well-rounded professionals. Students develop a variety of transferable skills that employers desire, including written and verbal communication skills, the ability to solve complex problems, to work well with others, and to adapt in a changing workplace.

Accessible and affordable.

We make a University of Richmond education attainable for working professionals. We don’t require standardized test scores for admission. And our tuition — starting at $465 per semester hour — ranks among the most competitive in Richmond for adult students. You owe it to yourself to do the math. Compare our tuition to other adult education providers. We think you’ll be surprised.

Respected and valued.

Where you earn your degree does make a difference. As one of the five schools at the University of Richmond, we maintain high academic standards. You study with Richmond professors and seasoned professionals, gaining specialized knowledge. At graduation, you receive a University of Richmond diploma. And you’ll be part of an institution that pioneered professional education in Richmond fifty years ago.

It’s never too late to return to school.

At the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, our students are serious about what they do. They have goals in mind and unbelieveable drive to achieve them. But sometimes life gets in the way, and that’s okay. In any given semester, our students range in age from 20-65. Many are returning to school to complete bachelor’s degrees they started years earlier. Some are transferring from community colleges and other universities. And a growing number are pursuing graduate study.

Regardless of your educational goals or age, you’ll feel right at home as part of one of only a few true college campuses in Richmond with dedicated programs for adult students and working professionals just like you.

Request Information Transfer Students International Admissions

Alumni Association Student Government Association Faculty Resources

Publications & Forms Explore Your Options Attend an Information Session

Post-Bachelor's Programs

Post-bachelor’s programs include undergraduate certificates, graduate certificates and non-degree study options. Our programs combine the latest theory with practical applications to provide valuable knowledge or a credential to help you advance or change your career or prepare for graduate school.

Post-Bachelor's

Bachelor's Programs

Our bachelor’s degrees are designed for those who want an interdisciplinary degree. You’ll be exposed to some of the best thinking from around the world through a broadly based educational experience. Through your major, you’ll gain valuable industry knowledge while further developing your critical thinking, writing and analytical skills.

Bachelor's Degrees

Master's Programs

Our master’s degrees combine theory and real-world practice to give students the skills and knowledge to move their careers to the next level. As a graduate student, you’ll explore emerging trends, unique opportunities, and innovative strategies in your respective career fields and area of study. As such, some of our degrees are well suited for students interested in career change.

Master's Degrees

Student Reflections

Proud UR Graduate (SPCS Night 2016)

Video 1 of 3

Reflection on SPCS (SPCS Night 2016)

Video 2 of 3

Gratitude (SPCS Night 2016)

Video 3 of 3

Faculty & Staff Notes

Eakin Award
Religious studies professor and master of liberal arts program chair Frank Eakin was awarded an Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who, a publisher of biographical profiles.
Shelton advises career switchers
Assistant director of career services Becca Shelton offers career advice in a TalentCulture post titled 5 Ugly Myths About Changing Career in Your 30s. Shelton serves working professionals including SPCS students and UR alumni as a career advisor.
Nielson pens NY Times op-ed
SPCS associate professor and assistant chair of liberal arts Erik Nielson published an op-ed in the New York Times titled If We Silence Hate Speech, Will We Silence Resistance?
Hocutt presents research at SIGDOC
SPCS web manager and adjunct professor of liberal arts Daniel Hocutt presented doctoral research titled “Rethinking Users: UX Design for Posthuman Cyborgs” at the 2018 ACM Special Interest Group on the Design of Communication (SIGDOC) conference in Milwaukee.
Gordon named interim deputy in City Hall
Reggie Gordon, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Nonprofit Studies, has been named the City of Richmond’s interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services by Mayor Levar Stoney.
Lee quoted in Washington Post
Dr. Lauranett Lee, Jepson School of Leadership Studies visiting lecturer and SPCS adjunct assistant professor, is quoted in a Washington Post article about teachers at the Stratford Hall teachers’ institute learning effective ways to teach about slavery.
Nielson quoted in AP News
Dr. Erik Nielson, Associate Professor and Assistant Chair of Liberal Arts, is quoted in an AP News story on the return to prominence of hip-hop designer Dapper Dan after two decades out of the public spotlight.
Lee publishes SHRM viewpoint
Dr. Christopher D. Lee, Adjunct Associate Professor of HR Management, published a viewpoint titled Feedback, ‘Feedforward’ and Frequency for 21st Century Performance Management on the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) website.
Cassada, Kassner publish article
Dr. Kate Cassada, Assistant Chair & Associate Professor of Education, and Dr. Laura Kassner, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education, co-published an article titled Seeing Is Believing: Peer Video Coaching as Professional Development Done With Me and for Me in the journal CITE Journal: Contemporary Issues in Technology & Teacher Education.
Hocutt publishes in edited collection
Daniel L. Hocutt, Web Manager & Adjunct Professor of Liberal Arts, published a co-written chapter titled “Glocalizing the Composition Classroom using Google Apps for Education” in Thinking Globally, Composing Locally: Rethinking Online Writing in the Age of the Global Internet.

Programs of Study

	Bachelor’s Degree	Undergrad Certificate	Master’s Degree	Graduate Certificate
Education			Available	Available
Teacher Licensure				Available
HR Management	Available		Available	Available
Information Systems		Available
Information Security	Available	Available
IT Management	Available
Liberal Arts	Available
Master (MLA)			Available
Weekend College	Available
Nonprofit Studies			Available	Available
Paralegal Studies	Available	Available
Public History			Available in MLA	Available

Review information about certain certificate program graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information.