Your Richmond Education

Through nearly 90 majors, minors, and concentrations to study at Richmond, we are confident that you will find an academic area to challenge and help you grow. Your first year should be about exploring academic options, taking courses that interest you, and beginning with the general education curriculum. You won’t declare a major at the University of Richmond until your sophomore year, so there is no pressure to decide what you want to study right now!

The University uses a unit system to track progress toward graduation. You need 35 units to graduate. Most courses are 1 unit. Of those 35 units, a third typically come from each of three types of courses:

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  • Web of Inquiry

    Courses that satisy the Web of Inquiry, Richmond’s foundational curriculum are required of all students; they will help you explore the kinds of thinking and scholarly activity that happens across the academic world.

  • Major Courses

    Courses that you will take to satisfy the requirements of your chosen major and/or minor. Note that a course can be used to satisfy both general education and major requirements.

    Students are not required to have a minor to graduate.

  • Elective Courses

    Those you choose because you find them interesting and valuable. Elective, or exploratory courses are also a great way to explore your intellectual interests. If you eventually decide to pursue multiple majors or a minor, you may take fewer elective courses.