Newly admitted students
Congratulations, and welcome to VCU Graduate School!
Once you've received your offer of admission, please refer to the graduate student checklist for a list of important next steps.
You'll also want to connect with us on social media for the latest news, announcements, and special events for VCU graduate students.
New student orientation
The Graduate School and the Graduate Student Association sponsor an orientation to introduce new graduate students to VCU and the city of Richmond. Departments also conduct individual orientation sessions with representatives available to talk with students and answer questions.
New Graduate Student Orientation will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
Please find the live stream recording of the Fall 2024 New Graduate Student Orientation here.
Departmental orientation sessions
Schools and departments are currently scheduling Fall 2024 orientations
Brandcenter
VCU Brandcenter
August 15, 2024
Time TBD
Mike Hughes Hall, 103 South Jefferson St.
College of Engineering
Friday, August 16, 2024
9:00 am - 12:00 pm (includes lunch)
601 W. Main St., West Hall, room 101
601 W. Main St., West Hall, room 101
Contact: gradengr@vcu.edu
egr.vcu.edu
Departmental orientations will be held on Friday, August 16th, between 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm. Please read emails from the College of Engineering regarding specific times.
- Biomedical Engineering - West Hall, room 103
- Chemical & Life Science Engineering - West Hall, room 402
- Computer Science - West Hall, room 105
- Electrical & Computer Engineering - West Hall, room 104
- Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering - TBA
- Pharmaceutical Engineering - TBA
College of Health Professions
College of Health Professions- College-Wide Summer New Student Event
Friday, August 15, 2025
9:30 am - 1:00 pm (approximately, exact time TBD)
College of Health Professions Building
900 E Leigh St
Contact: chpstudent@vcu.edu
MHA Orientation
Monday, August 11 - Saturday, August 16, and Monday, August 18
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
College of Health Professions, 900 E. Leigh St.
Contact: Cameron Parkins, parkinsc@vcu.edu
MSHA Orientation
Thursday, August 11-Saturday, August 16
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Via Zoom (only) - links will be sent by mid-July
Contact: Cameron Parkins, parkinsc@vcu.edu
Department of Occupational Therapy
Tuesday, May 27th from 9-4 and Wednesday May 28th from 9-12
College of Health Professions Building
900 East Leigh St Rm #1075, Richmond, VA 23298
Contact: Tara Hemmen hemment@vcu.edu
Department of Rehabilitation Counseling
Thurs., August 14, 2025 from 10am-4p
College of Health Professions Building
900 E. Leigh St Rm #5000, Richmond, VA 23298
RSVP Required
College of Humanities and Sciences
Department of Chemistry
Monday, August 12, 2024
9:30 am - 11:00 am
Faculty research talks and other activities (August 12-19, 2024)
Temple Building, 901 West Main Street
Department of English
Graduate Programs Orientation (MA-ENG, MFA-CRW and PHD-MTX)
Thursday, August 14, 2024, and Friday, August 15, 2024
Hibbs Hall 308
Contact: tndidato@vcu.edu
english.vcu.edu
Department of History
August 15, 2024
5:00 pm
History Department Conference Room, 811 and 813 S. Cathedral Pl.
Refreshments will be served
Department of Forensic Science
Monday, August 19, 2024
9 am - 2 pm, location TBD
Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics and Systems Modeling and Analysis PhD Program
August 12, 2024 - August 19, 2024
Times : TBD
MATX PhD Program
Thursday, August 15, 2024
9:00 am - 4:00pm
lunch will be served
Contact: mclingold@vcu.edu
Environmental Studies
August 19, 2024
Time: TBD
Contact lpbulluck@vcu.edu
Department of Sociology Orientation
Students required to attend: MS, Digital Sociology Concentration, 4+1
Online and In Person
Founders Hall, Large Conference Room 202
1:00 - 3:00 New Student General Information (all new students)
3:00 - 4:00 Ice Cream Social
Calendar invitations with Zoom links forthcoming
Contact: fosternv@vcu.edu
Robertson School of Mass Communication
M.S. Program Student Orientation
Thursday, June 6, 2024
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Online: https://zoom.us/j/2828550463
Contact: bkhanger@vcu.edu
daVinci Center for Innovation
MPI Orientation
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Virtual, Zoom link will be provided
*Additional events for new daVinci students will be happening between August 12-16, but this is the required program orientation session.
Global Education Office
International Student Orientation
Wednesday, August 13th, 2025
9:00 am -12:00 pm
VCU STEM Building, 817 West Franklin Street
GEO Open House: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm in Global Education Office
Contact: global@vcu.edu
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government & Public Affairs
Monday, August 11th, 2025
2pm-4pm
Location: Raleigh Building B001 (1001 W Franklin St)
Contact: Matthew Smith, msmith43@vcu.edu
Tuesday, August 12th, 2025
2pm-4pm
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Contact: Matthew Smith, msmith43@vcu.edu
School of Dentistry
Advanced Education MSD Programs (Endo/Peds/Perio/Ortho/OMFS)
Monday, June 30, 2025
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
School of Dentistry, Perkinson 3121
Contact: lysekk@vcu.edu
School of Education
EdD in Leadership
Orientation and First-year Residency
June 6-7, 2025
10am-4pm
Location TBD
Contact: Beth Burkoski, EdD Director
School of Business
Graduate Studies Kick-Off
Evening MBA, Specialized Master's and Certificate Students
Thursday, August 14, 2025
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Snead Hall, 301 W. Main St., Atrium
Contact: gsib@vcu.edu or 804-828-4622
Executive MBA Class of 2027
Thursday, August 21, 2025
8:00 am
Snead Hall, 301 W. Main St., Room B3189
Contact: emba@vcu.edu
Master of Decision Analytics Weekend Program Class of 2026
Friday, August 22, 2025
8:00 am
Snead Hall, 301 W. Main St., Room B3186
Contact: dapt@vcu.edu
PhD in Business
Friday, August 15, 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Snead Hall, 301 W. Main St., Room B3187
Contact: gsib@vcu.edu
School of Social Work
On Campus MSW Orientation
Friday, August 16th, 2025 9:00am-4:00pm
Academic Learning Commons, first floor
1000 Floyd Ave
Contact - Julie Pence, pencejm@vcu.edu
School of Nursing
New Graduate Student Orientation
August 19, 2024, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
School of Nursing Building, 1100 Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23298
Contact: westbergt@vcu.edu
School of Medicine
Division of Medical Physics
Medical Physics New Student Orientation
Friday, August 15, 2025
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: MMEC 4-201 (McGlothlin Medical Education Center 1201 E Marshall Street)
Contact: Lori.Cates@vcuhealth.org
School of Pharmacy
New Graduate Student Orientation
Thursday, August 15, 2024
9:00 am-3:00pm (Lunch provided)
410 N 12th Street, Rm. 129
Contact: pharmgrad@vcu.edu or glyoungblood@vcu.edu
Individual departments will hold orientation on Tuesday August 13, 2024 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
School of Public Health
New SOPH Graduate Student Orientation
Monday, August 11, 2025
9:00 am - 1:00 pm (additional, department-specific orientation details below)
One Capitol Square, 12th floor | 830 East Main Street
Lunch provided
Contact: soph@vcu.edu
School of the Arts
Department of Art Education
Friday, August 15, 2025
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Franklin Terrace, 812 W. Franklin St. Room 301
Contact: Dr. Yiwen Wei, weiy2@vcu.edu
Department of Painting + Printmaking
PAPR Graduate Student Orientation
Friday, August 15, 2025
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Murry DePillars Building, 1000 West Broad St, Room 301
VCUarts Qatar MFA in Design Student Orientation
Thursday, August 21, 2025
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
VCUarts Qatar Room 380W
Contact: rmcclure@vcu.edu