Virginia Commonwealth University is a public, metropolitan, research university, supported by Virginia to serve the people of the state and the nation. The university provides a fertile and stimulating environment for learning, teaching, research, creative expression and public service. Essential to the life of the university is the faculty actively engaged in scholarship and creative exploration activities that increase knowledge and understanding of the world and inspire and enrich teaching.

The university is dedicated to educating full-time and part-time students of all ages and backgrounds in an atmosphere of free inquiry and scholarship so they may realize their full potential as informed, productive citizens with a lifelong commitment to learning and service.

The university serves the local, state, national and international communities through its scholarly activities, its diverse educational programs and its public service activities. As an institution of higher learning in a metropolitan center that also is the state capital, the university enjoys unique resources that enrich its programs. The university also contributes its intellectual and creative expertise in the development of innovative approaches to meet the changing needs of our society.