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Virginia provides exceptional educational opportunities throughout the state. School-age children can
be educated via public, private, or home schools. Virginia also offers numerous higher education
options, including public, private, and community colleges and universities.
Virginia is home to several public higher education institutions. The University of Virginia (UVa) in Charlottesville was founded by Thomas Jefferson in
1819, and offers 51 bachelor's degrees in 47 fields, 83 master's degrees in 66 fields, 59 doctoral
degrees in 58 fields, and numerous other professional degrees. Over 19,000 students are enrolled at
UVa. George Mason University in Fairfax, founded in
1972, offers a wide range of academic fields with 64 undergraduate, 69 master's, 25 doctoral, and 94
professional degree programs available to its nearly 30,000 students. Additional campuses include the
Arlington Campus and Prince William Campus. James Madison
University in Harrisonburg enrolls over 16,000 students and offers 67 undergraduate, 30 master's,
30 educational specialist, and two doctoral degree programs. Longwood University in Farmville, founded in 1839, offers bachelor's and master's
degree programs to approximately 4,500 students. The College
of William and Mary in Williamsburg, charted by King William III and Queen Mary II in 1693 as the
second college in the American colonies, is the nation's second-oldest college and enrolls approximately
7,500 students, of whom nearly 5,500 are undergraduates. Old
Dominion University in Norfolk, founded in 1930, is one of only 101 public universities with a
Carnegie/Doctoral Research-Extensive distinction. Nearly 21,000 students are enrolled at Old Dominion
and have access to 68 bachelor's, 60 master's, 35 doctoral, and two educational specialist degrees.
Norfolk State University (NSU) in Norfolk, founded in
1935, is one of the largest predominantly black institutions in the nation, and is an urban,
comprehensive university offering programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels; over 6,000
students are enrolled. Radford University in
Radford, founded in 1910, began as a women's college and now offers a coeducational atmosphere to its
approximately 9,000 students; 153 undergraduate and graduate degree options exist. The University of Mary Washington (UMW) in Fredericksburg, founded in 1908, enrolls
about 4,000 undergraduate and 750 graduate and professional students and offers over 40 majors and
programs of study. Virginia Commonwealth University
in Richmond, founded in 1838, enrolls 30,000 students in over 195 certificate, undergraduate, graduate,
professional and doctoral programs. Virginia Military
Institute in Lexington, founded in 1839, is the nation's first state military college, and enrolls
approximately 1,300 cadets in its four-year college awarding B.A. and B.S. degrees. Virginia State University in Petersburg, founded in 1882, is one of Virginia's two
land-grand institutions, and offers 45 bachelor and master's degree programs to nearly 5,000 enrolled
students. Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, founded in
1872, is a comprehensive, innovative research university with over 25,000 students enrolled in 60
bachelor's and 140 master's and doctoral degree programs.
The Old Dominion also offers numerous private higher education opportunities. Christopher Newport University (CNU) in Newport News, founded in 1960, offers a
liberal arts education with over 80 academic majors and programs to approximately 4,800 students.
Emory and Henry College in Emory, founded in 1836, is
Southwest Virginia's oldest college, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church, offers its 1,000
students over 25 programs of study. Hampton
University in Hampton is a non-profit, non-sectarian, coeducational, historically African American
university offering its 5,700 students 52 bachelor's and 21 master's degree programs, in addition to
other professional degrees. Eastern Mennonite University
in Harrisonburg, founded in 1917, enrolls approximately 1,600 students and offers 38 majors, 36 minors,
and several pre-professional and certificate programs. Washington
and Lee University in Lexington, founded in 1749, offers 39 majors and over 1,100 courses to
approximately 1,770 undergraduate students, and also hosts a School of Law. Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk is a four-year liberal arts college offering
39 majors to nearly 1,400 students. The University
of Richmond in Richmond, founded in 1830, is the second-oldest private university in the state, and
offers its nearly 3,700 students options at the bachelor's, master's and professional levels. Roanoke College in Salem offers a four-year liberal arts setting with a Lutheran
heritage to nearly 1,900 students, and provides 34 majors among various fields. Averett University in Danville, founded in 1859 as a women's school, is now a
co-educational four-year college offering 32 majors, master's programs, and professional programs to
approximately 2,450 enrolled students. Hollins
University in Roanoke, established in 1842, offers a liberal arts education for women and enrolls
approximately 800 undergraduate and 300 coeducational graduate students. Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, founded in 1914, offers a master
of science in nursing, in addition to 14 associated and bachelor's allied healthcare programs. Marymount University, located in Arlington, offers a comprehensive, coeducational
Catholic education to over 3,600 enrolled students. Regent
University in Virginia Beach, founded in 1978, enrolls over 4,200 students and offers over 30
graduate and undergraduate degree programs both on campus and online. Shenandoah University in Winchester, established in 1875, offers over 80 programs
of study in six schools at the undergraduate, graduate, doctorate, and professional levels, and enrolls
some 3,000 students. Virginia Intermont College in
Bristol, founded in 1884, offers a private education affiliated with the Baptist General Association of
Virginia to over 900 students. Virginia University of
Lynchburg, established in 1886 as a historically African American institution, offers liberal arts
and Christian Education programs to its students.
Virginia is home to several community and technical colleges for students seeking a wide range of
professional education training. Among these are Blue
Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave; Central
Virginia Community College in Lynchburg; Dabney S.
Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge; Danville
Community College in Danville; Eastern Shore
Community College in Melfa; Germanna Community
College in Fredericksburg; J. Sargeant Reynolds
Community College in Richmond; John Tyler Community
College in Chester; Lord Fairfax Community College
in Fauquier and Middletown; Mountain Empire Community
College in Big Stone Gap; New River Community
College in Dublin; Northern Virginia Community
College in Annandale; Patrick Henry Community
College in Martinsville; Paul D. Camp Community
College in Franklin; Piedmont Virginia Community
College in Charlottesville; Rappahannock
Community College in Glenns; Southside Virginia
Community College; Southwest Virginia Community
College in Cedar Bluff; Thomas Nelson Community
College in Hampton; Tidewater Community College
in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake; Virginia
Highlands Community College in Abingdon; Virginia
Western Community College in Roanoke; and Wytheville
Community College in Wytheville.
With its tremendous variety in educational opportunities, Virginia offers students many choices for
pursuing their academic endeavors.
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