This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2026-2027 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
HUMS 202. Choices in a Consumer Society. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 lecture hour (delivered online). 1 credit. Concurrent prerequisite: UNIV 111 or HONR 230. Provides a framework for understanding the nature of choices made in a consumer society, with an emphasis on the financial consequences of those choices. Students will gain the practical knowledge needed to make informed personal financial decisions as they address immediate, short-term and long-term consumer choices. Administered primarily as a self-paced, computer-aided instructional course.
HUMS 203. Career Compass. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 lecture hour (delivered online). 1 credit. The course will provide students with foundational knowledge and a basic skillset to apply a career development mindset early in their academic journey. Through emotional intelligence skills, networking strategies and an introduction to the evolving role of AI, students gain essential skills needed for informed decision-making. The course is designed to benefit every student regardless of their major, empowering them to take intentional steps toward choosing a meaningful academic and professional path. Graded as pass/fail.
HUMS 204. AI Literacy. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Introduces artificial intelligence as a new form of digital literacy. Explores how AI functions, how it is used across disciplines and how it shapes communication, creativity and decision-making in society. Through applied projects and critical analysis, the course examines ethical, social and cultural implications of AI and its role in education, work and civic life. Emphasizes responsible use of emerging technologies and the development of digital fluency for academic and professional contexts. Graded as pass/fail.
HUMS 260. Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Studies. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 3 credits. Provides an introduction to the histories, cultures, contemporary experiences and intellectual traditions of Native American and Indigenous peoples. Students will explore diverse Indigenous worldviews, examine the impacts of colonization and investigate contemporary issues facing Native communities. The course emphasizes Indigenous voices, perspectives and scholarship while fostering critical thinking about settler colonialism, sovereignty and decolonization.
HUMS 291. Special Topics in the Humanities and Sciences. 1-4 Hours.
Semester course; 1-4 credits. May be repeated with different content. Specialized topics in the liberal arts and sciences designed to provide an overview of a topic not provided by an existing course or program. May be multidisciplinary. Graded as pass/fail or normal letter grading at the option of the instructor.
HUMS 300. Great Questions of the Social Sciences. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The social sciences explore human aspects of the world in fields of study that include anthropology, criminology, economics, education, geography, law, political science, psychology and sociology. This course explores fundamental questions of social science and examines their historical and contemporary relevance.
HUMS 391. Special Topics in the Humanities and Sciences. 1-4 Hours.
Semester course; variable hours. 1-4 credits. May be repeated with different content. Specialized topics in the liberal arts and sciences designed to provide an overview of a topic not provided by an existing course or program. May be multidisciplinary. Graded as pass/fail or normal letter grading at the option of the instructor.
HUMS 392. Topics in AI. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 3 credits. May be repeated with different topic content for a maximum of six credits. Specialized topics on the use, effects and ethics of artificial intelligence on communication, the environment, human behavior, politics and/or science.
HUMS 394. Topics in Native American and Indigenous Studies. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 3 credits. May be repeated with different topic content for a maximum of six credits toward graduation. Specialized on critical issues in Native American and Indigenous Studies through focused examination, the course draws from Indigenous scholarship, traditional knowledge systems and diverse methodological approaches across the humanities and social sciences.
HUMS 591. Special Topics. 1-4 Hours.
Semester course; variable hours. 1-4 credits. May be repeated with different content. Specialized topics in the liberal arts and sciences designed to provide an overview of a topic not provided by an existing course or program. May be multidisciplinary.
HUMS 701. Post-candidacy Doctoral Research. 9 Hours.
Semester course; 9 research hours. 9 credits. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment is restricted to students who have been admitted to doctoral candidacy in the College of Humanities and Sciences. Students will participate in supervised discipline-specific research related to their dissertation topic. Students must have approval from their current degree program coordinator to register. This course can be approved as a substitution for any post-candidacy degree requirement. Graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory.