This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 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.

The Graduate Programs Committee serves as the deliberative body for all major changes to policies for graduate students and graduate faculty members, guidelines for graduate education, and graduate courses and curricula. More specifically, the Graduate Programs Committee is responsible for providing feedback and advice to the associate dean for graduate education on:

  • Proposed alterations to existing and new processes in the Office for Graduate Education
  • Proposed alterations to existing and new policies for graduate students and graduate faculty members
  • Proposed alterations to existing and new graduate courses
  • Proposed alterations to existing and new curricula
  • Content and organization of graduate education websites
  • Graduate education communication, advertising and promotion
  • Graduate education priorities
  • Major graduate student issues including dismissals, reassignments and requests for students to retake comprehensive exams and final defenses

Through the action of ad hoc subcommittees organized by the associate dean for graduate education, individual members might be called upon to take on more focused, short-term responsibilities related to the above or other topics that pertain to graduate education.

All graduate program and admissions directors and the assistant dean for graduate recruitment and admissions are members of the committee.

The committee meets monthly with the associate dean for graduate education. In all cases possible, the associate dean for graduate education and the committee approve requests or otherwise proceed by consensus. When a consensus cannot be reached, the associate dean for graduate education can call a formal advisory vote.