The School of Business at VCU offers post-baccalaureate undergraduate certificates in five areas: accounting, human resource management, information systems, marketing, and real estate and urban land development. These certificate programs are designed for individuals who hold bachelor’s degrees in other fields. By taking the courses required at the undergraduate level in one of the certificate concentrations, individuals are able to obtain an extensive knowledge of the subject.

Refer to individual program listings for certificate requirements.

Application information

Students cannot be accepted into a program until they have completed all the requirements for their bachelor’s degree and have achieved at least a 2.5 GPA in their undergraduate work. Applicants must submit an application and a nonrefundable fee of $30. In addition, two official transcripts (bearing the university seal) from the institution granting the bachelor’s degree should be sent directly to Graduate Studies in Business. International students also must submit current TOEFL scores and English translations of all transcripts. The deadlines for applications are:

Fall	Jul 15
Spring	Nov 15
Summer	Mar 15

Certificate recipients must have received an overall GPA of 2.5 (“C”) on credit hours attempted for the certificate at VCU. The grades of “D” and “F” are counted in computing the overall GPA but carry no credit.
Students who fail to register for at least one course per semester in the program will be automatically dropped from the program and must reapply for admission to continue in the program. At that time some or all of the courses completed prior to the reapplication may not be accepted toward the certificate.

If unusual circumstances warrant it, a leave of absence for one semester may be obtained by requesting such a leave in writing from the director of graduate programs as early as possible but no later than the end of the first week of registration of the semester in which the absence is expected to occur.
Grades of “A,” “B,” and “C” are passing grades; “D” is not a passing grade. Students who receive a grade of “D” or below on more than 20 percent of the credit hours attempted for the program will be terminated from their program.
Courses in which students have earned a grade of “D” or “F” must be repeated if these courses are needed for the program. Courses for which a passing grade was received cannot be repeated without written permission of the adviser and the director of graduate programs in business. The repeat course option in baccalaureate programs is not applicable to certificate programs.
Students who satisfy all the requirements except the 2.5 GPA may be allowed to take a maximum of six additional credit hours to raise the average. Students are required to get the approval of the adviser and the director of graduate programs in business.
Full-time certificate status consists of a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 undergraduate credits per semester.
Students must continually demonstrate acceptable professional behavior to be retained in the program.
All requirements for the certificate must be completed within five years from the date of admission or taking the first course in the program. This time limitation applies to both full- and part-time students. A maximum of two one-year extensions may be granted if satisfactory progress is demonstrated on the part of students requesting extensions. For extensions, write to the director of graduate programs in business.
The policies of the university regarding undergraduate degree programs will apply as the minimum when the certificate policy is not stated clearly in these policies. When in conflict, the stricter policy will apply in any case.
Students may not use the same course(s) for two certificates or the certificate and another program.
A maximum of six semester hours of acceptable undergraduate credit earned beyond the bachelor’s degree (and not applied toward other completed degrees or certificates) may be transferred and applied toward the certificate program requirements. Such credits will be evaluated for acceptance upon written request from the student after completion of nine semester hours of work at VCU. No transfer credit can be given for courses completed prior to awarding the bachelor’s degree regardless of whether the courses were taken beyond the minimum required for the bachelor’s degree program, unless prior written permission was given by the director of graduate programs in business.

Transfer credit is made at the discretion of the director of graduate programs in business upon the recommendation of the student’s adviser.

All transfer work must be at the “C” or higher grade level. Transfer credit must not be older than seven years at the time the certificate is awarded.

Credits to be earned at other institutions after acceptance in the program must be approved in advance, and approval is granted at the discretion of the director of graduate programs in business. Such work is approved under very unusual circumstances such as a job transfer to a new location more than 100 miles from Richmond.
CLEP examination credit is not given for the certificate programs.
All students admitted to a certificate program are assigned advisers. Students are required to work with their advisers to plan their certificate programs. Each student program or changes thereto must be approved by both the adviser and the director of graduate programs in business. Courses taken prior to approval are taken at the student’s own risk. Each student is required to complete an approved program form and file it with the Graduate Studies in Business Office no later than the end of the first semester in which the student is admitted. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the program.
Students cannot be accepted in the certificate programs until they have completed all the requirements for their bachelor’s degrees.
Students must apply to graduate using the Graduation Application Form. For deadlines, consult the university calendar.
Student appeals for exceptions to policies or academic standards may be made in writing to Virginia Commonwealth University, Director of Graduate Programs, School of Business, Richmond, VA 23284-4000.