Radford University - Academics

Academics

Radford's undergraduate programs emphasize the liberal arts, business, and teacher education. The graduate and undergraduate programs in business administration offered by the College of Business and Economics at Radford University are accredited by the AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Radford is among the 9 percent of the world's (top 10% in the United States) business schools that have achieved business and/or accounting accreditation from AACSB.

The university has a student/faculty ratio of 19:1 with an average class size of 30 to 40. Graduate students teach less than 5% of classes, so undergraduates work more closely with senior faculty than they might at a larger research university.

The university is organized into six undergraduate colleges: Humanities and Behavioral Sciences, Business and Economics, Education and Human Development, Health and Human Services, Science and Technology, and Visual and Performing Arts. Within the colleges, some fields are designated as "Schools," such as the School of Nursing and School of Social Work (in the College of Health and Human Services) and the School of Communication (in the College of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences). The latter brings together former departments of media studies (journalism, broadcasting, Web design and advertising) and communication (speech and public relations).

The College of Graduate and Extended Education offers 19 degree programs in fields including art, business, communication, counseling, criminal justice, education, English, music, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology and social work. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has authorized three doctoral programs at Radford, in counseling psychology, physical therapy and nursing practice. The Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program in Counseling Psychology admitted its first students in the fall of 2008. The doctorate in physical therapy program was scheduled to start in summer 2009. The university said its first Doctor of Nursing Practice students would begin studies in an online format in the fall of 2010.

More than 80 percent of faculty members hold doctorates or other terminal degrees (M.F.A., etc.) in their fields. Eight Radford professors have received Virginia’s highest honor for faculty since the inception of the state’s Outstanding Faculty Award in 1986. One of them, Radford anthropology professor Donna Boyd, was named 2006 U.S. Professor of the Year for master’s level universities and colleges by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching. Since 1981, nine Radford faculty members have been selected as Fulbright Scholars to teach or research in other countries.

Special programs include Study Abroad, Honors Academy, RU Connections freshmen living/learning communities, internships, co-ops, practica and service learning, Army ROTC, leading to commission in the U.S. Army, undergraduate research opportunities.

Radford was the first university in Virginia to integrate wireless technology campus wide.

Nearly 93 percent of Radford graduates obtain employment or enroll in graduate school within 3 to 8 months of graduation from the university.

In 2007, the Radford University Board of Visitors approved the University’s Strategic Plan, dubbed "7-17, Forging a Bold New Future," with a goal of establishing Radford as one of the top 50 master's degree granting universities in the nation by 2017.

In 2009 Radford University underwent an internally directed and budget-driven academic program review resulting in the elimination of some liberal arts courses as well as smaller academic departments such as anthropology and geology. Students enrolled in such programs were permitted to finish their study in those areas, but no new students may enroll.