The student body is diversified, including many government officials and international students. The Department of Political Science and Public Administration with a faculty of twenty-one, including ten faculty in the MPA program, and a graduate student body of about 200, allow for concentrated, direct support of the intellectual, social and cultural areas of the student's life. The majority of our faculty have had considerable non-academic professional public management experience in federal, state, and local government including significant international experience. Our active alumni network extends throughout Virginia and surrounding states. Full-Time students are eligible for an array of teaching assistantships, financial aid, and work study appointments.
All students are eligible for paid internships.
Our internship program is extensive, allowing students to develop their own job placement network. Our MPA program offers concentrations in executive leadership, financial management, human resource management, policy analysis and evaluation, local government and management, and non-profit management. VCU is a campus of over 21,000 students, in Richmond which serves as the center of a metropolitan community of 800,000. Thus, numerous opportunities are available for students to be involved in special activities, community development programs and projects with federal, state, and local governments. The university is renowned for its performing arts and folk festivals.