Virginia Tech was founded in 1872 as a land-grant institution known as Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College. The school was originally known as Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College. In 1896, the name of the school was changed to Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute, but the name was so long "Agricultural and Mechanical College" was dropped almost immediately by the students. For a while, the school was called VPI and, in 1944, became Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
In 1970, the school gained university status and the name was changed once again to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The administration authorized the official use of the name Virginia Tech in the early 1990s.
Today, Virginia Tech is ranked as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. U.S. News & World Report ranked the College of Engineering ninth in the country and the Pamplin College of Business as 45th. The Princeton Review ranks the school in their list of top universities and Money ranks the school as the seventh best college in the south.
Virginia Tech Accreditation Details
Virginia Tech is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. This indicates to parents, students and employers that graduates are well-prepared in their field of study and will strive for leadership in any position they hold. The following agencies or organizations accredit specific programs at Virginia Tech:
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
- American Chemical Society
- American Council for Construction Education
- American Dietetic Association
- American Psychological Association
- American Veterinary Medical Association
- Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International
- Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards
- Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
- Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Council for Interior Design Accreditation
- Council on Education for Public Health
- Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board
- National Architectural Accreditation Board
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation
- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
- National Association of Schools of Theatre
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- Planning Accreditation Board
- Public Relations Society of America
- Society of American Foresters
- Society of Wood Science and Technology
- U.S. Army Cadet Command
Virginia Tech Application Requirements
Students who have not earned college credit after high school graduation are considered freshmen at Virginia Tech. Students must complete an online application. Official high school transcripts must be provided as well as official ACT or SAT scores. Students who have completed 12 or more hours of college study after high school are considered transfer students. They must also complete an online application and provide official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
Graduate applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in order to apply, but there are circumstances that would allow that requirement to be waived. Because different programs require different admissions documentation, students are encouraged to speak to an admissions counselor.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time tuition for in-state students at Virginia Tech is $11,090 per year for undergraduate students. Out-of-state undergraduate tuition for full-time students is $28,270 per year. Graduate in-state tuition is $12,940 per year and out-of-state tuition is $26,070 per year.
Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, loans and work-study. Grants are awareded exclusively on student need and are considered gift aid. Grants do not need to be repaid and Virginia Tech offers several different types of grants through the federal government, state government and other organizations. Scholarships are also gift aid and students are qualified for some types of scholarship based on information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA must be completed in order to qualify for any financial aid.
Student and Parent Loans must be repaid. Students should be aware how much they are borrowing for their education. Students are encouraged to discuss the cost of education at Virginia Tech with the Financial Aid Office. The mission of the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid is to help any student who wishes to attend Virginia Tech obtain the financial assistance they need to achieve their educational goals.
Online Degrees Available
Master of Arts in Foreign Languages, Cultures & Literatures
The Master of Arts in Foreign Languages, Cultures & Literatures prepares students for careers in contexts that require specialized knowledge in Spanish or French along with intercultural competency. Students are provided a strong foundation in Hispanic, French and Francophone cultures as well as the literature associated with that culture. Students develop an understanding of the acquisition and development of analytical abilities using critical approaches. Students are prepared to teach Spanish and French or to work in international environments. The program is online but students are expected to attend in real-time using a webcam and software that is downloadable from the university.
Master of Science in Ocean Engineering
Virginia Tech offers a Master of Science in Ocean Engineering in an online format that concentrates on naval ship design and related topics. Students learn through two-way, live communication between them and a professor as well as downloadable, pre-recorded lectures. One hour each week, students must attend a live internet meeting of the class as well. Courses required for the program include:
- Advanced Aero and Hydrodynamics
- Advanced Dynamics of High-Speed Craft
- Advanced Ship Dynamics
- Advanced Ship Structural Analysis
- Applied Numerical Methods
- Boundary Layer Theory and Heat Transfer
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
- Dynamics of High Speed Marine Craft
- Marine Engineering
- Mechanical and Structural Vibrations
- Nonlinear Systems Theory
- Principles of Naval Engineering
- Structural Optimization
- Vehicle Dynamics and Control
- Verification and Validation of Scientific Computing
Students must choose between a Master of Science Thesis or Master of Science Non-Thesis track. The thesis track requires a Research and Thesis course. The non-thesis track requires additional credit hours. Both tracks require students to complete six hours of independent study.
Virginia Tech offers students many online programs that allow working adults to achieve their higher education goals. With the Virginia Tech online programs, students who may have other obligations that prevent them from attending traditional classes to move into a new career or advance in a current career.