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Turn Your Education Into Experience

Through Relevant, Experiential and Applied Learning (REAL), you’ll connect what you’re studying to real-world challenges, whether that’s through internships, research, service learning, creative projects, or global experiences. REAL helps you build the skills, confidence, and connections that prepare you for whatever comes next.

REAL 399

REAL 399 is a pass/fail undergraduate course that is directed by you, the student, to help you capture your advanced experiential learning activities on your transcript. It is a great way to bring visibility to something you may have been planning to do anyway - an internship that you coordinated on your own, for example, or a volunteer research experience you found — without adding any additional cost. Learn more at the REAL 399 Guide.

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Graduation Requirement

Starting in fall 2021, all incoming undergraduate students — in other words, first-year students and new transfer students in their first semester — will be required to complete at least one VCU REAL experiential learning activity before they graduate.

Once you have fulfilled the REAL requirement, you will not be required to do so again - even if you switch majors or return to VCU for additional degrees.

You can fulfill this requirement in one of two ways:

Successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3, or 4. See definitions here>
Successfully completing an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4.
See definitions here>

Courses and activities that meet the REAL graduation requirement can be found through the VCU Schedule of Classes