Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Public and Social Service

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Applied Science: Human Services (Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway))
Reynolds Community College
Reynolds Community College
Program description

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies: Public and Social Service pathway combines Sociology and Public Management minors with the BIS core courses. This pathway positions students for careers in Social services and policy advocacy. By combining these two minors with instruction in interdisciplinary methodology, BIS students will understand how to navigate the interplay of societal needs and political bureaucracy. Upon graduation, students will be awarded both the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, and minors in Sociology and Public Management.

Career opportunities

BIS graduates with a focus in Public and Social Service are well prepared to seek employment at social service agencies, hospitals, local and state government agencies, and care facilities. 

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Community Coordinator
  • Daycare Manager
  • Human Services Program Specialist
  • Residential Program Director
  • Social and Community Service Manager
  • Social Services Provider
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Higher Education Administrator
  • Nonprofit Director
  • Researcher
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin

    To be designed in consultation with your academic advisor

Highest level of math required
  • MATH 131
Science required
  • Core only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Public and Social Service

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) (Associate of Applied Science: Human Services)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend Reynolds orientation (SOAR).
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the Reynolds Pathways Program.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Create LinkedIn profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
  • Browse careers related to public and social services through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Reynolds orientation (SOAR).
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the Reynolds Pathways Program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Create LinkedIn profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
  • Browse careers related to public and social services through the Virginia Wizard.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Public and Social Service

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) (Associate of Applied Science: Human Services)

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
CST 100 Introduction to Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
HLT 121 Introduction to Drug Use and Abuse HPEX 1XX 3 General education (BIS Gen.Ed.)
HMS 100 Introduction to Human Services UNIV 2XX 3 Elective
HMS 121 Basic Counseling Skills I UNIV 2XX 3 Elective
HMS 122 Basic Counseling Skills II UNIV 2XX 3 Elective
HMS 141 Group Dynamics I TREL 1XX 3 Elective
HMS 142 Group Dynamics II TREL 1XX 3 Elective
HMS 225 Functional Family Intervention UNIV 2XX 3 Elective
HMS 226 Helping Across Cultures HUMS 3XX 3 General education (BIS Gen. Ed.)
HMS 227 The Helper as Change Agent TREL 2XX 3 Elective
HMS 236 Gerontology TREL 2XX 3 Elective
HMS 266 Counseling Psychology UNIV 2XX 3 Elective
HMS 290 Coordinated Internship in Human Services UNIV 3XX 3 Elective
ITE 115 Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts INFO 160, 161, 162 3 Elective
MEN 101 Mental Health Skill Training I UNIV 1XX 3 Elective
MEN 102 Mental Health Skill Training II UNIV 1XX 3 Elective
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
PSY 230 Developmental Psychology PSYC 304 3 General education (BIS Gen. Ed.)
SOC 200 Principles of Sociology SOCY 101 3 General education
Humanities/Fine Arts Select 1: CST 151, CST 152, ENG 241, ENG 242, ENG 243, ENG 244, ENG 251, ENG 252, ENG 253, ENG 254,, PHI 220, REL 231, REL 232 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Reynolds credits transferred to VCU 67
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Natural/Physical Science Select 1: BIOL 101, BIOL/ENVS 103, CHEM 110, ENVS 201, FRSC 202, INSC 201, PHYS 103 3 General education
POLI 310 Public Policy 3 Major
POLI 322 State and Local Government and Politics 3 Major
POLI 331 Public Administration 3 Major
POLI Public Management Minor Elective courses (select 3): POLI 309, 321, 323, 329, 344, 370, or 493 9 Major
SOCY 202 Foundations of Theory 3 Major
SOCY Sociology Minor Elective courses (select 4): any upper-level SOCY or SOCS courses 12 Major
UNIV 301 Interdisciplinary Theory and Practice 3 Major
UNIV 303 Interdisciplinarity in the Professional World 3 Major
UNIV 499 BIS Capstone 3 Major
Open electives 8 to 9 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 53
Bachelor's degree total 120