Graduate Centers

The university’s first off-campus graduate center commenced operations in 1969 in Reston, Va. Today graduate centers operate in Falls Church, Virginia Beach, Roanoke, Richmond, and Abingdon. In addition to these centers, the university operates the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center near Leesburg, where equine veterinary medicine students receive training.

Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Center—Initiated in 1969 in a small farmhouse in Reston, the graduate center had 65 students and two resident faculty members. Since then, it has moved four times, each time with an increase in programs, enrollment, and faculty and staff members. The first master’s degrees were awarded in 1975. The center, which was named the Northern Virginia Graduate Center from 1981-96, was located at 2990 Telestar Court in Falls Church for 26 years before a new facility was constructed in 1996 by Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia in Falls Church and the name shortened to the Northern Virginia Center. By 2000 the center had 45 programs, 1,794 students, and 50 faculty members. In 2008 the center offered undergraduate courses for the first time.

Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Center—Now located in Virginia Beach, the Hampton Roads Graduate Center opened in 1974.

Virginia Tech Roanoke Center—In January 1989 the university assumed responsibility for managing the Graduate Center of the Roanoke Valley and began offering degree programs along with the University of Virginia, Roanoke College, Radford University, and Hollins College. In 2000, the name was changed to the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center. Virginia Tech beams many of its academic classes to the center via satellite from the Blacksburg campus and also offers a wide variety of noncredit programs for the area’s corporate and business community.

Southwest Virginia Center for Higher Education—Located on the Virginia Highlands Community College campus in Abingdon, the Southwest Virginia Center for Higher Education opened in 1991. Initiated as a response to a legislative request, the center is a cooperative among Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, Clinch Valley College, and the community college. In addition to graduate and continuing education programs, it offers undergraduate programs and elementary and secondary school instruction training. The center moved into its current facilities in 1998.

Virginia Tech Richmond Center—Located in Henrico County, the Virginia Tech Richmond Center opened in 2001.