Fordham or University of Richmond: which has smaller class sizes?

University of Richmond is more likely to give you the smaller, more personal classroom experience. Richmond is known for a more intimate undergraduate setting, with a strong emphasis on small discussion-based classes and close faculty interaction. Fordham certainly has small classes too, especially outside intro courses, but as a larger university with two main campuses, it usually feels less consistently intimate overall.

One concrete difference is scale. Richmond has a much smaller undergraduate population, and that tends to show up in everyday academics: fewer large lecture environments, easier access to professors, and a campus culture built around undergraduates rather than a broader university structure. If you want professors to know your name early, Richmond has the edge.

Another differentiator is the classroom style you described. Richmond’s liberal arts focus usually means more seminar-style teaching, especially once you get beyond introductory requirements. Fordham offers plenty of discussion-heavy classes, particularly in humanities and social sciences, but larger intro sections are more common, and the overall experience can vary more by major and by campus.

Advising and faculty access also matter here. At Richmond, students often find it easier to build relationships with professors because the school is designed around that level of contact. At Fordham, those relationships are still very possible, but they can require a bit more intentional effort simply because the university is bigger and more spread out.

For the specific experience you’re describing, Richmond usually feels more intimate for undergrads.