Does Boston University or the University of Richmond have smaller class sizes?

The biggest practical difference is scale: Richmond’s much smaller undergraduate population makes discussion-based classes and professor access more routine from the first year, while BU offers more course options but has larger introductory lectures in several popular fields. At Richmond, many first-year courses are relatively small, and upper-level seminars commonly become especially intimate as students move into a major.

BU does have small classes, particularly in advanced major courses, writing courses, and seminars, but the experience varies more by school and department. Introductory classes in subjects such as economics, psychology, biology, and some business-related areas can be sizable lectures, often supplemented by smaller discussion or lab sections. Richmond can also have larger introductory lectures in high-demand subjects, but they are less central to the overall academic experience than at BU.

For a student who learns best through frequent conversation with professors and classmates, the University of Richmond is the clearer choice for consistently smaller class sizes across both introductory and upper-level coursework. BU can still provide close faculty relationships, but students may need to seek out smaller sections, office hours, and seminar-style electives more deliberately.