How do class sizes compare at Emory University and the University of Richmond?

The biggest practical difference is scale: the University of Richmond’s much smaller undergraduate population makes small, discussion-based classes more routine across the curriculum, while Emory offers many small courses alongside more large introductory lectures. Both schools have low student-to-faculty ratios, but that ratio does not mean every course is a seminar.

At Emory, introductory courses in popular areas such as biology, chemistry, psychology, economics, and business-related subjects can be lecture-based, often supplemented by smaller discussion sections or labs. As students move into their majors, Emory courses tend to become more specialized and smaller, especially in humanities and upper-level social science classes. Its research-university setting also creates access to a wider course catalog and research opportunities, though the first-year classroom experience can feel less intimate in high-demand subjects.

Richmond’s liberal-arts structure places a stronger everyday emphasis on professor-led discussion, writing, and seminar participation from the beginning. Large classes do exist, particularly in introductory courses, but they are less central to the overall academic experience than at Emory. Students looking for close faculty contact may also find it easier to build that contact early at Richmond.

For a student whose top priority is consistently small, discussion-oriented undergraduate classes, Richmond has the clearer edge. Emory can provide an intimate academic experience too, particularly after the introductory sequence, but it is the better match for someone comfortable with a larger university environment and occasional bigger lectures.