Hampton University in Hampton is near the major Virginia cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. The university came about in 1868 during the Civil War Reconstruction and is situated on the Hampton Roads harbor waterfront. The campus' buildings are part of the National Historic Landmark District. The college offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in areas such as physical therapy and nursing. Booker T. Washington, comedian Wanda Sykes and Oracle president Charles Phillips all hail from Hampton University. Tuition as of February 2011 was about $13,506.
Norfolk State University is also located in the Hampton Roads area. The school was founded in 1935, initially as a unit of Virginia Union University. The campus was originally situated on an old city golf course. It became independent and earned university status in 1979. The liberal arts school offers degrees in business, engineering and social work, among other areas. The school's tuition was about $4,295 in February 2011.
You can find St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, a town in south-central Virginia. The school's origins date back to 1882, when a deacon in the Protestant Episcopal Church arrived and formed a congregation, and then created a parochial school the next year; this eventually evolved into St. Paul's College. The liberal arts college has programs that focus on humanities, social sciences, business, mathematics, education and natural sciences. The school's tuition is about $11,880, as of February 2011.
Virginia State University is located in Petersburgh just south of Richmond, the state capital. The university is the first state-supported four-year black institution in the United States. VSU first opened its doors in 1882, and it has graduated a number of powerful leaders, including the first black to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court and the president of the National Education Association. Its academic program focuses on agriculture, business, engineering and liberal arts. The school's tuition is $4,544 as of February 2011.
Virginia Union University, situated in Richmond, was started in 1899 after two Baptist theological institutes merged. The liberal arts school has a strong Christian background and has degrees in theology. It also offers programs for business, science and technology. The university has athletic programs in basketball, football and cross-country. Tuition is $12,260, as of February 2011.