Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing

About Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing

Goldfarb is an independently accredited, specialized nursing institution affiliated with the Barnes-Jewish healthcare environment. The Higher Learning Commission continued its institutional accreditation, with the next reaffirmation scheduled for 2029–2030. Its BSN, MSN, DNP, and postgraduate advanced-practice nursing certificate programs also hold specialized accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. NCES classifies the college as private nonprofit and records bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral award levels. The institution traces its legacy to the Jewish Hospital School of Nursing, founded in 1902. The modern organization took shape through the combination of Barnes and Jewish hospital nursing traditions: Barnes-Jewish College of Nursing and Allied Health emerged in 2005, allied-health programs were subsequently phased out, and the college adopted its present nursing-focused identity following Alvin Goldfarb’s 2007 gift. Goldfarb Hall opened on the medical campus in 2008. This history matters because Goldfarb is not a broad liberal-arts or research university. Its purpose is concentrated on preparing nurses and advancing nursing practice, leadership, education, anesthesia, and research. The setting may appeal to students seeking a small professional college embedded in a major clinical environment. Those wanting numerous non-nursing majors, a traditional residential campus, or a large intercollegiate athletics culture should look elsewhere. Official 2026 materials show active admissions, commencement, and program offerings, supporting its current operating status.

Admission depends on the chosen nursing pathway rather than a single institution-wide freshman process. Goldfarb’s prelicensure BSN options are designed for applicants who have already completed college work: Upper Division requires 54 transferable credits, while the Accelerated option is for students holding a bachelor’s degree outside nursing. Applicants may begin the process with up to three prerequisites still outstanding if they meet the applicable minimum GPA requirement. The RN-to-BSN route instead requires prior nursing education and registered-nurse preparation. For fall 2026, the general application page listed July 31, 2026, as the deadline and September 7, 2026, as the class start. For spring 2027, it listed November 30, 2026, and January 11, 2027. These dates do not govern every program: nurse anesthesia uses a separate March 1 deadline, and some graduate tracks list rolling admission. Applicants should use the page for their exact concentration before acting on any general date. Graduate requirements vary but commonly reflect the professional level of the program. For example, listed advanced-practice admissions requirements can include a BSN from an appropriately accredited institution, an active RN license, a minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA, relevant clinical experience, transcripts, references, and a personal statement. The PhD has distinct academic, writing, recommendation, licensure, and research-interest requirements. Accepted students must also complete health and compliance steps such as required immunizations and screenings before enrollment.

Goldfarb’s undergraduate portfolio is built around the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The Upper Division option is intended for transfer students with 54 college credits and is structured as a 20-month route. Students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree can pursue the intensive 12-month Accelerated BSN. A 36-month Weekend/Evening option accommodates students needing a part-time schedule, although clinical placements may occur on different days or evenings according to site availability. Licensed registered nurses can complete the RN-to-BSN curriculum online, with the school describing it as a one-year pathway. Graduate study serves BSN- and MSN-prepared nurses. Offerings include MSN pathways, postgraduate certificates, and DNP concentrations spanning advanced practice and leadership fields. The doctoral portfolio includes nurse anesthesia, nurse-practitioner and leadership pathways, a postgraduate DNP, and a PhD in Nursing Science offered collaboratively with WashU Medicine. The PhD connects research, clinical practice, and teaching and can be pursued full-time or part-time. Applicants should verify the current entry term and delivery format for their exact concentration because requirements and schedules vary substantially. Goldfarb Hall contains classrooms, study areas, faculty research space, and the Clinical Simulation Institute. Official partnership information says most Upper Division and Accelerated BSN students complete clinical rotations at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Nurse anesthesia students also train through the WashU Medicine Department of Anesthesiology partnership. The academic model therefore combines nursing coursework, simulation, and supervised clinical experience rather than offering a conventional menu of unrelated majors.

Key Highlights

• Private nonprofit, independently accredited nursing college
• Institutional nursing lineage dates to 1902
• HLC reaffirmation is scheduled for 2029–2030
• Located within the Washington University Medical Campus

Student Life & Environment

Student life at Goldfarb reflects a compact professional-school environment. Engagement opportunities include peer tutoring, peer mentorship through the Goldfarb Guide program, a student ambassador program, clubs and organizations, community service, and the Tau Iota Chapter of Sigma for eligible nursing students. These activities emphasize academic support, professional leadership, and connection among students balancing coursework and clinical responsibilities. Academic and student-support services include advising, tutoring, library resources, disability services, information-technology support, and career assistance. Career services works with students individually, in groups, and through workshops and events. Available support covers nursing-career exploration, employer connections, mentoring and shadowing, résumés, interviews, job searches, and assistance related to NCLEX applications. Goldfarb does not provide on-campus housing. Students must therefore arrange housing and transportation independently, making commute time and living costs important planning considerations. The school’s year-round, three-term structure can also shape daily life differently from a traditional two-semester residential college. Prospective students should expect their schedule and campus involvement to revolve heavily around nursing classes, laboratories, simulation, clinical placements, and professional preparation rather than residence-hall programming or varsity athletics.

Location & Surroundings

Goldfarb Hall is at 4483 Duncan Avenue in St. Louis’s Central West End, on the Washington University Medical Campus. The immediate academic and clinical area includes Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, WashU Medicine, and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. This concentration of healthcare institutions places nursing students close to major clinical partners and medical research activity. The campus is within walking distance of Forest Park, whose museums, zoo, science center, performance venue, paths, and recreation facilities broaden the options available outside class. The Central West End also offers restaurants, services, and housing, although students should compare neighborhoods based on price, commute, and clinical schedules rather than assume they can live on campus. Public transportation is a practical option for some commuters. The Central West End MetroLink station is a short walk from the college and provides connections toward downtown, Illinois, and St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Visitor garages are available near Goldfarb Hall, but students should consult the college for current parking arrangements and costs.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, Goldfarb lists BSN tuition at $789 per credit and RN-to-BSN tuition at $475 per credit. MSN, postgraduate-certificate, and DNP tuition is listed at $834 per credit, with additional program and course charges applying in some tracks. Because credits, fees, surcharges, and clinical requirements differ, prospective students should calculate costs from the curriculum for their specific pathway rather than multiply a single rate across programs. The school’s official 12-month cost-of-attendance budgets illustrate the difference between tuition and total financial planning. For 2026–2027, estimated totals include $76,341 for an Upper Division student living off campus and $90,877 for an Accelerated student living off campus. Corresponding estimates for students living with a parent are lower. These figures combine direct charges with estimated living, transportation, books, supplies, and equipment expenses; they are financial-aid budgets, not amounts billed entirely by the college. Goldfarb provides no campus housing. Students can explore federal and institutional aid, scholarships, loans, work-study, military benefits, and BJC employee tuition benefits. The BJC Full-Ride Scholars Program may cover qualifying tuition and fees for eligible Upper Division or Accelerated BSN applicants, but candidates should verify eligibility and obligations directly. Career preparation is specifically nursing-focused. Services include employer connections, mentoring, shadowing, NCLEX application support, résumé development, interview preparation, and job-search guidance. Clinical exposure through Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and other healthcare partners can help students understand different practice settings, but the reviewed sources do not support a specific placement rate, starting salary, or guaranteed employment outcome.