Goodwin University is a career-focused private university that was founded in 1999, although it actually began as Data Institute Business School in 1962. In 2004, the college transitioned to a nonprofit institution of higher education accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
In 2005, Goodwin College initiated a major project to construct a new campus along the Connecticut River in East Hartford. In 2008, Goodwin College began offering baccalaureate programs. In 2020, Goodwin College rebranded itself as Goodwin University, and a year later it also acquired the University of Bridgeport.
The growing Goodwin University campus now encompasses three schools:
- the School of Applied Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- the School of Business, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing
- the School of Nursing and Health Professions
Goodwin University is an innovative learning community that empowers hard-working students to fully realize their potential to become sought-after employees. Goodwin University serves a diverse student population, the average age of which is 29. Female students make up 82% of the student body. While Goodwin programs are tailored to address the needs of employers, they are shaped to fit the lives of students first and foremost.
In that spirit, service to students is central to the Goodwin mission. Goodwin has embraced Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as its central teaching philosophy, removing traditional obstacles to learning and re-thinking the ways that all learners are able to demonstrate their knowledge and comprehension. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which is amazingly low for a university.
Students have access to a variety of tools to help them excel, including tutoring and career placement services. Not everyone will need access to 24/7 online biology tutoring, childcare, career placement assistance, a food bank, or extra help in math, but it’s nice to know all of these (and a whole lot more) are available in case you do.
Goodwin University’s degrees and certificates are designed to allow students to meet their goals at an accelerated pace, including the potential to earn a bachelor’s degree in as little as three years for full-time students. Goodwin offers three academic sessions each year for faster degree completion, and part-time and working students benefit from a full range of evening and weekend course offerings.
Degrees may be flexibly layered across certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s programs in a variety of in-demand fields such as Computer-Aided Design, CNC Machining, Advanced Manufacturing, Mechatronics, Robotics, Welding, Business Administration, Quality Management, Criminal Justice, Funeral Service, Health Science, Dental Hygiene, and Nursing.
Operating under an open enrollment model, Goodwin seeks to admit all students who have academic potential, regardless of past performance. The admissions application asks if you have a high school diploma, home school diploma, or GED.
In service to the greater community, the Goodwin University campus is also home to three popular magnet schools; i.e., public schools offering special instruction and programs not available elsewhere, typically focused on a particular theme:
- Connecticut River Academy – an early college and sustainability-themed magnet high school
- Pathways Academy of Design and Technology – a design and technology-themed magnet high school
- Riverside Magnet School – a Reggio Emilia-themed magnet elementary school
Students enrolled in the Goodwin University Magnet School System can earn over 35 transferable college credits while still in high school — all at no tuition cost, making their continuing education more affordable.