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Growth Initiatives

Vanderbilt in San Francisco

Vanderbilt University plans to establish an academic campus in San Francisco beginning in 2027, subject to necessary regulatory approvals, marking a significant expansion of the university’s national presence and reinforcing its commitment to innovative education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global engagement.

Photo of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA
Section Contents

Expanding our U.S. Presence

Vanderbilt’s planned San Francisco campus expects to serve about 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students and support sustained faculty, staff and academic activity. It represents the next step in Vanderbilt’s strategic growth and builds on the university’s recent expansions in New York City and West Palm Beach by extending Vanderbilt’s distinctive academic model into one of the world’s leading centers of creativity, technology and entrepreneurship. 

Building on San Francisco’s long-standing role as a center for innovation and entrepreneurship and creativity, Vanderbilt’s interdisciplinary model will integrate engineering, entrepreneurship and design with a strong foundation in the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences—blending creativity and analysis in ways that ignite breakthroughs and allow innovation to thrive. In San Francisco, Vanderbilt will define a new approach to innovation in higher education, cultivating visionary creators and inventive thinkers who are prepared to make a difference in the Bay Area and beyond. The new campus also will educate artists, makers and designers whose work bridges creative expression and technological innovation, preparing graduates to translate ideas into cultural, civic and real-world impact. Students will gain immersive learning experiences rooted in one of the world’s most dynamic urban environments.

Academic programming is in development and will undergo the appropriate accrediting bodies’ review and approval processes.

Learn more about Vanderbilt University–San Francisco.

  • photo of San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background
  • aerial photo of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
  • photo of the streetcar in San Francisco

Faculty Advisory Committee

Faculty engagement and shared governance will be central to the development of Vanderbilt’s San Francisco campus. A faculty advisory committee, chaired by Jonathan Metzl of the College of Arts and Science, is working closely with university leadership to help shape the academic vision, guiding principles and pathways for academic programming. Consistent with Vanderbilt’s shared governance processes, all academic programs will undergo appropriate faculty review and approval, as well as review by relevant accrediting and regulatory bodies. 

The committee members are:

  • Maria Magdalena “Magda” Campos-Pons, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Art, College of Arts and Science 
  • Kevin Galloway, Research Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering 
  • Major Jackson, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of English, Director of Creative Writing, College of Arts and Science 
  • Shaul Kelner, Professor of Jewish Studies and Sociology, Associate Professor of Culture, Advocacy and Leadership and German, Russian and East European Studies, College of Arts and Science 
  • Jonathan Metzl, Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Psychiatry, College of Arts and Science, committee chair 
  • Vesna Pavlović, Paul E. Schwab Professor in Fine Arts, Chair of the Department of Art, College of Arts and Science 
  • Nilanjan Sarkar, Senior Associate Dean and Vice Dean of the School of Engineering, David K. Wilson Professor of Engineering, Professor of Computer Science, School of Engineering and College of Connected Computing 
  • Julian Wuerth, Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Associate Professor of Philosophy, College of Arts and Science 
  • Catherine Loss (ex officio), Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of the Practice of Leadership, Policy and Organizations, Peabody College 
  • Tiffiny Tung (ex officio), Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Ingram Professor in Anthropology, College of Arts and Science 
  • Duane Watson (ex officio), Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Frank W. Mayborn Chair Professor of Peabody College, Director of Cognitive Training, College of Arts and Science and Peabody College 

FAQs

  • Why San Francisco?

    San Francisco is at the intersection of creativity, technology and culture. Its innovation economy, entrepreneurial ecosystem and global influence make it a compelling environment for Vanderbilt to extend its academic mission and provide students with immersive learning opportunities tied directly to industry, design and emerging technologies.

  • Where will the campus be located?

    Vanderbilt and the California College of the Arts (CCA) have agreed that CCA will contribute its campus to Vanderbilt after the wind-down of CCA’s operations, subject to customary regulatory and other transactional requirements.

  • When will Vanderbilt begin operating in San Francisco?

    Vanderbilt anticipates opening the San Francisco campus for students in the fall of 2027, pending necessary approvals by regulatory bodies and other processes.

  • Is this a study-away program or a full-time campus?

    The San Francisco campus will be a full-time Vanderbilt campus. Vanderbilt does anticipate offering study-away and immersive academic opportunities in San Francisco for students who are primarily based at other Vanderbilt campuses.

  • How will undergraduate students apply to Vanderbilt University–San Francisco?

    Undergraduate students will apply directly to the San Francisco campus through one of the existing application platforms and specify one of the expected academic programs/majors. The application process will clearly indicate that students are applying to a program based in San Francisco while remaining part of Vanderbilt’s overall undergraduate admissions framework. More details on the undergraduate admissions process are forthcoming.

  • How does this expansion align with Vanderbilt’s long-term strategy?

    Vanderbilt’s expansion into San Francisco reflects the university’s long-term commitment to academic excellence, interdisciplinary innovation and national engagement. The initiative extends Vanderbilt’s educational model into environments where creativity, technology and culture converge, creating new opportunities for learning, discovery and real-world impact. 
     
    Through expected academic programs in innovation and art and design, Vanderbilt is advancing a values-driven approach to higher education that blends rigorous academics with hands-on, interdisciplinary learning, while remaining firmly rooted in Vanderbilt’s mission and academic standards.

  • Will Vanderbilt faculty have a role in shaping plans for the San Francisco campus?

    Yes. A faculty advisory council has been established to provide input on the academic programming plans for the San Francisco campus. There will also be listening sessions with additional groups of faculty, providing more opportunities to hear their ideas and feedback.

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