Sacred Heart University

Fairfield, Connecticut flag United States

Sacred Heart University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. Sacred Heart was founded in 1963. Sacred Heart is the second-largest Catholic university in New England, behind Boston College, and offers more than 70 degree programs to over 8,500 students at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.

Sacred Heart University believes that inquiry, pursuing knowledge and intelligent reflection – both inside and outside the classroom – create greater opportunities and choices. The University challenges its students to be fearless in their curiosity and courageous in their service to others. Sacred Heart is dedicated to the holistic development of its students through active, engaged learning including research, internships, clinical placements, independent study, service learning, work-study and study abroad programs.

Rankings

		Rankings
	U.S. News & World Report list of National Universities (2020)	218

Academics

Sacred Heart University offers 229 degree programs including

We teach our students how to think and be ethical citizens. We teach our students to be inquisitive and to challenge us and each other. We teach them how to think and to be ethical citizens. Through our own work, we teach the value of research. Seven schools include College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication & Media Arts; School of Computing; Jack Welch College of Business; Isabelle Farrington College of Education; College of Health Professions; and the College of Nursing.

The most popular majors at Sacred Heart University include: Business, Management, Marketing; Health Professions; Psychology; Communication, Journalism; and Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 82 percent.

Campus and Community

Sacred Heart University comprises more than 300 acres of land, including an 18-hole golf course and the former global headquarters of General Electric. The main campus of the University sits on more than 100 acres in Fairfield-- located less than 60 miles from Manhattan and approximately 150 miles from Boston. The University-owned golf course is in Milford/Orange, Conn. It is a signature Tommy Fazio-designed facility that has been ranked fourth-best in Connecticut by Golf.com. The recently acquired West Campus will be used as an innovation campus to expand the School of Computing and develop STEM field programs. Certain elements of the Jack Welch College of Business, including the new hospitality management program, the Isabelle Farrington College of Education, and the University’s business office will be moved to the site.

New developments on campus include: new student commons building, a new building for the Jack Welch College of Business and the School of Communication & Media Arts, a new Health and Wellness Center, a Student Success Center, and a new residence hall -- Bergoglio Hall.

Fairfield, Connecticut is a town of 60,000 bordering the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Weston, and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. Money magazine once ranked Fairfield the ninth-best place to live in the United States, and the best place to live in the Northeast. Local Points of interest include: The Audubon Society Sanctuary, art museums, and five miles of coastline with public beaches and marinas.

Student Life

SHU offers a wide variety of competitive club sports and intramural athletics for the undergraduate student body. There are currently 26 active club sports teams that provide students with the opportunity to compete against other schools and universities, improve athletic ability, and make new friends.

Sacred Heart University offers over 60 student-run clubs and organizations to all undergraduates on campus. These clubs present students with opportunities to meet fellow students who share similar interests, to connect with faculty and staff outside of the classroom, and to become more connected to the Sacred Heart community. These groups hold weekly, sometimes bi-weekly meetings, and they focus on making an impact on the campus related to their club's purpose. Some samples of clubs include the Fashion Club, The Philosophy Club, Capoeira Club, and the Multicultural Council.

Housing and Dining

Residential Life offers you more than just a place where you study and sleep. Your Residence Hall is a living and learning community designed to help you grow in all aspects of your life at one of the top liberal arts schools. The residential halls are an extension of the classroom and where students will spend their other time while at college. Students find that the residential halls are their home away from home. While living in the same location as their classmates and peers, relationships form that could last a lifetime. Students at Sacred Heart University will share a hallway, a bathroom and a bedroom. All Freshmen students will live in well-developed communities with a great deal of staff/student interaction. The staff is readily available for the residential population, and will keep a close eye on the needs of every individual. Centrally located to the heart of campus, Seton Hall, Merton Hall, and Roncalli Hall house the entire freshman residential class in double and triple occupancy rooms.

Sacred Heart has eight dining locations on campus that accept the meal plan cards. ‘63s is the all-you-can-eat dining hall. All students living in Merton, Seton, and Roncalli halls will be assigned the Big Red Plan (130 meals per semester). Other meal plans are available from 60 meals per semester to 33 meals per week.

Sports Programs

The Sacred Heart Pioneers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the Northeast Conference (NEC), Atlantic Hockey, Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), and the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA). The NEC is the school's primary conference. Nearly 800 students participate in the university's 32 athletic teams (18 female teams and 14 male teams) along with more than 500 students who participate in 23 Club Sports.