Sacred Heart University

A culture that builds character. A curriculum that launches careers. Strategic growth that powers the region. Alumni who inspire the world.

These are the essential components of SHU’s forward leading spirit. You’ll see that spirit every day in the engagement of your fellow students, the passion and commitment of your professors, and the confidence and competence you’ll find within yourself.

Our career-focused, liberal arts-based academic programs provide students with the intellectual and orofessional fuel they need to build lives of achievement and value.

> That’s forward.

Our strategic, entrepreneurial growth—and the capacity for partnerships that come with it— provides fuel for the economic and cultural development of the region.

> That’s leading.

Our intentionally cultivated community—informed by our Catholic values and defined by its level of inclusion and support—is fuel for civic engagement and spiritual growth.

> That’s spirit.

SHU has a history of putting students first. We were founded in 1963 to serve the needs of aspiring college students in Fairfield. Since then, our relentless focus on our mission has led us to become the fastest growing and most forward-looking Catholic university in the country.

The History of Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University was founded in 1963 by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, second bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, to provide an institution of higher education that would serve the people of the diocese and region, regardless of sex, race, creed or religion. In October 1962, Bishop Curtis announced both the plan to open a college the following September, and its name, “Sacred Heart.” The choice of the name had a dual origin: it was the name of the bishop’s first pastorate in Bloomfield, N.J., and was a pledge from the bishop attesting to the value of such an institution.

Signs of the University’s growth and vibrancy are evident. Enrollment has risen from the original class of fewer than 200 undergraduate students to over 9,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students. Over the years, Sacred Heart has grown to become the second-largest Catholic university in New England and, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, one of the fastest-growing Catholic Universities in the country.

The University has enhanced the undergraduate student experience in many notable ways. In 1990, it accepted, for the first time, students who wanted the residential experience. It now has 12 residential areas, with approximately 92 percent of first-year students and 57 percent of all undergraduates residing in University housing.

‌New degree programs and majors in relevant disciplines are regularly added to our curriculum, and the University now offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its main campus in Fairfield, Conn., and satellites in Stamford, Luxembourg and Ireland. The University consists of six colleges and three schools: College of Arts & Sciences, School of Communication, Media & the Arts, School of Social Work, School of Computer Science and Engineering, the AACSB-accredited Jack Welch College of Business & Technology, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing, Isabelle Farrington College of Education and St. Vincent's College.

The Princeton Review's 2019 guidebook, The Best 384 Colleges, places SHU among its top 20 colleges for “Happiest Students” and “Students Most Engaged in Community Service” while U.S. News & World Report’s guidebook, Best Colleges 2019, reports Sacred Heart as one of the best universities in the North. This is partly due to the University's remarkable expansion, innovation and growth over the last decade.

The University offers Division I athletics with 32 varsity teams. The William H. Pitt Athletic and Convocation Center is the exclusive domain of the D-1 athletes. The Bobby Valentine Heath & Recreation Center is the state-of-the-art recreation center open to all students and includes a suspended track, bowling lanes and a climbing wall.

The campus currently comprises more than 300 acres of land, including The Great River 18-Hole Golf Course and the former global headquarters of General Electric, which is now SHU’s West Campus. West Campus currently houses the College of Education and College of Business & Technology, including the School of Computer Science & Engineering and the new hospitality, resort and tourism program. West Campus is an innovative campus with an IDEA Lab for engineering students and incubator space where business students can work with local business people on projects.

‌The Frank and Marisa Martire Center for the Liberal Arts is the current home of the School of Communication, Media & the Arts. Our newest academic building, The Center for Healthcare Education, opened in the fall of 2017 with 117,000 square feet of exceptional laboratory and learning facilities. In addition, the campus boasts two new residence halls. ‌Located in the heart of campus, Jorge Bergoglio Hall houses over 200 students in two-bedroom pods with a shared bathroom. And located in our newly constructed Upper Quad, Pierre Toussaint Hall, formerly known as the Jewish Home property, is a new residential village that includes student housing, an old fashioned-themed dining hall, JP’s Diner, and other dining options.

An ever-widening outreach to the community balances the University’s commitment to academic excellence. More than 1,500 students, faculty and staff members volunteer in excess of 100,000 hours to community service each year.

To read more about our history, download "1963", by Michael W. Higgins, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought.

Mission & History

Founded in 1963 as an independent, Catholic University by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport
The first Catholic University in America to be led and staffed by lay people
Contemporary in spirit and thinking and rooted in the liberal arts and Catholic intellectual traditions, with a mission to educate the whole person while preparing students to lead and serve in the world today
National Recognition

The Princeton Review: The Best 384 Colleges, Best 294 Business Schools, #17 Happiest Students, #19 Most Engaged in Community Service and a Top 50 Game Design School
U.S. News & World Report: Among the Top Universities in the North, Best Value Schools in the North, Best Undergraduate Business Programs and Best Colleges for Veterans
Colleges of Distinction: Selection as a College of Distinction with special designation as a Career Development College of Distinction
Bloomberg Business Week: Best Undergraduate Business Schools
Students & Alumni

8,958 total students: 5,130 full-time undergraduates, 844 part-time undergraduates, 2,984 full- and part-time graduate students
For the 2018-19 school year, undergraduate and graduate students hailed from 48 states, District of Columbia, plus two U.S. territories and more than 40 countries
Fall 2018 freshman class: 1,463 students from 26 states and 10 countries; 92% live on campus; 3.5 average GPA
Fall 2018 freshman class selected from 10,614 applications; 62% of applicants offered admission
There are over 44,000 living Sacred Heart University Alumni
There are 2,072 married alumni couples
387 alumni have had siblings also graduate from SHU
SHU has a graduate from 57 countries
Academic Excellence

More than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs, including online degree programs, in six distinct colleges and two schools:
College of Arts & Sciences
Ever-evolving programs like neuroscience and biochemistry and the home of a nationally-recognized core curriculum
School of Communication, Media & the Arts
Artists and communicators utilize professional-level facilities and equipment under the direction of industry experts
School of Social Work
Graduate and undergraduate programs in social work at Sacred Heart Universit have become leading programs in the region in this fast growing and competitive field
School of Computer Science and Engineering
Programs such as cybersecurity, game design & development, computer engineering address the interplay between artificial intelligence, analytics, business and technology
College of Health Professions
Degree programs from the Bachelor’s through Doctoral levels, including accelerated undergraduate/graduate programs such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training, all with access to top clinical placements
Dr. Susan L. Davis, RN, & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing
Undergraduate and graduate programs online and on-ground; Competitive BSN program with outstanding outcomes including a 100% NCLEX pass rate for the Class of 2018
Isabelle Farrington College of Education
The leading private educator of certified teachers and school administrators in Connecticut
Jack Welch College of Business & Technology
AACSB-accredited and featuring the Welch Experience, a unique approach to business education and professional development
St. Vincent’s College, Sacred Heart University
Associate degree programs in Nursing and Radiography as well as certificate programs
13:1 student-to-faculty ratio
Average class size of 22 students
Over 60 study abroad programs in 30 countries around the world, including SHU campuses in Luxembourg and Dingle, Ireland; Students complete clinical service hours, capstone projects or service learning hours globally in locations such as Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Uganda and India
Accelerated Bachelor’s – Master’s Degree programs offered across disciplines for incoming freshmen
The only American-accredited MBA program in Luxembourg
Athletics

Sacred Heart University Pioneers field 32 NCAA Division I athletic teams, 29 intercollegiate club sports teams and an intramural program
D-I program has won the Northeast Conference (NEC) Overall, Men’s or Women’s Commissioner’s Cup eight times in ten years
Varsity student-athletes earned a combined GPA of 3.34 for the 2017-2018 academic year
Commitment to Service

Over 100,000 hours of service performed annually in Connecticut, nationally and around the world
100+ partnerships with non-profit organizations, social service agencies, and schools in the Greater Bridgeport area
More than 20 tutoring and mentoring programs connect SHU volunteers to the Bridgeport public school system and other area schools
International service learning opportunities in locations such as Bangladesh, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Luxembourg, Italy, Ireland and Nicaragua
Award-winning campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity
Varsity Athletics earned the 2018 Connecticut Governor’s Tourism Volunteer of the Year Award, with SHU student-athletes contributing over 8,700 hours of service
Growing, Global Campus

Main campus located in Fairfield, Connecticut, less than 60 miles from Manhattan and approximately 150 miles from Boston
The main campus sits on more than 100 acres, with an additional 200 nearby acres including a University-owned golf course, and West Campus – the former General Electric world headquarters and home to many SHU STEM programs
Over 2.2 million square feet of building space
Satellite campus in Stamford, Connecticut (Physician Assistant Program) and Griswold, Connecticut (graduate education programs)
International campuses in Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland and the European business center of Luxembourg
Signature buildings and facilities include:

WSHU Broadcast Center
Home to acclaimed NPR member station WSHU which broadcasts news and information programs, locally produced classical music, unique entertainment and regional news coverage

Center for Healthcare Education
Opened in 2017 featuring the latest technology and learning resources for health professions and nursing students

West Campus Innovation Center
A new IDEA Lab, a place for collaborative innovation, exploration and learning, will feature 10,000 square feet of the finest equipment and resources for students such as metal and wood stations, 3D printers, laser cutters, drones and classroom studios for interactive learning

Bobby Valentine Health & Recreation Center
Opening Fall 2019 and featuring a climbing wall, fitness center, indoor track, bowling center and more

Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts
Presenting a wide variety of lectures and theatrical, musical and dance performances for the campus and the greater community

JP's Diner
The first on-campus diner in New England

Student Life

Residential Life in residence halls and complexes on campus including two recently-opened halls; Two additional residence halls currently under construction on the upper quad; Additional leased facilities near the main provide additional options for upperclass students
Performing Arts program in Instrumental Music, Theatre Arts, Choir and Dance, as well as a major in Theatre Arts
Over 100 social, academic, leadership, service, media, multicultural and performing arts clubs and organizations
Greek life program with fifteen fraternities and sororities and over 1,800 student members
Programs and resources to support the spiritual growth of students regardless of religion affiliation; Campus Ministry program for students to experience the Catholic tradition and celebrate their faith.