Sacred Heart University - Overview
With Five Colleges and Over Forty-Five Majors, Sacred Heart Has Something For Everyone
Sacred Heart University was founded nearly 50 years ago by members of the Catholic clergy, and the campus of this coeducational private university is situated on approximately 69 acres of suburban land. The undergraduate student body of 4,200 students is roughly 60 percent female and 40 percent male. There is a great population of college students in the area as a whole, as there are 6 other campuses nearby in the greater Connecticut area, including those in Stamford, Trumbull, and Griswold.
There are currently over 45 major areas of concentration for students to pursue at Sacred Heart, with several colleges within the system, including the College of Health Professions, NCATE Accredited Isabelle Farrington School of Education, AACSB Accredited John F. Welch College of Business, and the College of Arts & Sciences. It is the mission of the university to support every undergraduate student in a concerted effort to achieve academic and professional success. Therefore, the school holds a strong belief in providing intimate attention to everyone who attends.
Majors at Sacred Heart range from computer science, to foreign languages and cultures, to religious studies, and include many more. The most popular fields of study are business, education, human movement and sport science, communications and media studies, psychology, physical therapy, and nursing. Also, many professional programs are offered as well, such as pre-veterinary, pre-medical, and pre-law, among others. Sacred Heart University's physical therapy program is ranked number one in Connecticut, and in the top-5 in New England.
A Great Student-to-Faculty Member Ratio Ensures Rigorous Support for Learning
The university maintains a remarkable student-to-faculty member ratio of 13:1, one of the lowest in the country, and an average class size of 21 students. This enables significant and direct interaction, teaching, and support between faculty members and the students.
Additional learning support is found through a laptop computer, which every student has the opportunity to purchase through Sacred Heart. Laptops purchased in this way will be fully supported by the university. The entire campus grounds have been enabled with WiFi to allow all students and other computer users to remain wirelessly and actively connected to the university computer networks and the Internet.
There are several notable alumni who have attended and graduated from Sacred Heart, including long-time regular "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kevin Nealon, the double primetime Emmy Award-nominated actor John Ratzenberger from the hit TV series "Cheers," and NFL player Jon Corto.
Work-Study Programs and Financial Aid Enable Many Students to Reduce their Tuition Fees
SHU offers a traditional work-study program for those students who need to earn extra income on campus while they study. This financial aid is provided by the federal government, similar to other forms of aid. There are several internship opportunities for undergraduate students who attend Sacred Heart, ranging from working with the Boston Red Sox to captive wildlife study at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium. Many of these enable students to earn full course credit while studying and participating on professional levels in their chosen fields.
Applying Online to Sacred Heart Can Save Time
Students can apply directly to Sacred Heart University online through the common application. By creating an online account, prospective students are able to fill out their entire applications and provide supplemental information, such as long form essay files, teacher recommendations, transcripts, and other pertinent information. Financial aid applications are to be filled out separately online through the financial aid department.
There Are Sports for Everyone at Sacred Heart University
There are 31 Division-I sports, 28 club sports, and intramurals based on campus. Over a thousand students participate in one of these sports programs throughout the year.
There is an Endless Variety of Things to Do Near Sacred Heart's Campus in Neighboring Stamford and Metropolitan NYC
Sacred Heart University is located in the suburban town of Fairfield along Connecticut's northeast coast. Fairfield has been hailed by Money Magazine as one of the finest places to live in the United States, and it has one of the lowest crime rates and highest per capita incomes in the country.
With a rich history dating back over 350 years, Fairfield has seen a tremendous amount of growth and history. There are many things to do for enrolled students and their guests, both off campus and in neighboring towns. Down the road is an excellent exhibition on Native American baseball players at the Stamford Museum. In Bridgeport, a hands-on exhibition about modern technology called the "Robot Carnival features almost a dozen interactive stations for visitors. In addition, there is a sculptural exhibition entitled "life, Celebrating Renewal in Changing Times" running in New Fairfield.
There seem to be more restaurants in the New England area than just about any place in the US. Students can enjoy waterfront views and excellent seafood at Splash, eat well while having fun at the Melting Pot fondue restaurant, or savor the multicultural dishes of Myrna's Authentic Mediterranean Bistro, amongst scores of others.
Of course, metropolitan New York City is only fifty miles south of campus, where the best shows on Broadway can be seen, the pulse of the nightlife can be felt from the Lower East Side to the Lincoln Center, and every flavor known to man can be found.