Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University, contemporary in spirit and thinking, is rooted in the liberal arts and Catholic intellectual traditions. Our mission is to educate the whole person while preparing students to lead and serve in the world today.

The Catholic intellectual tradition, a rigorous and interdisciplinary search for truth and wisdom, forms the cornerstone of all University life and welcomes people from all faiths and cultures.

The liberal arts form the foundation of the University’s academic and professional programs. A liberal arts educationprovides students with the intellectual abilities and practical skills essential for every professional and career path and is the basis for forming educated citizens in an inclusive, globally-connected society.

As a Catholic university, inspired by the Gospel of love and mercy, Sacred Heart is particularly committed to social justice and encourages its students, faculty and staff to respect the dignity of every person, to promote the common good and to serve others, especially the poor and suffering.

The true worth of your Sacred Heart experience won’t be measured by facts we teach you or skills you acquire while you are here. It won’t be something that we give you.

At Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT we believe that inquiry, pursuing knowledge and intelligent reflection – both inside and outside the classroom – create greater opportunities and choices. We challenge you to be fearless in your curiosity and courageous in your service to others.

We are passionate about the role we play in helping you reveal your true potential. The discovery of your own talents, abilities, strengths, character and dreams is the most valuable outcome we strive for as educators and mentors.

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 approximately 8,500 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 11 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 two schools: College of Arts & Sciences, School of Communication, Media & the Arts; School of Computer Science and Engineering, the AACSB-accredited Jack Welch College of Business, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing, Isabelle Farrington College of Education and St. Vincent's College. Sacred Heart was recently ranked Top 4 most innovative university as well as one of the best universities in the North, according to U.S. News & World Report’s guidebook, Best Colleges 2018. This is partly due to the University's remarkable expansion, innovation and growth over the last decade.