Sacred Heart University

Overview

Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University (SHU) is a private, Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded in 1963 by Bishop Walter W. Curtis of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. It is the first American Catholic higher education institution to be operated by laypeople. Recognized as one of the premier national universities, SHU is known for its programs in business, nursing, education, and MBA.

Sacred Heart University Key Statistics

The university comprises three schools and six colleges offering over 80 undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and certificate programs. Some of these academic units are Isabelle Farrington College of Education, Dr. Susan L. Davis, RN, & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing, Jack Welch College of Business & Technology, and the School of Communication, Media & the Arts. SHU also offers online degree programs.

Sacred Heart University's student population is approximately 8,540, with 5,428 undergraduates and 3,104 postgraduates and doctoral candidates. It employs 802 academic staff across its campus locations. With its main Fairfield campus, the university has seven local and foreign locations, including the Griswold Campus, Stamford Campus, and the Dingle, County Kerry Campus in Ireland.

Other Sacred Heart University key statistics are its various campus facilities. These include residence halls, a wellness center, a counseling center, and the Bobby Valentine Health & Recreation Center. It also houses the Jandrisevits Learning Center, a bookstore, the Community Theatre, and the SHU Library.

The university is affiliated with various academic organizations, including the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Council of Independent Colleges.

Sacred Heart University Research

The university focuses on faculty-mentored student research. It conducts the annual Academic Festival to present all research-related milestones and activities to the SHU community. Its research projects are funded internally and externally, such as by the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities.

The top fields of Sacred Heart University research are medicine, psychology, and materials science. Its research outputs have been published in prestigious journals like Social Science Research Network, Journal of Athletic Training, and Creativity and Innovation Management.

Its researchers have attended major scholarly conferences such as ITiCSE: Integrating Technology into Computer Science Education, ALT: Algorithmic Learning Theory, and LISAT: Long Island Systems, Applications and Technology Conference.

The most cited Sacred Heart University research publication is Frustaci et al.'s (2000) “Myocardial cell death in human diabetes.” This article was published in Circulation Research and has received 992 citations to date.

The university’s second most cited publication is Taylor et al.'s (2011) “Friends, fans, and followers: Do ads work on social networks?” which appeared in the Journal of Advertising Research and has been cited 932 times.

Moreover, the university’s third most cited publication is LaFontana and Cillessen’s (2002) “Children's perceptions of popular and unpopular peers: a multimethod assessment,” which was featured in Developmental Psychology and has received 891 citations.

In addition, the university is home to several research centers and institutes. These include the Center for Excellence & Innovation in Teaching, the Discovery Science Center & Planetarium, iHub: Verizon & SHU Innovation Center, and the Institute for Public Policy & Civic Engagement.

You can also learn more about the educational performance of Sacred Heart University in our ranking of US universities & colleges.