AT A GLANCE
LOCATION: New England campus in
Fairfield, Connecticut
FOUNDED: 1963
AFFILIATION: Private, four-year, coeducational Catholic university
STANDARD: Competitive
STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO: 13:1
STUDENT GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: All 50 states and 40 countries
ENROLLMENT: Approximately 5,200 full-time undergraduates; over 9,000 total students; 93% of freshmen living on campus
ACADEMICS: More than 80 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing, Farrington College of Education, St. Vincent's College, and Welch College of Business and Technology
Benefits to Visual Arts at Sacred Heart
Make Meaningful Real-World Connections
• Access to digital design laboratory with state-of-the-art computers, audiovisual design studio, and the latest wireless technology, prints, scanners and software
• Five art studios dedicated to work in graphic design, illustration, painting, figure drawing, and foundational arts
• Professionally active faculty members
• Study abroad opportunities
• Student Art Club
• Art and Design Gallery Exhibitions—a venue providing a showcase for collaboration between local, regional, national, and international talent as well as the enormous talent of university faculty and staff.
• Internship program—an opportunity to work with nationally-recognized companies in the area and abroad. We work to see that every qualified student earns a professional internship by their senior year, with some students beginning internships as juniors. These internships usually entail about 10 hours of work every week.
• Senior Portfolio Night—the highlight of Art and Design students’ academic career. A formal event for seniors to share their portfolios, conduct both real and practice interviews, and meet and greet hundreds of guests, including the leading design, advertising and marketing companies in Fairfield County, home to some of the most prestigious companies of this type in the nation.
Location
SHU’s location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, means proximity to world-class hospitals, nationally ranked elementary and secondary schools, a high concentration of Fortune 500 corporations, and access to the employers in Connecticut’s “creative corridor,” along with a central location between New York City and Boston.
Campus life
The SHU student body thrives on involvement outside the classroom, including 32 NCAA Division I sports; 29 club sports; a vibrant performing arts program with band and orchestra, dance, theatre, and choir; Greek life in 14 organizations with more than 1,800 students; media groups; and more than 90 clubs and organizations.
Endorsements
National and international recognition includes a top-tier U.S. News & World Report ranking, including the #4 “Most Innovative School in the North”; The Princeton Review’s “Best Colleges,” “Best Business Schools,” and #10 “Happiest Students”; Bloomberg Businessweek’s “Best Business Schools”; and selection by Colleges of Distinction.
Internships and job placement
Many majors at SHU require an internship for graduation, and SHU’s extensive network of recruitment partners allows for students in all majors to gain experience through internships, field placements, and practicums. Students also intern in New York City throughout the school year and in their home states during summer breaks. Approximately 98% of our graduating seniors are attending top graduate and professional schools nationwide or are employed in full-time positions within the first year following graduation.
The Catholic tradition
As the second-largest Catholic university in New England, SHU provides students with an education rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition. The spiritual heart of the campus is the stunning Chapel of the Holy Spirit, which provides a place of celebration and gathering for people of all faiths.
Buildings and facilities
On the heels of opening the Center for Healthcare Education, two new residence halls, and an on-campus diner, the Bobby Valentine Health & Recreation Center opened in August 2019, two additional residence halls will open in January 2020, and SHU has begun three more residence halls and dining areas. An engineering makerspace and an artificial intelligence lab were completed in fall 2019.
Earn Your Degree in Art and Design at Sacred Heart University
The Art and Design department prepares students to become artists and designers who are knowledgeable, educated, compassionate, responsive to social and civic obligations, and able to respond to an ever-changing world.
The ideal location, near New York City and within the world-class design community of Fairfield County, Connecticut, provides students with unprecedented support and inspiration. Internships and a career-launching Senior Portfolio Night give students the experience and connections to find continued success in art.
Concentrations
All students in the Art and Design program take foundational coursework in digital visual communication design and traditional fine arts. Students may choose a major or minor from the following concentrations:
Graphic Design: Study typography, layout, computer graphics, multimedia, motion, web design, illustration, painting and drawing.
Illustration: Learn several aspects of illustration, including editorial and storyboard art, as well as fantasy and graphic novel art.
Studio Art: Focus on drawing, painting, figure drawing, methods and materials.
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