Quick Facts about Fairfield University: 2007-2008

We're Fairfield University - a Catholic, Jesuit institution rooted in one of the world's oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions.

We believe that college is about big questions, urgent problems, complicated ideas, unlimited possibilities.

We believe that college is a community - the kind where people keep their doors open, take time for each other, come together to talk, debate, search, share, celebrate.

We believe that living and learning aren't two separate activities. They're part of a coherent whole.

We believe that education has a practical, tangible value - that it should reach out, embrace the world, serve human needs, work for the common good.

The University's Six Schools

College of Arts and Sciences
Charles F. Dolan School of Business (AACSB-accredited)
School of Engineering (ABET-accredited)
School of Nursing (CCNE-accredited)
Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions
University College

Academic Programs

34 undergraduate majors and 16 interdisciplinary minors
33 graduate programs leading to a Master's degree or certification
More than 300 credit and non-credit courses offered each year by University College

Student Enrollment

Undergraduate students: 3941, including 642 enrolled in University College
Full-time entering Freshmen: 842
Graduate students: 994 (235 full-time and 759 part-time)
Fairfield's students represent 32 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 45 foreign countries

Diversity

13% of our undergraduate students are African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American (AHANA), or multiracial
AHANA students comprise 16% of the Class of 2011
Each incoming AHANA student is paired with a faculty, staff, or alumnus/a mentor to provide a personal touchstone and a source of encouragement, guidance, and understanding

Faculty

94% of our 239 full-time faculty members hold the highest degree in their field
Undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 13-to-1

Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, 2007-08

Tuition: $33,340
Room and Board: $10,430
Fees: $565

(Graduate tuition and fees vary by program.)

Undergraduate Admission Deadlines

Early Action: November 15
Regular decision: January 15
Transfer: November 15 (for spring semester) / May 1 (for fall semester)

(Graduate admission deadlines vary by program.)

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For 2007-08, Fairfield University awarded more than $29 million of its own funds in scholarships and financial aid to students
Approximately 70 percent of the incoming Class of 2011 receive scholarships or financial aid from the University; more than 50 percent receive need-based aid

Student Activities

80 student clubs and organizations
20 NCAA Division I varsity teams; 9 men's and 11 women's sports; extensive intramural and club sports programs
42% of undergraduates take local and national internships
Half of the graduating seniors have been involved in service work
Nearly one-third of students are engaged each year in volunteer programs, serving in communities in nearby cities and abroad

Campus and Housing

Scenic campus of 200 rolling acres with 36 buildings
Located on the Connecticut coast, an hour from New York City
Thomas J. Walsh Jr. Athletic Center boasts an athletic academic center and 4,200 square foot weight room; Alumni Hall hosts games and practice
Multiple fields, outdoor track, outdoor/indoor tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts; Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport is home to men's and women's basketball
Student housing includes 8 residence halls and 105 townhouse units; undergraduates are guaranteed campus housing for four years

Study Abroad

40 percent of Fairfield's graduating seniors have studied abroad
Fairfield University offers study abroad programs in Australia, Ireland, Italy, and Nicaragua, and exchange programs in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, and Japan
Students may also participate in programs administered by Fairfield University affiliates, giving students a choice of 50 sites for study abroad

Class of 2006

Six months after graduation, more than 88 percent secured full-time professional employment, admission to graduate degree programs, or positions with volunteer organizations; 4 percent of graduates pursued one-year service programs
Average salary is $43,529 (excluding bonuses). Nearly half of the class accepted offers of more than $45,000
30 percent got jobs through campus recruiting; 24 percent through internships

Recognition for Excellence

Ranked number 2 among universities in the North with master's degree programs by U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges 2008"
Listed in the most recent editions of The Princeton Review's Best 361 Colleges; Fiske Guide to Colleges; Barron's Profiles of American Colleges; and Peterson's 440 Colleges for Top Students
The Charles F. Dolan School of Business included in The Princeton Review's Best 282 Business Schools for 2007
Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa and 20 additional honor societies
53 Fulbright Scholars since 1993
Fairfield's Literacy Volunteer Program has been designated a model program by the Corporation of National Service
Fairfield has received several consecutive major awards from the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness
Fairfield students were cited over peers at 600 colleges and universities nationwide for outstanding participation in the Hunger Cleanup

History and Growth

Founded in 1942 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
First class, with 303 male undergraduates, admitted in 1947
Fully accredited member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) since 1953
Women were admitted to all undergraduate programs in 1970
Now a coeducational university with six distinct schools and more than 5,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing studies programs
More than 40,000 living alumni worldwide

Updated 07/31/08