Fairfield University: Distribution Of Students Across Majors

Fairfield University is a private Jesuit university in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded in 1942 and has since expanded to offer 43 majors and 19 minors for undergraduate students, as well as 41 different graduate programs. The university is divided into five schools and colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and Human Development, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, and the School of Engineering. In 2022, the most popular bachelor's degree concentrations at Fairfield University were Registered Nursing, General Finance, and General Marketing & Marketing Management. The university had a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,968 students in the fall of 2023, with a student-faculty ratio of 12:1.

Nursing

The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The program prepares students to take the NCLEX examination for licensure as a registered nurse. The curriculum combines classroom instruction with clinical practice, providing a well-rounded education for future nurses.

The nursing curriculum at Fairfield University covers a range of topics, including human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, calculus, statistics, and nursing theory. Students also gain hands-on experience through clinical placements at various facilities, such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and community health centers. The school has partnerships with numerous clinical sites to ensure students receive the clinical experience they need.

In addition to their nursing courses, students are required to complete the Magis Core Curriculum, which includes courses in areas such as rhetoric, composition, literature, and visual and performing arts. This well-rounded approach ensures that graduates have a strong foundation in the liberal arts and are prepared to provide holistic care to their future patients.

Fairfield University's nursing program is known for its small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and simulation-focused approach to teaching. The program fosters the development of critical thinking skills, social awareness, and professional values, preparing students to become compassionate and competent nurses. The university also offers an Accelerated Second Degree Nursing program for those who already hold a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, allowing them to earn a second bachelor's degree in nursing in just 15 months.

Finance

The Finance program at the Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University is designed to develop individual competency in the financial theory and tools necessary to conduct sound financial analysis. The program blends financial theory and practice through lectures, case studies, and computer-based problem-solving and simulation. The business core coursework includes accounting and financial reporting, business organisation, production and operations, management, marketing, information systems, business law, and ethics.

The finance major builds upon a solid foundation in math and statistics, economics, and accounting. Finance electives provide for the study of more specialised topics within financial management and investments, such as financial modelling, futures and options, portfolio analysis, and real estate. All finance majors complete a capstone experience in their final semester that synthesises their business and finance knowledge in analysing case studies in a wide variety of applications.

In 2022, 183 degrees were awarded in General Finance, making it the second most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Fairfield University. The same year, the university had a total of 6,019 enrolled students.

Marketing

Fairfield University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing, which combines various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, art, statistics and analytics. The marketing major at Fairfield University is ranked #11 by College Factual, placing it in the top 5% of the country in this field of study. It is also ranked #1 in Connecticut.

The Dolan School of Business offers a 51-credit major in marketing, where students examine the exchange processes by which consumers and organisations satisfy their needs and wants. Marketing majors learn about consumer behaviour, the motivation of sales personnel, the impact of advertising and communication on the potential consumer, market research techniques, and the role of marketing in the digital environment.

Students can further specialise by choosing one of three concentrations: Marketing Communications, Digital and Social Media Marketing, and Fashion Marketing. The Fashion Marketing concentration is offered in collaboration with Florence University of the Arts, where students take four marketing electives and participate in an experiential learning course, including an internship.

The marketing curriculum at Fairfield University covers a range of courses, including Principles of Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Sales and Sales Management, Advertising, Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Sports Marketing, Marketing Research, Marketing Channels, Business-to-Business Marketing, Media Strategy, Public Relations Strategy, Brand Management, and Global Marketing Strategy.

Fairfield's proximity to a thriving business community provides students with opportunities for internships and introductions to the business world. Graduates have found jobs in various industries, including technology, fashion, media, sports, entertainment, and marketing research.

Accounting

The accounting program at Fairfield University's Charles F. Dolan School of Business offers a liberal arts education with a modern and integrated approach to business studies. The curriculum underlines the role of accounting in all business enterprises, and students learn the technical and conceptual knowledge to develop, measure, analyse and validate financial information.

The program prepares students for a range of accounting careers, with many graduates taking positions in public accounting, corporations, governments and not-for-profit organisations. The university's proximity to New York City and several Fortune 500 companies means students can take advantage of internships with international firms or smaller non-profit organisations.

The accounting major requires 51 credits, including courses such as:

• Introduction to Financial Accounting
• Introduction to Managerial Accounting
• Intermediate Accounting I and II
• Federal Income Taxation I
• Accounting Analytics
• Role of Money and Accounting in Society
• Standalone Accounting Systems: Development and Use
• Enterprise-wide Accounting Systems: Design and Control
• Data Analytics in Accounting and Taxation
• Cost Management
• Auditing
• Individual Taxation: Socioeconomic Applications
• Advanced Accounting

Fairfield University ranks highly for its accounting program, placing in the top 5% of the country for this field of study. In the 2021-2022 academic year, 121 bachelor's degrees in accounting were awarded, with 55% going to men and 45% to women. The majority of graduates were white (77%). Bachelor's graduates go on to earn a median salary of $71,747, which is higher than the national median for accounting graduates.

Communication

Course Structure

The Communication major at Fairfield University is a 33-credit course, consisting of 11 three-credit courses. Students must complete a set of six required courses known as "Communication Foundations", before choosing five additional courses that align with their interests. The foundational courses are:

• Human Communication Theories
• Argument and Advocacy
• Mass Media and Society
• Interpersonal Communication Theories
• Communication Research Methods
• Capstone: Research Projects in Communication

Course Content

Career Prospects

A major in Communication prepares students for careers in a variety of industries, as well as for graduate study. Fairfield University graduates are attractive to employers due to their intensive coursework, internship experience, and broad liberal education. Some of the fields that Fairfield alumni have gone on to work in include:

• Communication training
• Copy editing, design, and creative services
• Corporate/Organisational communication
• Educational leadership and communication
• Environmental communication
• Health communication/administration
• Marketing and consumer research
• Public information and policy
• Social and human services
• Strategic communication

Frequently asked questions