Abilene, Texas Schools

ACU Profile

Abilene Christian University is the premier university for the education of Christ-centered, global leaders, offering an exceptional education to about 4,600 students annually from nearly every state and 43 nations. This private, comprehensive university, founded in 1906 in Abilene, Texas, offers 71 baccalaureate majors in more than 125 areas of undergraduate study in addition to its graduate programs. Abilene is a friendly city of 117,000 people, located about 150 miles west of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. As an educational center for a large region, Abilene provides cultural, entertainment and support programs and services normally associated with cities twice its size.

Our Mission

Our mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.  

Our Promise

ACU is a vibrant, innovative, Christ-centered community that engages students in authentic spiritual and intellectual growth, equipping them to make a real difference in the world.

Our 21st-Century Vision

By 2020, ACU will become the premier university for the education of Christ-centered, global leaders.

Our Religious Heritage

Established by members of the Churches of Christ, ACU maintains a strong relationship with these independently governed congregations around the world. Since its founding, the university has welcomed all students of character and ability who value the university’s strong Christian environment and exceptional learning environment.  Required daily chapel and required Bible courses contribute to the open acknowledgment of Christian faith as an important aspect of the lives of most ACU students.  All faculty, staff, administrators and members of the Board of Trustees are Christians.

Quick Facts

• Selective, private, master's-level university founded in 1906 in Abilene, Texas
• Graduates accepted into medical schools at a rate more than twice the national average
• Graduates accepted into law schools at a rate of more than 90 percent
• One of only six church-affiliated universities that have a journalism program accredited by ACEJMC   
• Undergraduates included in significant faculty research projects
• All full-time undergraduate students are provided an iPhone or iPod touch as part of ACU's award-winning mobile-learning initiative
• Majority of students actively volunteer in the community
• All-Christian faculty personally interested in students' studies and lives
• Students may choose from 71 baccalaureate majors that include more than 125 areas of study, 25 master's degree programs and one doctoral program
• Career network of 86,000 ACU alumni in every state and 109 countries
• Annual enrollment of about 4,700 students from across the U.S. and about 40 nations
• 64 national athletics team championships
• Beautiful, 250-acre, modern campus 180 miles west of Dallas/Fort Worth area

Our Students and Faculty

About 4,600 students, including 800 graduate students, come to ACU from nearly every state and 43 nations.  We have a diverse and global environment, which we believe enriches student learning. Our students are served by more than 245 full-time faculty members who focus on high-quality teaching, scholarship and service. More than 97 percent of tenure-track faculty hold terminal degrees. The student/faculty ratio is 15:1. The faculty and administrators are actively involved as leaders and presenters in many national professional associations, and ACU is an active member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

The university includes the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Biblical Studies, Business Administration, Education and Human Services; the Graduate School; the Graduate School of Theology; the School of Information Technology and Computing; the School of Social Work; and a School of Nursing. High-tech classrooms, computer labs in the residence halls, full wireless Internet across campus, and ACU’s innovative mobile-learning initiative guarantee our students are prepared for the fast-paced technological world of today.

The university offers generous merit scholarships to incoming students with exceptional academic records and demonstrated leadership skills, and ACU attracts some of the nation's brightest students who want to study in a Christian environment. Students have found that the small classes taught by talented, caring faculty members provide them an advantage when they search for jobs after graduation or apply to graduate schools. Because ACU's professors know their students so well and often serve as mentors, they are able to provide excellent references to medical schools, law schools, graduate programs and future employers.

Exceptional Academics

At ACU, students experience some rare opportunities to prepare for their future careers. In the physics program, undergraduate students regularly participate with faculty members at national nuclear physics laboratories and make national and international presentations. Most universities only allow graduate students to participate in this high-level work. In the journalism program, students produce a twice-weekly newspaper that has received All-American honors every year since 1975.

Communication majors regularly win national debate competitions against large, prestigious universities. English students win highly competitive writing competitions. Business majors travel to Colorado for a unique leadership institute. The College of Business Administration is accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The university includes the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Biblical Studies, Business Administration, Education and Human Services, the Graduate School, the Graduate School of Theology, the School of Information Technology and Computing, the School of Social Work, and the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing.  High-tech classrooms, computer labs in the residence halls, fast Internet connections, email access as an incoming student and much more guarantee our students are prepared for the fast-paced technological world of today.

Abilene Christian University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Ga. 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of ACU. 

Academic Resources

Margaret and Herman Brown Library is at the heart of ACU's academic program. It includes the innovative Learning Commons, the Adams Center for Teaching and Learning, the Writing Center, the Speaking Center, and the AT&T Learning Studio. The university's Learning Studio and Learning Commons provide innovative spaces for students to collaborate and acquire skills to use the latest technology. ACU's award-winning mobile-earning initiative helps ensure cutting-edge technology is an integral part of each student's education.

Brown Library holds more than 1.5 million volumes and 1 million microforms held by ACU and other members of the Abilene Library Consortium. Students also can access more than 20,000 journals.

ACU is a depository library for U.S. Government Documents. The library's Special Collections department includes rare books and Bibles, manuscripts, and archival materials. The Center for Restoration Studies, headquartered in the library, is a magnet for church history scholars.

Distinctive Academic Environment

ACU places great value on the dynamic relationship that should exist between professors and their students. U.S. News & World Report honors ACU for "an unusual commitment to undergraduate teaching" and ranks it as the No. 1 “Up and Coming” university in the West Region.

Many institutions rely extensively on graduate assistants. Not ACU. All our courses are taught by qualified faculty members. And when professors work on research projects, you can usually find undergraduates by their side, a rarity elsewhere.

How do we know this philosophy works? Because each year, some of the nation's top businesses come to our campus to interview because they know ACU students have the education and preparation needed to succeed.

Outstanding faculty. Great facilities. Good jobs and graduate school. They're all the result of ACU's uncommon commitment to teaching and learning. ACU prepares its graduates for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

Student Life

As a residential campus, ACU is alive with activities from concerts and comedians to weeknight devotionals and poetry readings. Many students participate in intramural sports, men's and women's social clubs, Spring Break mission campaigns, and the annual Sing Song performance event.  Almost 100 campus organizations give students many venues for involvement and leadership. ACU also provides opportunities to study abroad in several different countries. The university is located in Abilene, Texas, an All-America City of 117,000 people with a variety of social, religious, athletic and cultural activities. Abilene is a safe, fun place to live – all the amenities without the hassles of a mega-city.

Health, Wellness and Recreation

The $21 million Royce and Pam Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center is a focal point on campus. Designed to encourage wellness of the whole individual - body, mind and spirit - it includes the ACU Medical and Counseling Center and is the home of a dynamic intramural program with championship and recreational leagues for students of all interests and abilities

Athletics

As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA Division II) and the Lone Star Conference, ACU competes in football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s tennis, women's soccer and women’s softball. During the past decade, ACU has consistently been ranked by the Learfield Director's Cup competition as having one of the best NCAA Division II athletics programs in the nation.

Successful Alumni

Graduates of ACU have become best-selling Christian authors, ministers, members of Congress, state judges, big-city mayors, researchers, Hollywood movie producers, teachers and superintendents, top Nashville musicians and music producers, distinguished university professors, business owners, nationally renowned physicians, Pulitzer Prize winners, and winners of Emmy, Telly, Dove, Grammy, Inventor of the Year and Teacher of the Year awards.  We believe our 86,000 alumni make a real difference in the world in positive ways every day.

Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, Texas

Founded in 1891 by a dedicated group of ministers, ranchers, and merchants, Hardin-Simmons University continues its commitment to developing the minds and nurturing the spiritual lives of its students. HSU, a private university located in Abilene, Texas, has been affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas since 1941. HSU provides an academically challenging undergraduate education based on a liberal arts foundation, and advances scholarly growth by offering specialized graduate and professional degree programs. Combining its commitment to academic excellence and a concern for the development of the total person with a distinctive Christian perspective, Hardin-Simmons serves students through quality educational programs designed to provide An Education Enlightened by Faith.

McMurry University Abilene, Texas

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