Abilene Christian University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a medium-sized city.

Overview

Abilene Christian University, also referred to as ACU, is located in Abilene, Texas. The private university, established in 1906, was originally known as Childers Classical Institute. ACU enrolls more than 5,000 students annually including large number of international students. There are many degree and certificate programs offered by the university as well as online courses. The university has various schools including:

• School of Information Technology and Computing
• School of Nursing
• School of Social Work

The university has several student organizations referred to as Social Clubs which include Sigma Theta Chi, Gamma Sigma Phi, Delta Theta and Frater Sodalis. Students also participate in sports such as basketball, soccer and baseball.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Churches of Christ religious affiliation.
• Many students concentrating in religion and philosophy, media, liberal arts, fine arts, and drama and performing arts.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.
• Number of dorm rooms for students.
• Large number of students.
• Selective admissions.
• Superior share of faculty on tenure track.

School characteristics:

• The school is private, not-for-profit.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Masters Colleges and Universities I.

Features of note:

• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students have meal (board) plans.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Part-time classes are available.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to Abilene Christian:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 4,669 in 2009-2010 (4,592 full-time equivalent).

About 47% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 53% of the class.

Undergrads are 80% of enrolled students and graduate students are 20%.

Students under 25 years old represent 83% of the student body. About 5% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 100% are full-time and 0% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

Abilene Christian provides on-campus housing for 1,856 of its 4,592 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 21 meals weekly.

Athletics

School sports include football, basketball, baseball, and track. The school is in the Lone Star Conference for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 128 male students received the aid (men were 65% of those receiving aid) and 68 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 35% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

Abilene Christian offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Other Than Research or Professional Practice).

Graduate offerings include continuing professional education.The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Single Doctoral (Other Then Education).

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT (3 awarded)

• Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations

ANIMAL SCIENCE AND CARE (2 awarded)

• Animal Sciences

ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING (1 awarded)

• Architecture and Related Services

ART STUDIES (0 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (204 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Finance
• Information Resources Management/CIO Training
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing/Marketing Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (4 awarded)

• Computer Science

CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (1 awarded)

• Environmental Science

DESIGN (10 awarded)

• Interior Design

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (17 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (125 awarded)

• Art Teacher Education
• Biology Teacher Education
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• English/Language Arts Teacher Education
• Foreign Language Teacher Education
• Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
• History Teacher Education
• Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Music Teacher Education
• Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
• Reading Teacher Education
• Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Social Studies Teacher Education
• Special Education and Teaching

ENGINEERING (4 awarded)

• Engineering Physics
• Engineering Science

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN (2 awarded)

• Industrial Technology/Technician

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (42 awarded)

• Family Systems
• Human Development and Family Studies
• Social Work

FINE ARTS (30 awarded)

• Fine Arts and Art Studies
• Fine/Studio Arts

LANDSCAPING AND HORTICULTURE (0 awarded)

• Range Science and Management

LIBERAL ARTS (223 awarded)

• English Language and Literature
• History
• International/Global Studies
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
• Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Political Science and Government
• Social Sciences
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature
• Speech and Rhetorical Studies

MATHEMATICS (6 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (82 awarded)

• Broadcast Journalism
• Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
• Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
• Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
• Journalism
• Photojournalism
• Public Relations/Image Management

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (42 awarded)

• Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist

MEDICINE (7 awarded)

• Gerontology
• Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
• Pre-Veterinary Studies

MUSIC (6 awarded)

• Music
• Piano and Organ
• Voice and Opera

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (23 awarded)

• Family Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner
• Nursing Administration (MSN, MS, PhD)
• Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (43 awarded)

• Dietetics/Dietitian (RD)
• Health and Physical Education
• Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (0 awarded)

• Commercial and Advertising Art

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (98 awarded)

• Bible/Biblical Studies
• Divinity/Ministry (BD, MDiv)
• Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology
• Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
• Pastoral Studies/Counseling
• Theology and Religious Vocations
• Youth Ministry

SCIENCE (56 awarded)

• Biochemistry
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (10 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (82 awarded)

• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling
• Psychology
• School Psychology