Abilene Christian University

The Churches of Christ and their teachings are a great part of Abilene Christian University. Our university offers students a Christian setting with high quality education. At ACU, required Bible courses and daily chapel contribute to the open acknowledgment of Christian faith as a vital aspect in the lives of most students. All staff, faculty, administrators and members of the Board of Trustees are practicing Christians.

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Fast Facts

• Located in Abilene, Texas, we are a selective, private, master's-level university founded in 1906.
• Graduates are accepted into medical schools at a rate more than twice the national average
• Graduates are accepted into law schools at a rate of more than 90 percent.
• One of only 13 private universities in the nation with accredited journalism program
• Undergraduate inclusion in significant faculty research projects
• Ranked fourth among 700 colleges and universities across the country for investment performance for the 12 months ending June 30, 2006
• Strong spirit of community involvement and volunteerism among students
• All-Christian faculty show personal interest in students' studies and lives
• Students may choose from 61 baccalaureate majors that include more than 100 areas of study, 26 master's degree programs and one doctoral program
• Career network of 86,000 ACU alumni in every state and 109 countries
• Annual enrollment of 4,800 students from across the U.S. and 60 nations
• 59 championships in national athletics
• Beautiful 208-acre modern campus 180 miles west of Dallas/Fort Worth area

Master of Science degree in Organizational and Human Resource Development (OHRD)

The Organizational and Human Resource Development Program is designed for students who want to gain an appreciation for diversity and have an interest in becoming decision makers skilled in strategic planning, conflict resolution, and critical thinking. The courses on OHRD focus on persuation, social change, leadership qualities of teams, human resource development, intercultural communications, organizational behavior, mediation, and theory related to conflict resolution.

The Master of Science degree in Organizational and Human Resource Development (OHRD) consists of 36 hours of study in the practical application of organizational, cultural, and human systems to the leadership, management, and administration of human resources. Put simply, the degree is an interdisciplinary program in human resource management and organizational leadership incorporating psychology, communication, and business/management sciences.

The main objective of this degree program is to provide an advanced degree combining knowledge from diverse fields into a flexible yet focused plan of study useful to leaders in all organizations. This program is committed to applying the study of cultural, group, and individual issues to meet the special needs of those in the professional community such as administrators, managers, military officers, trainers, government leaders, and others.

Some of the key features of a M.S. in Organizational and Human Resource Development for holders of the degree include: development of leadership skills with multiple applications, adaptation of models to diverse organizational settings, maximaization of career mobility, and breadth in understanding human behavior.

This program is designed to deliver content-based as well as experiential learning that purposely considers and integrates the role of Christian faith in an organizational and human resources development professional's work.

When you finish this program you will have a basis of good knowledge in areas like:

• Organizational systems
• Cultural systems
• Human systems relationships
• Human behavior
• Adapting models to diverse organizational settings