Mar 17, 2015 06:20 PM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Abilene Christian University (ACU) in Texas will expand its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with a new campus and several new graduate programs, school officials announced.

"The Metroplex expansion is part of a strategic plan to diversify and extend ACU's reach," president Dr. Phil Schubert said in a statement. "It allows us to serve a greater number of students who are seeking online and graduate degrees, particularly those students who want a degree from a Christian perspective."  

Some of the key programs that will launch out of the new campus are Master of Marriage and Family Therapy, Certificate in Medical Family Therapy and Master of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

The university currently operates at CitySquare on North Akard Street in downtown Dallas, which allows both undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to apply their learning in real-life situations. ACU students have won awards, including a global Design for Change award, and have been lauded by community leaders for their efforts to solve problems associated with poverty in urban settings while working alongside staff for the nonprofit CitySquare organization.

This new endeavor will build upon the university's presence in the Metroplex by extending online and graduate offerings to a broader demographic. The site will provide a home base for an expanded selection of online degrees and also will allow for evening, weekend and short courses to be taught on-site. Most of the programs will be offered online or in a hybrid (online with residency) format. ACU will offer a limited number of programs that are face to face as opportunity arises in the future.

Two new leadership roles have been created to lead the effort. Dr. Stephen Johnson, vice president of academic affairs for ACU Dallas, will move to the Metroplex to lead the new site alongside Jay Goin, executive vice president for ACU Dallas.  

"The new location will offer our sizable alumni base - including those who are working full time -- convenient access to graduate degrees as well as reaching new students in the Metroplex who are seeking an exceptional, Christ-centered graduate school experience," Schubert said.

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