Abilene Christian University

What you'll study

The degree comprises 36 credit hours split into communications (12 credits), management science (6 credits), and conflict management (18 credits). Coursework emphasizes psychology-based theories and real-world application through recent research and established management methods. Typical course topics and skills include:

• Leadership foundations and self-assessment in leadership
• Change management and strategies for building learning organizations
• Intercultural competence for leading diverse and global workforces
• Training and development: designing, developing, and evaluating HR training programs
• Human resources management and the role of HR in organizations
• Organizational characteristics such as motivation, culture, ethics, and decision-making
• Interpersonal conflict: communication, emotions, identity, and workplace issues
• Negotiation techniques: essential skills, bias recognition, and managing conflicting parties
• Conflict resolution tools and applications, including sociopolitical and communication theories

Entry requirements

Applicants must submit an online application with a processing fee, official transcripts showing a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent, a current resume, and meet a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A personal or telephone interview may be requested. Fast Lane admission requires a minimum 3.25 undergraduate or graduate GPA, a two-page typed purpose statement demonstrating availability to devote 30+ hours per week to study, and recommendations may be requested by the program director.

Career prospects

The program is geared toward corporate executives, nonprofit directors, department heads, general managers, training and development managers, HR professionals, and administrative professionals across government, healthcare, and other sectors. Common job titles listed by the program include Chief Operations Officer, Training and Development Manager, Organizational Development Consultant, small business owner, and nonprofit organization professional. The program materials also reference Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of roughly 9% growth for management professionals between 2020 and 2030.

Scholarships & funding angle

ACU offers a Locked‑In Tuition feature that guarantees the same per‑credit tuition rate for the duration of the graduate degree. Beyond that, prospective students should consult ACU’s financial aid office and program pages for current scholarship, assistantship, and aid opportunities; specific awards or amounts are not detailed on the program page.