Mid-American Christian University
Encyclopedia
Mid-America Christian University (MACU) is a liberal arts college
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
. MACU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission
and the Oklahoma Commission on Teacher Preparation. As the Gulf Coast Bible College it was previously located in the Houston Heights, Houston, Texas
.
programs and ministry education. The university extends over 25 major fields of study at the graduate and undergraduate level, leading to an Associate's Degree
, Bachelor's Degree
, or a Master's Degree
.
The C. E. Brown Library participates in the OK-Share card system provided by the Oklahoma Council of Academic Library Directors (OCALD).
(NAIA)and the National Christian College Athletic Association
(NCCAA). Men's sports offered at MACU include Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, and Soccer. Women's sports offered at MACU include Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball.
The institution, now known as MACU, was founded on September 14, 1953, as the South Texas Bible Institute in Houston, Texas
. It was chartered as a center for higher education
. Dr. Max R. Gaulke established the institution with the help of the First Church of God.
In the fall of 1955, the curriculum of the institution was expanded to that of a four-year university and the name was changed to Gulf Coast Bible College. In 1966, Gulf-Coast Bible College became an associate member of the American Association of Bible Colleges
and was granted full membership in 1968. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
, the regional accrediting association, granted full accreditation
in 1978.
The Gulf Coast Bible College became a general agency of the Church of God (Anderson)
in June 1968. The Executive Council of the Church of God accepted the college as a member organization. Additionally, the college also was granted membership on the Commission on Higher Education of the Church of God.
When the college was in the Houston Heights, it tried to establish a campus by buying houses and tearing them down. In 1984 the university announced that it was moving to Oklahoma City
. Not all of the officials wanted to move to Oklahoma.
In September 1984 Odus Eubank, the vice president for academic affairs said that he did not want to go to Oklahoma. He resigned in the northern hemisphere spring of 1985. The Gulf Coast Bible College relocated to Oklahoma City in June 1985, and changed its name to Mid-America Bible College. Eubank formed the Christian College of America
of Houston with other pastors.
As of August 1985 the Heights campus was still for sale.
The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
has accredited the college. The institution adopted its current name, Mid-America Christian University in 2003.
MACU recently set university enrollment records with 1,447 students attending classes.
MACU offers six dormitory buildings for on-campus living. Each dormitory includes a living area and four bedrooms, all equipped with high-speed Internet and cable television.
MACU had it third consecutive year in 2010 with over 100 new students enrolling in classes.
Across all departments, MACU has over 223 ministry students enrolled, which is the largest enrollment of ministry majors among Church of God colleges and universities.
MACU joined the Sooner Athletic Conference in 2007 as a full-time member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
In just three years, MACU has seen a 335 percent increase in enrollment in graduate programs with a record 321 students in spring 2011.
The women's soccer team finished third in the NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference with a record of 16-2-1 for the fall 2010 season. The head soccer coaches were awarded the distinguished honor of Sooner Athletic Conference Coaches of the Year.
MACU offers scholarships in 8 athletic sports. MACU teams compete as members of the NAIA baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, and volleyball.
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. MACU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Higher Learning Commission oversees the accreditation of degree-granting colleges and universities in nineteen Midwestern and South-Central states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa,...
and the Oklahoma Commission on Teacher Preparation. As the Gulf Coast Bible College it was previously located in the Houston Heights, Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Mission statement
Mid-America Christian University equips students to impact their world for Christ through achieving Bible-based academic excellence in a Christian environment, so that students professionally serve in their chosen vocation/ministry.Academics
MACU offers Bible-based liberal artsLiberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
programs and ministry education. The university extends over 25 major fields of study at the graduate and undergraduate level, leading to an Associate's Degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
, Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, or a Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
.
Campus
The university campus consists of eight buildings set on a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) plot. The main building has nearly two acres under the same roof. The college auditorium has the capacity of 670 seats, which is used for chapel, assemblies, and other special sessions.Library
The Charles Ewing Brown Library, located on campus, offers the students and faculty access to resources for use in academic research as well as for personal pleasure. The Library's collection contains over 166,800 volumes, including: over 41,100 print book and periodical titles, over 58,200 electronic book titles, over 15,400 online periodical titles, and over 4,100 online government documents. It seats over 150 students and has 33 computer stations, two meeting rooms, and an Education Resource Center for students in the School of Teacher Education.The C. E. Brown Library participates in the OK-Share card system provided by the Oklahoma Council of Academic Library Directors (OCALD).
Athletics
MACU is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate AthleticsNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
(NAIA)and the National Christian College Athletic Association
National Christian College Athletic Association
The National Christian College Athletic Association is an association of approximately 100 Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada which see collegiate sports primarily as an opportunity for Christian fellowship and ministry. The national headquarters...
(NCCAA). Men's sports offered at MACU include Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, and Soccer. Women's sports offered at MACU include Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball.
History
| South Texas Bible Institute | Established | 1953 |
| Gulf Coast Bible College | Renamed | 1955 |
| Gulf Coast Bible College | Accredited | 1978 |
| Mid-America Bible College | Relocated and Renamed | 1985 |
| Mid-America Christian University | Renamed | 2003 |
The institution, now known as MACU, was founded on September 14, 1953, as the South Texas Bible Institute in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. It was chartered as a center for higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
. Dr. Max R. Gaulke established the institution with the help of the First Church of God.
In the fall of 1955, the curriculum of the institution was expanded to that of a four-year university and the name was changed to Gulf Coast Bible College. In 1966, Gulf-Coast Bible College became an associate member of the American Association of Bible Colleges
The Association for Biblical Higher Education
The Association for Biblical Higher Education or ABHE is a nationally recognized accrediting agency in the United States. It is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
and was granted full membership in 1968. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
, the regional accrediting association, granted full accreditation
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
in 1978.
The Gulf Coast Bible College became a general agency of the Church of God (Anderson)
Church of God (Anderson)
The Church of God is a holiness Christian body with roots in Wesleyan pietism and also in the restorationist traditions. Founded in 1881 by Daniel Sidney Warner, the church claims 1,170,143 adherents...
in June 1968. The Executive Council of the Church of God accepted the college as a member organization. Additionally, the college also was granted membership on the Commission on Higher Education of the Church of God.
When the college was in the Houston Heights, it tried to establish a campus by buying houses and tearing them down. In 1984 the university announced that it was moving to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. Not all of the officials wanted to move to Oklahoma.
In September 1984 Odus Eubank, the vice president for academic affairs said that he did not want to go to Oklahoma. He resigned in the northern hemisphere spring of 1985. The Gulf Coast Bible College relocated to Oklahoma City in June 1985, and changed its name to Mid-America Bible College. Eubank formed the Christian College of America
Christian College of America
Christian College of America was an all-denomination Christian college in Houston, Texas.-History:In 1984 Gulf Coast Bible College announced it was leaving Houston and moving to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Odus Eubank, the vice president for academic affairs, told the president of Gulf Coast in...
of Houston with other pastors.
As of August 1985 the Heights campus was still for sale.
The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
has accredited the college. The institution adopted its current name, Mid-America Christian University in 2003.
MACU recently set university enrollment records with 1,447 students attending classes.
MACU offers six dormitory buildings for on-campus living. Each dormitory includes a living area and four bedrooms, all equipped with high-speed Internet and cable television.
MACU had it third consecutive year in 2010 with over 100 new students enrolling in classes.
Across all departments, MACU has over 223 ministry students enrolled, which is the largest enrollment of ministry majors among Church of God colleges and universities.
MACU joined the Sooner Athletic Conference in 2007 as a full-time member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
In just three years, MACU has seen a 335 percent increase in enrollment in graduate programs with a record 321 students in spring 2011.
The women's soccer team finished third in the NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference with a record of 16-2-1 for the fall 2010 season. The head soccer coaches were awarded the distinguished honor of Sooner Athletic Conference Coaches of the Year.
MACU offers scholarships in 8 athletic sports. MACU teams compete as members of the NAIA baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, and volleyball.
External links
- www.macu.edu -- the official MACU website
- www.macuathletics.com -- the official MACU Athletics website