ACU has had a long history of offering courses in computer-related technology. As early as 1962, the Business Department at what was then Abilene Christian College offered one or two courses in business data processing. The Mathematics Department got into the act in 1965 when it began to offer a computer programming lab. Over the years, the focus on computing continued to develop in both departments. Mr. Dwight Caughfield was the champion in the Mathematics Department, while Dr. Charles Small was the main impetus behind computing in Business.
Since those early days there has been a natural ebb and flow of programs and course offerings reflecting market demand for graduates, as well as availability of instructional resources. The Mathematics Department began offering its first major in math/scientific computing about 1976, and a full bachelor’s degree in computer science beginning in 1980. In 1982 the computer science faculty formed a separate department, which existed until 2000, when it was once again merged with the mathematics department.
Similarly, the Business Department began offering an emphasis in business computer science in 1978 and a full major in computer information systems (IS) within the College of Business in 1983. However, in the late 1990s, demand for IS graduates began to wane; and when the College of Business began to streamline its offerings in preparation for accreditation by AACSB International, IS course offerings were gradually curtailed, and in 1999 the formal program was dropped.
Mirroring the trend at other schools, computer science enrollment at ACU has historically been stable but comparatively small. Since the conception of the School of Information Technology and Computing, however, the number of students with degrees in computing-related majors has jumped dramatically. Entering freshmen in these majors quintupled between 2004 and 2007. The strongest enrollment growth is in the area of information technology, again following trends in the marketplace.
Increased demand for graduates in high-tech disciplines, as well as the pervasiveness of computer technology in all aspects of life, has brought renewed interest at ACU in technology oriented programs. Through the School of Information Technology and Computing, ACU is able to leverage its resources campus-wide to provide students with the best possible training in these exciting fields.
