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General Information

TCU is a major teaching and research university with the person-centered environment that typifies private universities. While accomplishing its mission, "To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community," the University provides a unique "TCU Experience," giving students an uncommon balance of at least four factors:

TCU offers the strengths and choices of a major university tempered with the true humanity of a small college and works to develop and nourish the individual talents of each student.

TCU is a friendly, caring community. The University's teacher-scholars conduct and publish research, but their primary focus is teaching and mentoring. Professional staff members strive to be national leaders in their fields of expertise. TCU students, too, are uncommon and impressive ‹ well-rounded individuals with high potential for success and leadership.

TCU has a special church relationship. TCU is not a Bible college as people often think of that term. However, the University takes pride in its historic relationship with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which has always stressed a broad interpretation and respect for faith traditions. TCU does not seek to impose a particular religious point of view, but challenges each student to consider what he or she believes.

TCU's emphasis on the development of the individual takes place in a liberal arts-centered education that is global in the broadest sense of the word. TCU is global in the way it develops curriculum, in the myriad opportunities it offers for study-abroad and in the way its faculty, staff and students think about the future and what will be required to build a just, ethical and productive world community.

The school that was to be TCU was born in the troubled years following the Civil War. In 1869, young brothers Addison and Randolph Clark began "holding classes" in the village of Fort Worth, from which cattle trails ranged northward. In 1873 they moved 40 miles away to establish AddRan Male and Female College at bucolic Thorp Spring. Inclusion of women in the title is arguable the first instance of coeducation in the Southwest.

After 20 years, the school affiliated with the Christian Churches of Texas and became "AddRan Christian College." Moved to Waco in 1895, the school changed its name in 1902 to Texas Christian University. Fire destroyed its main building in 1910, and the University returned to Fort Worth and opened in its present location in 1911. Its future was assured in 1923 with a gift by Mrs. Mary Couts Burnett. (See "Milestones of History" under "Resources" on the main page for other important events.)

With a controlled enrollment of about 7,500 students, TCU draws from 48 states and more than 70 countries. Of the 375 full-time faculty, 63 percent are tenured; the student:faculty ratio is about 15:1. The 260 acre campus, located only a few miles from downtown Fort Worth, houses about 3,000 students and offers a full range of activities and recreational facilities for students.

Comprised of seven academic divisions‹AddRan College of Humanities and Social Sciences, M.J. Neeley School of Business, the College of Communication, the School of Education, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Health and Human Sciences and the College of Science and Engineering‹the University is independent and self-governing.

International study and experiences are an important part of TCU; the University ranks among the top 15 doctoral granting institutions in the number of students studying abroad. There are summer programs in London, Edinburgh, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Mexico and France, as well as more than 40 foreign study programs.

In short, higher education may be a business to some, but at TCU, we consider it our mission:.

To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.