As the official higher education partner of the Texas Rangers, Abilene Christian University congratulates our partner for their advancement into the MLB playoffs for the 2023-2024 season.
“We at ACU are always excited to see our corporate partners excel in all areas of their organization,” said Dr. Stephen Johnson, chief executive officer for ACU Dallas. “The Texas Rangers have always upheld a legacy of striving for success. We are honored to see our partnership flourish, alongside our growing initiatives like RangersU, to further increase the importance of sports education and academic excellence.” 
In 2022, ACU launched an educational partnership with the Texas Rangers called RangersU powered by ACU, which offers online academic courses for players, coaches, and staff interested in enhancing their leadership development, professional skills, and knowledge of all things baseball. With courses taught by ACU faculty members, MLB experts and former Texas Rangers players, RangersU consists of four fully online seven-week Player Pathway blocks designed to guide players through the courses as well as assist them in continuing their education and making the most of their time at the Rangers—both on and off the field.
Each Player Pathway block consists of exclusive and accredited courses — Leadership Development, Mental Performance, History of Baseball, Multicultural Communication, Teams & Teams Leadership, Human Performance, Introduction to Public Speaking and Decision Making in Organizations — that players can at their own pace alongside their teammates, without interfering with their commitments, training, or regular season calendar.
In 2023, RangersU extended its reach by offering academic content from these player pathways to the general public. RangersU Public Courses were built for baseball fans and other participants to foster professional development and personal enrichment through flexible online learning for just $95 per course. Courses like Baseball History and Culture teach the ins and outs of baseball history as well as how it has shaped America from a historical lens while Leadership Development focuses on helping participants explore their self-identity and leadership style to reshape their understanding of what makes a high-performance leader.
And, while these courses are for non-credit continuing education, participants can elect to receive three hours of academic credit by submitting a learning portfolio and a $300 assessment fee.
“Developing these courses allows Rangers fans to take the same courses as their favorite players,” said Dr. Daryl Jones, ACU Dallas’ vice president for sports, leadership and learning. “We hope these courses will encourage the Rangers fan base to pursue an online degree or certificate program with us in the future.”
For more information about our Sports, Leadership and Learning division, visit acu.edu/sportsed.
ACU’s online programs are administered through its branch location in Dallas and include 15 bachelor’s degrees, 16 master’s degrees, four doctoral programs, two undergraduate certificate programs, and nine graduate certificate programs. Learn more about ACU Online’s degree programs at acu.edu/online.
Founded in 1906, Abilene Christian University enrolls more than 5,700 students in robust online and residential undergraduate and graduate programs. Students choose from 87 baccalaureate majors that include more than 171 areas of study, 71 areas of study in master’s degree and specialist programs, and four doctoral programs. ACU’s mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. Abilene Christian is one of only 19 universities to be ranked in the top 50 nationally for both Undergraduate Teaching and Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects in the 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Learn more at acu.edu.