Dallas Baptist University

A view of the university

In 2019, the university enrolled 4,487 students.[14] The university offers 84 undergraduate majors, 24 master's degree programs, over 45 dual master's programs, and 2 doctoral programs. While in its early years, the school had the reputation of being a commuter college, today's DBU has well over 2,000 students living on campus.

In 1992, the John G. Mahler Student Center, the first new building on the DBU campus in more than 20 years was dedicated. The building is a close replica of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it was the first of many new buildings in the Georgian architectural style on the campus.[15]

Nation Hall (foreground) and Pilgrim Chapel

In 2009, the Patty and Bo Pilgrim Chapel was dedicated. The structure is used for various events such as chapel services and concerts, and houses office space for the Graduate School of Ministry along with classrooms and a large multipurpose room. The inspiration for the exterior of the building came from the First Baptist Church in America, located in Providence, Rhode Island.[16]

Joan and Andy Horner Hall

In the fall of 2011, the university opened the Joan and Andy Horner Hall. Named after the founders of Premier Designs, Horner Hall houses the DBU communication department, the offices for the College of Fine Arts, a multipurpose classroom and video recording studio, a design lab, and a music business recording studio, designed by the Russ Berger Design Group. The exterior of the structure is modeled after Congress Hall located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[17]

In 2001, DBU-North[18] opened in Carrollton, Texas as DBU's first regional academic center, serving North Dallas and Collin County. For several years, DBU-North was located in Frisco, Texas, and in 2011, moved to Plano, Texas.[19] DBU also opened DBU-Hurst-Colleyville at Hurst in the summer of 2005.[20]

In 2015, Jim and Sally Nation Hall opened its doors. A near replica of Monticello, the building is the home of the Gary Cook School of Leadership, as well as other administrative offices. The building also houses several classrooms as well as a special event space situated in the dome of the building.[21]

Further locations for special programs and opportunities include the Department of Military Science at University of Texas at Arlington (Army ROTC), Aerospace Studies at Texas Christian University (Air Force ROTC), and the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics in Dallas Texas.[22]

The university is divided into seven colleges: the Mary C. Crowley College of Christian Faith, the Dorothy M. Bush College of Education, the College of Business, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and the College of Professional Studies.[23] The university also houses two schools: the Graduate School of Ministry, as well as the Gary Cook School of Leadership.[24] The university offers an Ed.D. in educational leadership and a Ph.D. in leadership studies through the Cook School of Leadership[25] and an Ed.D. in educational leadership K-12 through the Bush College of Education. The university has 84 undergraduate programs, 24 master's programs, and 2 doctoral programs.[26]

Dallas Baptist University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.[27]

The teacher, principal and superintendent education programs of the university are approved by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC).[28]

The College of Business is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) to offer the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) and the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) business degrees.[29]

The Dallas Baptist University Department of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).[30]

DBU is also affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.[31]

The Institute for Global Engagement was founded at DBU in 2015 to be “a Christian, non-partisan think tank dedicated to addressing issues in the public square with biblical distinctiveness” and to be “a moral and spiritual catalyst for renewal in our culture.” The goal of the institute is to be interdisciplinary in bringing together experts and practitioners from a variety of fields to address issues from a distinctively Christian worldview.[32] Since its founding, the IGE has held several seminars and lectures featuring a variety of individuals, including author Eric Metaxas, physician Peter Dysart, former presidential speech writer Michael Gerson, political commentator Matthew Dowd, former UN Ambassador Samuel Brownback, and former Secretary of Defense Gen. Jim Mattis.[33][34] The organization also produces The Daily Briefing, an email that goes out three times a week covering the news of the day with a Christian perspective.[35]

U.S. News & World Report ranked Dallas Baptist University 214th among "National Universities" in its 2017 college and university rankings.[36]

The Official DBU Cross Ring serves as a symbol of the Christ-centered education students experiences at DBU. The ring features many university symbols, including the Mahler Student Center, the Fishers of Men statue, as well as the university seal.[37]

One of DBU's longest-running traditions, stemming from when DBU's mascot was the Indians, is the Mr. Patriot pageant. This anticipated event, formerly named Mr. Big Chief from 1981 to 2018, allows male students to display their skills, humor, and creativity. The show, a mock beauty pageant, begins with an opening number performed by all the contestants and is followed by three categories: the stamp act (formalwear), the tea act (beachwear), and the intolerable act (talent). The categories were formerly known as just talent, beachwear, and formalwear. Magic tricks, lip-syncing, and musical interpretations are just some of the ways contestants have attempted to gain points in the past. The contestant with the most points at the end wins the coveted title and has the right to wear the coat and hat that have replaced the headdress on display in the Dean Learning Center as the prize.[38]

Family Weekend and Grandparents Day allow students to invite their families into their lives on campus. Notable events include the Family Softball Game, Movie on the Quad, and Art Show as well as a family service project. Families are invited to fellowship with their students as well as the university faculty and staff through community activities and other fun events.[39]

Beginning in 2017, DBU has held an annual Unity Walk on MLK Day, with the DBU community coming together to remember the world of Martin Luther King, Jr., and pray for the dream of a unified country to become a reality. In addition to the walk, a special speaker each year recites King's famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Also during the day, students, faculty, and staff participate in the service projects in Dallas as a part of the national MLK Day of Service.[40]

A member of the Lone Star Conference, Dallas Baptist University sponsors eight men's and seven women's teams in NCAA-sanctioned sports:[48] DBU is also home to a debate team that competes within the International Public Debate Association (IPDA). The team began competing in the fall of 2021.[49]

• Note = The Division I baseball team competes as an affiliate member of Conference USA