04-05 Undergrad Catalog | BYU: A Unique Environment

Religious Environment

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsors BYU to provide a university education in an atmosphere that nurtures spiritual growth and a strong conviction of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Church programs are closely correlated at all levels with the activities of the university, and students will find many opportunities to grow spiritually.

BYU Stakes and Wards

To give students maximum opportunity to participate, the Church is organized into a number of BYU stakes composed of several wards of approximately 150 members each. All single students living away from home who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints become members of a BYU ward. Single LDS students living at home have the option of attending their home ward or a designated BYU ward. Married students not living in university housing may attend either the BYU ward or the residential ward in which they live.

Other Religious Denominations

Approximately twenty-five other religious denominations are represented in the BYU student body. These students are encouraged to attend a congregation of their faith in the surrounding area, if possible.

Religion Classes

All students at BYU should include regular gospel study as a continuous part of their university experience. Full-time undergraduate students need to take the equivalent of one religion class each semester of enrollment until a total of 14 semester hours in religion has been earned toward a bachelor’s degree. See The University Core section of this catalog for more information.

Devotionals and CES Firesides

University devotionals, held throughout the year on Tuesdays at 11:05 a.m., provide an inspirational and integrative part of the university experience. These assemblies are occasions to celebrate the shared sense of values and community in the university. Participation in these gatherings will renew spiritual commitment and extend knowledge of significant religious, intellectual, and cultural matters.

Devotional speakers, selected from the General Authorities and other leaders of the Church and university, come to teach the gospel and affirm the spiritual dimension of the university experience for students, faculty, and staff. An additional opportunity is provided by regular Church Educational System firesides, usually held on the first Sunday of the month.

Most campus offices and services are closed during university assemblies so that members of the university community may participate.

Academic Environment

The academic environment extends beyond the four walls of a university classroom. Serious students seek enrichment in the library, at university forums and lectures, and through research. Some students may choose to become involved in the Honors Program or live in one of the “quiet halls” on campus—and everyone benefits from drawing on the resources available at college advisement centers.

Harold B. Lee Library

The Harold B. Lee Library’s collection numbers over three million volumes including books, periodicals, government documents, microfilm, and other nonprint items. BYLINE, the library’s Web-based computer system, includes the online catalog, many full-text databases, and numerous electronic indexes to other sources. The library is a depository for United States government documents and regularly receives publications of state and local governments. The Utah Valley Regional Family History Center (UVRFHC) supports family history research through an extensive collection of microfilm and microfiche. The Special Collections and Manuscripts department houses non-circulating books and manuscripts related to Mormonism, western Americana, incunabula, Victorian and Edwardian literature, historical manuscripts and photographs, motion pictures, and many other areas. The learning resource center provides an optimal learning environment for out-of-class instructional activities involving audio, visual, and digital media.

The general collection is housed on five levels. An information desk and general reference desk are located on the ground floor (level 3), and professional librarians and support staff provide research assistance at subject reference desks. Instruction in library and information literacy is available.

The general library facilities are open to students, faculty, alumni, and other community patrons. Regularly enrolled students present their identification cards to borrow books and have full access to all resources on BYLINE (www.lib.byu.edu). Non-BYU patrons have access only to the online catalog and selected electronic indexes.

The library is open during fall and winter semesters from 7:00 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and from 8:00 a.m. to midnight Saturday. During spring and summer terms, the library closes at 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

BYU students and faculty may also use the facilities of other Utah college and university libraries and other major research libraries in the United States. These cooperative agreements were instituted by the Utah Academic Library Consortium (UALC) and the Research Libraries Group (RLG). The BYU Library is a participating member of both organizations. Libraries operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also available to Brigham Young University students, including the library of the Church Historical Department located in Salt Lake City.

University Forums

University forums are held on selected Tuesdays at 11:05 a.m. and are designed to enrich the general education experience. Speakers are noted authorities in the arts, sciences, humanities, media, and government, chosen for their contributions to their field and their ability to inspire and communicate. Participation in these assemblies and the associated question-and-answer sessions prompts inquiry into significant intellectual, cultural, and social issues and helps lay the foundation for lifelong learning.

New Student Orientation

The purpose of New Student Orientation (NSO) is to help new and transfer students “become familiar with the academic, spiritual, moral, and social opportunities and challenges at Brigham Young University” (from “Purpose, Principles and Focus,” the mission statement of New Student Orientation). Additionally, NSO provides new students several opportunities to become acquainted with the resources available to them on campus. Finally, it offers a great chance to meet new friends—among faculty members, staff personnel, and other students.

NSO events and activities range from the academic through the informational to the out-and-out fun, but they are always friendly and focused on the needs of new students. NSO activities vary according to the term or semester. They may include campus tours; learning about the library, academic advising, scholarships, financial aid, Freshman Academy, honors education, and more; and an introduction to several of the emotionally and spiritually satisfying traditions of the Y.

Many of the activities are organized around Y Groups, small cohorts of students led by upperclassmen, which offer students individualized attention. Orientation at BYU balances the various needs of new students by combining appropriate resources, activities, and personnel. To feel comfortable in an institution as complex as BYU, with its myriad of opportunities, New Student Orientation is practically a requirement.

New Student Orientation is held three times a year, immediately prior to winter semester, summer term, and fall semester. Please refer to the Web page at http://orientation.byu.edu for detailed information and registration.

Academic Advisement

Academic advising is an essential component of a BYU education. The university is committed to providing the assistance students need at every step.

Students will be successful if they:

Prepare for and keep appointments with their CAC academic advisor, preferably at least once a calendar year
Establish and follow an academic plan for graduation
Use university resources such as Major Academic Plans (MAPs), Academic Information Management (AIM), and the progress report (formerly Advisement by Computer or ABC Report)
Read the undergraduate catalog and become familiar with their basic academic program and requirements
Review personal academic progress each semester

Advisors are responsible to:

Stay abreast of major and university requirements, including the current class schedule, catalogs, and other advisement resources
Assist students by making appropriate recommendations for registration
Help students clarify their values and goals to get a clear picture of their academic career
Aid students in planning an educational program consistent with their academic progress
Offer friendly, attentive, informative service, listening to the student’s situation before offering a solution

There are five key components to advisement

CACs (college advisement centers)
Progress report (formerly Advisement by Computer or ABC Report)
AIM (available on Route Y through the BYU homepage, your net ID, and your PIN number)
MAP (available on the Web through the BYU homepage)
Faculty advisement

College Advisement Centers. CACs exist in every academic college. At these centers students receive personal assistance in meeting their educational goals as quickly as possible. Students should contact their advisement centers at least once a calendar year.

Progress Reports. To function hand in hand with CAC and faculty advising, BYU has pioneered a computer system that provides students with accurate academic progress information. Offering immediate access to curriculum degree requirements and personal academic records, progress reports can be accessed from home, from computer kiosks across campus, and at the CACs through Route Y. Students should carefully review the progress report to monitor their own academic progress.

AIM provides students with easy access to up-to-the-minute information on their academic progress and other vital information. At AIM terminals students can change their addresses and phone numbers, access their class schedules, determine course availabilities and instructor schedules, monitor their progress reports, look at their grades and BYU credit, make PIN changes, check on transfer and AP credit, and conduct personal registration procedures.

MAP. This supplement to the BYU Undergraduate Catalog is also a valuable academic resource for students as they plan and prepare their academic schedules. The MAP includes information regarding general education and major requirements, semester-by-semester recommendations for course selection, and course availability.

Academic Support Office

2500 WSC
(801) 422-2723
E-mail: academic_support@byu.edu

All students admitted to the university have the potential to succeed academically; however, some students have difficulty achieving the level of success required to remain in good academic standing. The mission of the Academic Support Office is to assist students in maintaining that level of academic success. Administered through the Counseling and Career Center, a department of Student Life, the Academic Support Office uses the combined resources of the university to help students resolve most academic problems.

Students with academic problems often have difficulties in one or more of the following areas: (1) Personal concerns outside the academic realm—such as adjustment problems, illness, or relationship problems—that distract from academic goals. Such problems may be addressed by helping students refocus on their goals. (2) Inadequate academic preparation to meet the rigors of a university experience. Study-skills training helps students identify strategies appropriate to the university experience. (3) Learning styles that worked in high school but are not productive at the university. A learning-style assessment and counseling may help identify and use academic strengths more successfully. (4) Ambiguous career goals that cause students to flounder within the university. With career guidance they can move toward a more timely graduation.

Counselors are trained to assist students with time management, study skills, learning style, career choice, and other academic concerns. Students who experience academic difficulties are encouraged to contact the Academic Support Office.

Career Placement Services

2410 WSC
Phone: (801) 378-3000
Fax: (801) 378-3444

Career Placement Services assists BYU students and alumni from all colleges, departments, majors, and class years with their job and internship preparation and searches.

Students who register gain access to many valuable services, including individual and group advisement, on-campus student interviews with employer representatives, and information about specific job and internship opportunities submitted by employers from business, industry, education, and government. An excellent online database system (eRecruiting.com) has been added that allows students to register, set up profiles, and prepare and send documents to employers, as well as to research employers and check interview schedules.

Career Placement Services maintains a collection of books, periodicals, brochures, and videotapes relating to employing organizations. Also available are materials and workshops that show how to write letters of application, prepare resumés, and conduct oneself in personal interviews.

To maximize the number of employment contacts available to all graduating students, Career Placement Services works closely with each academic department. Ongoing communication is also maintained with college advisement centers.

Visit us at http://www.byu.edu/ccc.

Academic Internships

Academic internships formally integrate university-level academic study with work experience in cooperating organizations. The combined study-work experiences are offered by academic departments as an extension of regular day school programs. They are designed to complement and strengthen the student’s major or minor field of study. In addition to academic internships within the United States, internships in international settings are also available through the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies for students who are pursuing majors that focus on international curricula.

Most departments offer internship opportunities that give students a combination of academic learning with a work practicum. Students desiring to register for academic internships must receive prior departmental approval and complete registration before commencing an internship.

Course offerings vary according to student needs and may include registration in 199R, 299R, 399R, 496R, or 599R courses depending upon department and student objectives. Credit varies according to academic expectations and generally range from 1 to 9 semester hours. Pass/fail and/or letter grades are based upon academic as well as work performance and course enrollment.

Most colleges and departments have academic internship coordinators. However, for further information concerning the opportunities and benefits of this academic area, contact the university director of the Office of Academic Internships, 3215A WSC, (801) 422-3337. Visit us at http://www.byu.edu/academicintern.

Center for Service and Learning

2010 WSC, (801) 422-1277
2330 WSC, (801) 422-8686

The Center for Service and Learning supports reflective and applied learning by fostering meaningful service opportunities on campus, in the local community, and around the world. The variety of opportunities supported by the center include: volunteer service programs, course-related service assignments or curricula, tutoring programs, and international service programs. Such service is mutually beneficial: it meets real community needs, and it provides a rich context for experiential learning and personal development.

The center coordinates with other departments and offices on campus to develop and promote various service and learning initiatives both on and off campus and supports faculty by offering consultation and resources for those engaging in service-learning. The center assists with service activities through connections with a wide variety of community agencies, service organizations, and local schools.

The center is also home to Tutoring Services, a peer-tutoring program available to all BYU students. Tutoring Services matches around 500 students with volunteer peer tutors each semester.

The center occupies two spaces in the Wilkinson Student Center. The main office (2010 WSC) focuses on academic service-learning and faculty consultation and houses the director of the center and the Tutoring Program. The Community Service Office (2330 WSC) is a central place for students to find service involvement opportunities in the community (it is home to over 30 community service programs) and provides resource listings for a variety of service needs and opportunities.

Graduate Studies

To the student seeking advanced study, Brigham Young University offers a variety of graduate degree opportunities. Excellent graduate programs can be found in each of the colleges and schools, and successful completion of one results in the awarding of a master’s or doctoral degree.

The master’s degree requires advanced course work, demonstrated mastery in vital aspects of a discipline, skill in research methodology and theory, and preparation for future creative work. In certain disciplines, graduate programs blend scholarly insight with technical knowledge and skill. Integrative examinations, a major culminating piece of written work or performance, and an accompanying oral defense of that work may be required.

The doctoral degree requires the student to demonstrate an impressive scholarly competence, which includes the ability to conduct and report research in a highly effective manner. Advanced systematic study in a discipline is also essential and is followed by comprehensive examinations that require students to integrate and understand the collective knowledge of their disciplines. A dissertation resulting from independent research is defended in a concluding oral examination.

Students who are interested in pursuing advanced degrees are encouraged to become involved in research and creative activities during their undergraduate experience.

Research and Creative Activities at BYU

One of the most exciting and valuable learning experiences available to both undergraduate and graduate students at BYU is the opportunity to participate in original research and creative activities. BYU has accomplished faculty members in all areas, many of whom enjoy international reputations for the quality of their creative endeavors. Many professors enlist the help of undergraduate students, who work side by side with faculty mentors and graduate students in a laboratory or studio setting.

A wide variety of research experiences are available in many departments across campus. For example, the student might be involved in the synthesis of a new medicinal drug in the chemistry laboratory or participate in the discovery of a new species of dinosaur on a Colorado mesa. Other examples of programs involving student participation include the study of robotics systems, computer architecture, battery technology, high-energy physics, international business methods, child psychology, drug-induced birth defects, educational methodology, molecular genetics, social implications of drug use, stability and satisfaction in marriage, Church history, and a host of other topics. Students who are interested in participating in research programs are encouraged to contact their major department chair or speak directly with individual professors.

The Office of Research and Creative Activities (ORCA) manages, on behalf of the administration, two programs whose purpose is to bring together students and faculty in mentored experiences. The first is the ORCA Mentoring Grants for Undergraduates Program. Requests for proposals go out to all undergraduate, full-time students. One-third of all proposals are usually funded at $1500 each. In the fall of 2002 over 1200 proposals were received, representing every college and academic unit. Awards are made early in the semester following application. The second is the Mentored Environments Grants Program. Faculty are encouraged to submit proposals to create or enhance a mentored environment for undergraduate and graduate students. Awards range from $2,000 to $20,000, and proposals are collected in late fall and awarded in midwinter. For more information, contact any department or college, or contact ORCA at A-261 ASB, (801) 422-3841, http://orca.byu.edu.

Student Development Course Work

The Counseling and Career Center offers courses under the title Student Development. These courses are designed to help with the personal challenges and tasks facing college students. Some of the relevant student-centered topics are college study skills, life planning, time management, decision making, and test taking strategies. Several courses are also designed to help students decide on a college major and a career and to make the transition from college to the world of work. Each class has material to help students identify their values, develop character, and make progress with their personal goals for life. The BYU Undergraduate Catalog and the current class schedule list these courses under Student Development. For further information contact the Counseling and Career Center, 2510 WSC, (801) 422-4007.

Cultural Environment

Students can immerse themselves in culture at BYU. Dance, theatre, music, art exhibits, museums—all nourish the soul seeking after “anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.”

BYU sponsors performance groups in dance and music. Each year these groups present major performances on campus, and many tour throughout the world.

Popular and classical plays and films, as well as original works, are offered by the Department of Theatre and Media Arts. The College of Humanities’ weekly International Cinema Program is another cultural offering.

Museum of Art

The Museum of Art was completed and opened during fall 1993. Funded by private donors, the 100,000-square-foot museum is located directly north of the Harris Fine Arts Center. A sculpture garden separates the two buildings, and together they form a striking visual and performing arts center. The museum houses the university’s superb collection of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, works on paper, and historical musical instruments. Major bodies of work the university owns are by such eminent artists as Mahonri Y. Young, J. Alden Weir, Maynard Dixon, C. C. A. Christensen, and Minerva Teichert. Besides its rich array of American art, the collection includes rare prints by Rembrandt, Dürer, and Daumier.

Major traveling exhibitions and exhibitions from the museum’s permanent collections are scheduled on a rotating basis. The museum offers a variety of educational programs for campus and community audiences as well. Included in the Horne Center for the Study of Art are a print study room, a library, a didactic gallery, a seminar room, and classrooms. The museum also features a café, bookstore, and auditorium.

Performing Arts Series

The BYU Performing Arts Series presents some of the most celebrated artists in the world. Concerts and productions are scheduled throughout each year in the Harris Fine Arts Center and other venues. Season or individual event tickets are available at reduced prices for students, faculty, and staff. For further information contact the Fine Arts Ticket Office at (801) 378-HFAC (4322).

In recent years the Performing Arts Series has included:

James Galway
Wynton Marsalis
Alvin Ailey Repertory Dance Ensemble
Claire Bloom
Dawn Upshaw
Peking Opera
Ballet West
King’s Singers
Utah Symphony
Ani and Ida Kavafian
Canadian Brass
Ballet Folklorico de Mexico

M. L. Bean Life Science Museum

H. Duane Smith, Director
Duke S. Rogers, Associate Director
Douglas C. Cox, Assistant Director
290 MLBM

The Monte L. Bean Museum is a fully functional, accredited, professional museum. Its vast teaching and research collections include nearly two million arthropods, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and prepared shells, and more than 600,000 plants and lichens. Specimens for these collections, which represent creative work by university faculty and students, have been gathered throughout the world, making the museum one of the major repositories of scientific material in the western United States.

The museum and its collections are utilized by university classes in integrative biology, plant and animal science, education, art, and other disciplines. The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum also maintains and manages the Lytle Nature Preserve for the university. Located in the northernmost extension of the Mojave Desert southwest of St. George, Utah, this 562-acre desert classroom is in a part of Utah that is unique not only for its plant and animal communities but also for its setting.

Public programs include changing, rotating, and permanent exhibits of natural communities that illustrate the fascinating relationships between plants, animals, and their physical environment. Educational programs serve more than 200,000 annual visitors and provide classes and programs for public and private schools and many other kinds of organizations. Museum hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Sunday. Admission is free.

The Western North American Naturalist, a nationally recognized natural history journal, is published from the museum. Other museum publications include professional and popular works such as A Utah Flora and Snakes of Utah.

Museum of Peoples and Cultures

Marti Lu Allen, Director
105 ALLN

The Museum of Peoples and Cultures (MPC) houses, cares for, and performs research on archaeological and ethnographic collections from around the world. The strengths of the museum’s holdings are in prehistoric Utah, the American Southwest, Mesoamerica, ancient Peru, and Polynesia. An approved state and federal archaeological repository, the museum also holds a noncirculating library and a photographic archive documenting BYU archaeological research and artifactual materials.

Institutional objectives are to interpret and help elucidate the history and culture of the peoples of the world and to convey that knowledge to the scholarly community as well as to the general public. The museum’s strongest commitment lies in serving the teaching and research functions of the university. In this, BYU’s “teaching museum,” not only do students perform office and collections duties, but students also curate all exhibitions as part of the formal curricula taught by museum staff adjunct to the Department of Anthropology. Students plan and execute public programs and design promotional strategy as part of their course work as well. The courses have as their principal objectives (1) to provide students the broadest possible range of museum experience (e.g., collections management, registration, outreach, curatorial research) and (2) to advise students in formulating realistic career objectives.

The museum’s student exhibitions are staged in Allen Hall and change yearly. The museum also produces occasional satellite exhibits at other university locations, such as the Museum of Art and the Joseph Smith Building. Tours of the Allen Hall galleries can be arranged by calling (801) 422-0020. Because scheduling is based on student employee availability, it is advisable to book tours from one to three weeks in advance. Visitors may also choose to guide themselves through the galleries, but groups larger than fifteen people should contact the museum in advance for logistical instructions.

The MPC offers many community educational opportunites. Available for loan to classrooms and inbound populations are anthropology teaching kits that explore the native cultures of various geographical areas. The kits include replica artifacts, handicrafts, and educational books and videos. Students and civic volunteers are invited to help with educational programming, public relations, archaeological research, and public presentations. The MPC hosts an activity patch program for Scouts of all ages and other interested parties. Museum patches can be earned by visiting the museum and completing the patch requirements. For information about any of these programs, call (801) 422-0020.

Located at 700 North 100 East in Provo (one block south of the Brick Oven restaurant), the museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free, and guided tours can be arranged for a nominal charge. The MPC is closed on holidays and for two weeks in December between fall and winter semesters. Office and library hours vary according to student schedules.

Faculty and Student Performances, Exhibitions, and Showcases

Throughout the year the faculty of the Departments of Visual Arts, Dance, Theatre and Media Arts, and the School of Music are featured in exhibitions, plays and other productions, and music performances.

As part of their educational experience, students, both individually and in groups, present concerts, exhibitions, films, plays, recitals, and productions. Theatre Ballet, The Dancers’ Company, International Folk Dance Ensemble, Ballroom Dance Company, Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras, Young Ambassadors, Living Legends, University Singers, and Synthesis Jazz Ensemble are but a few of the groups that perform in the various university venues. Plays, musical theatre, and opera, as well as art and design exhibitions, are also a part of the outstanding student fare available to the university community.

For further information contact the Fine Arts Ticket Office at (801) 378-HFAC (4322).

Recreational Environment

Students can enjoy the small-town friendliness of Provo or drive 45 miles to the north for the cosmopolitan diversity that Salt Lake City offers. Whereas Salt Lake City is home to Ballet West, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the Utah Symphony, the Provo area prides itself on its own Utah Valley Symphony and several fine community music, dance, and theatre groups.

A Great Outdoors

The Wasatch Mountains overlook BYU on the east, and to the west lies Utah Lake. Within an hour’s drive are several canyons and ski resorts; six national parks are only a half day away. Outdoor gear can be rented on campus for everything from skiing to windsurfing.

Athletic Facilities

BYU’s athletic facilities are among the best in the nation. Complementing the major sports complexes—the Marriott Center, football stadium, baseball diamond, softball diamond, indoor tennis pavilion, and track and field stadium—are the Richards Building and the Smith Fieldhouse. The Richards Building has facilities for racquetball, volleyball, basketball, aerobics, dance, and swimming, and the Smith Fieldhouse houses ball courts, weight rooms, an indoor track, and a west annex big enough for spring batting practice.

Intramural Activities

The campus intramural program, consisting of more than thirty events involving thousands of participants in both men’s and women’s activities, is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the United States. Students may participate in team activities and individual events. The intramural program offers divisions for different skill levels in each activity and provides awards for the winners in each division. Numerous employment opportunities are available as game supervisors and officials.

Intercollegiate Competition

BYU begins its sixth year in the Mountain West Conference, which also includes the Air Force Academy, Colorado State University, the University of Nevada—Las Vegas, the University of New Mexico, San Diego State University, the University of Utah, and the University of Wyoming.

The men’s intercollegiate program at BYU consists of ten sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track, outdoor track and field, and volleyball.

Women at BYU compete in eleven intercollegiate sports: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track, outdoor track and field, and volleyball.

Nationally ranked in many sports, BYU has won national championships in football, golf, and track and multiple championships in cross country and volleyball.

Extramural Competition

The extramural sports program at BYU provides opportunities for students to participate on an intercollegiate level throughout the United States and Canada in team sports not designated NCAA.

One of the best organized and most respected programs in the country, BYU’s extramural sports program offers four sports for men (soccer, racquetball, lacrosse, and rugby) and one sport for women (racquetball). Many of the teams have been nationally ranked during the last several years.