Brigham Young University
Back Division of Continuing Education

  

399 HCEB, PO Box 21534, (801) 378-4146

Dean: Richard C. Eddy
Associate Dean: Kenneth W. Anderson
Associate Dean: Wayne J. Lott
Assistant to the Dean—Financial and Administrative Services: A. Lynn Abbott

The purpose of the Division of Continuing Education is to provide educational programs and university services for part-time and off-campus students. These educational opportunities also assist regular daytime students. BYU cooperates with the Continuing Education programs as sponsored by the Church Educational System and its various components. The same university standards required of regular day students apply to those enrolled through the Division of Continuing Education while they are on campus.

Organization. Because the Continuing Education programs represent both BYU and the Church Educational System, the department and center descriptions will be distinguished in the material that follows.

Requirements for Enrollment in Continuing Education Classes

Noncredit classes are open to anyone having the desire and the necessary ability.

Credit classes are open to:

  1. Matriculated students.
  2. Anyone twenty-three years of age or older.
  3. Individuals desiring to audit courses.
  4. High school students in their junior or senior year who have a 3.0 GPA (may concurrently enroll in selected workshops and seminars if authorized by the University Admissions Committee).

Students who have been suspended from Brigham Young University or any other institution of higher learning for any reason are not eligible to register in Continuing Education credit classes until such suspension is cleared.

Enrollment Limitations. Persons enrolling in credit courses offered by the Division of Continuing Education who are officially admitted to the university can take any courses offered to a maximum of 18 credit hours per semester (9 hours per term). All others, twenty-three years of age and older, who have not been formally admitted to the university are limited to a maximum of 7 credit hours per semester (4 hours during spring or summer term). Contact the Division of Continuing Education for any additional conditions of enrollment.

Student Responsibility. Acceptance in a Continuing Education course does not constitute acceptance by BYU or any other university on a degree-seeking basis. It is the student's responsibility to gain admission to the university of his or her choice as a degree-seeking student through the normal procedures. At BYU students may accomplish this through the Office of Admissions and Records.

Note: Students enrolled in the Division of Continuing Education would not be eligible for university employment, housing, or financial aid except for that assistance available to part-time students through the Division of Continuing Education.


Departments and Programs

Evening Classes

Ralph V. Larson, Director (105 HCEB, PO Box 21513, [801] 378-2872)

The Department of Evening Classes' major responsibility is to provide college-level educational opportunities for adults age twenty-three and older. In addition, the department is a service for daytime students who experience scheduling difficulties or prefer the evening sections. Classes contributing to baccalaureate and graduate degrees are offered.

A schedule of courses is published each semester and is available on request at the Evening Classes Office (120 HCEB). Evening classes are also listed in the daytime class schedule as sections 400 and above.

Independent Study

R. Dwight Laws, Director (206 HCEB, PO Box 21514, [801] 378-2868)

Independent Study is the university's “portable program” that can bring BYU to students anytime, anywhere. Through Independent Study, BYU offers nearly 350 college-level credit courses, providing a practical and flexible solution for university students with scheduling problems and for working students, armed forces personnel, teachers, and others who cannot take all their classes in residence.

Up to 36 semester hours of work completed through Independent Study can be used toward a bachelor's degree from BYU, and courses are also available for teacher recertification. Individual high school-level courses, a full high school diploma program, and noncredit courses for personal development and enrichment are also available.

Students may register for an Independent Study course at any time during the year. Formal admission to BYU is not required. Catalogs are available without charge and list all the courses available, current fees, and enrollment policies and procedures. Students are given one year to complete a course, although most do so in less time.

Conferences and Workshops

Steven W. Taggart, Director (109 HCEB, PO Box 21516, [801] 378-3559)

The Department of Conferences and Workshops offers a variety of programs each year (approximately 500) in the BYU Conference Center, other campus facilities, or off-campus locations. These programs are sponsored by the university's colleges, as well as by campus departments and LDS Church organizations. Credit and noncredit programs include classes, conferences, workshops, training sessions, enrichment experiences, seminars, sports and dance camps, available to professionals, college students, faculty, staff, adults, and youth.

BYU Conference Center

Spencer E. Hansen, Manager (2255 CONF, PO Box 21522, [801] 378-7700)

The BYU Conference Center is located east of the Marriott Center and adjacent to the Harman Continuing Education Building. The primary host facility for conference guests on campus, it is especially equipped to provide a favorable learning environment for guests participating in conferences, workshops, institutes, training seminars, and other educational programs. The programs may be sponsored by a university unit or cosponsored with an off-campus professional, government, corporate, civic, recreational, religious, or community organization. The center is not available for entrepreneurial programs.

Those interested in scheduling programs in the center are invited to contact the BYU Conference Center.

Travel Study

George J. Talbot, Director (303 HCEB, PO Box 21525, [801] 378-3946)

Students who wish to enhance their education with experience abroad will want to take advantage of Travel Study programs. Utilizing modern transportation and communication, participants find the world literally at their doorsteps. Horizons are expanded, knowledge is increased, and the mind is challenged as participants study and travel with professional university educators. On-site experience with the cultures and people of other lands truly makes the world BYU's campus. BYU Travel Study programs effectively combine academic, spiritual, and intercultural goals in a unique way.

Educational Travel

A variety of programs visiting the following areas of the world offers optional university credit (1-3 hours):

Europe
Scandinavia
The Middle East, emphasizing Bible lands and Egypt
Asia
Australia, New Zealand
Latin America (Mexico, Central America, South America)
USA (Church history, American heritage, Alaska)
Canada
Africa (Kenya and South Africa)
Russia
Nauvoo Semester
CES Continuing Education Programs—North and Northern Utah

Frank Santiago, Director (209 HCEB, PO Box 21533, [801] 378-6216)

This department provides Church Continuing Education programs for the northwestern and eastern United States, northern Utah, and Canada. Primary programs include Know Your Religion, Scripture Symposia, Best of Especially for Youth, and other religious education. The department also administers all adult religion classes in the United States and Canada.

CES Continuing Education Programs—South

R. Neil Carlile, Director (278 HCEB, PO Box 21507, [801] 378-2087)

Church Continuing Education—South provides approximately 600 Church Continuing Education programs in 140 locations throughout the eight-state geographical region of California, Nevada, central/southern Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and western Arkansas. The primary programs offered are Best of Especially for Youth, the Know Your Religion lecture series, and Scripture Symposia.

In addition, CES—South sponsors the Campus Education Week that has been held at BYU—Provo since 1922. This one-week program serves more than 30,000 students who come to campus from each of the United States and many other countries.

CES Continuing Education Youth and Family Programs

Susan V. Overstreet, Director (164 HCEB, PO Box 21504, [801] 378-3817)

Especially for Youth, Academy for Girls, youth conferences, programs for the deaf, and other enrichment programs are offered to youth and adults by CES Youth and Family Programs, both on the BYU campus and at localities nationwide. More than 40,000 participants are served, coming from virtually every state and province in the United States and Canada and from several foreign countries.

Centers for Continuing Education

Sensing the obligation of the Church university to provide educational opportunities in harmony with LDS standards for persons living away from Provo, the BYU Board of Trustees has established Continuing Education centers to offer educational programs to people in outlying areas. See the Graduation Requirements section of this catalog for residence requirements. Continuing Education centers represent both BYU and the Church Educational System in their program offerings.

BYU-Ricks Center for Continuing Education

Ronald W. Campbell, Director
Ricks College
Rexburg, ID 83460-8011
Telephone (208) 356-1040
and
1776 Science Center Drive
University Place
Idaho Falls, ID 83405
Telephone (208) 523-4682

This center provides off-campus BYU credit classes throughout Idaho, cooperating with Ricks College in other adult and Continuing Education programs.

BYU-Salt Lake Center for Continuing Education

3760 South Highland Drive. Suite 200
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Telephone (801) 273-3434

As the continuing education arm of the university in the Salt Lake valley, the BYU Salt Lake Center offers courses through most colleges and departments of the university. Most classes are held at night, making it possible for full-time and part-time students to take many of their required courses as well as general education and elective courses in Salt Lake City.

Students admitted to the university as concurrent enrolling high school seniors can also take classes at the BYU Salt Lake Center.

The executive MPA (Master of Public Administration) program is offered at the Center, allowing students to pursue a master's degree by attending classes one night each week while continuing to work during the day.

Professional development courses, certification programs in family history and in dietary management, and personal enrichment courses are also offered at the BYU Salt Lake Center.

Degrees by Independent Study

Ralph A. Rowley, Director (305 HCEB, PO Box 21514, [801] 378-4351)

Admission to Degree Program

Admission to the bachelor's degree program is by completion of the admissions procedure through Degrees by Independent Study. The application fee is $20.

The Discipline

The bachelor of independent studies degree involves study in a broad range of courses under the direction of university faculty and advisors. It is designed especially for the adult student (twenty-one years of age and older) who:

  1. Has not been able to complete a regular university degree, and who wants to do so.
  2. Has varied interests, a thirst for knowledge, and a desire to complete an extensive general education degree.
  3. Is a self-starter, has an inquiring mind, and is motivated to learn in a home study environment.
  4. Has a wide range of interests and enjoys reading on an organized, continuing basis.

Career Opportunities

This degree does not lead to specific career opportunities.

Undergraduate Programs and Degrees

BIS
Bachelor of Independent Studies

General Information

Transfer Credits and Waivers. Students who have previously earned college credit may apply for transfer of these credits into the program.

When previous college credits fully satisfy a required area of study, both the area of study and its corresponding seminar may be considered completed.

Seminars. The Foundations seminar is held in June and January; remaining seminars are held during the summer.

Area of Study. On enrollment in an area of study, students will be given a complete study guide outlining that part of the program. There are introductory and basic readings in the beginning. Experienced students may not need to dwell on these, but each student will be expected to acquire certain basic knowledge found in the assignments for a given area. Normally, students will write to, talk with, or send a cassette tape to the instructor at least once each month during the period of independent study in a given area. The instructor is the key person who counsels in these assignments.

Obtain information and degree application materials by contacting Degrees by Independent Study.

BIS Independent Studies (128 hours)

Requirements for graduation with the BIS degree include completion of three major phases of study: (1) Preparation Phase, (2) Growth Phase, and (3) Closure Phase. These phases are broken down into study areas as follows:

Preparation Phase

Foundations Credit hours
How to think 4
How to communicate 4
Seminar 2
Growth Phase
Religion and Philosophy
Scriptures, Church history, philosophy, world religions, learning adventures 24
Seminar 3
Social Sciences
Personality, social order, family, utopias, economics, political science, race relations, history 24
Seminar 3
Arts and Humanities
Literary, theatre, visual, and auditory arts 24
Seminar 3
Biological and Physical Sciences
Physics, astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, geology, botany, biology, zoology 24
Seminar 3
Closure Phase
Project 7
Seminar 3
Total hours 128

Degrees by Independent Study (DIS)

Undergraduate Courses

211. How to Think. (4:4:0)

Companion course to DIS 212. Assessment as a thinker, with emphasis on logical development of ideas.

212. How to Communicate. (4:4:0)

Companion course to DIS 211. Assessment as a communicator, with emphasis on written and oral communications.

220. Seminar. (2:2:0)

Two-week, full-time, on-campus, midcourse experience with other students and faculty advisors improving skills used in college-level work.

251. Scriptures. (1-10:10:0)

Four standard works of the LDS Church.

252. Church History. (2:2:0)

Events and processes in LDS Church history that influence lives today.

253. Philosophy. (3:3:0)

Selected philosophical positions and questions.

254. World Religions. (3:3:0)

Selected world religions, their influences and contributions.

255. Learning Adventures. (6:6:0)

Scriptures, Church history, philosophy, and world religion studies focused on solving everyday problems.

260. Seminar. (3:3:0)

Two-week, full-time, on-campus experience with other students and faculty advisors integrating all religion and philosophy courses.

321. Personality. (3:3:0)

Man's behavior relative to personality development and acquiring and modifying beliefs and values.

322. History. (3:3:0)

Selected themes in the history of Western civilization.

323. Family. (3:3:0)

Kinship, marriage, and family behavior in various cross-cultural perspectives.

324. Social Order. (3:3:0)

Groups and social systems that influence lives.

325. Politics. (3:3:0)

Social-psychological foundations of political behavior, basic processes, and institutions.

326. Economics. (3:3:0)

Relationship between the individual and the modern economic environment.

327. Utopia. (3:3:0)

“Possible societies” or utopias, analyzing both problems and solutions.

328. Race Relations. (3:3:0)

Carefully designed social study of race relations.

330. Seminar. (3:3:0)

Two-week, full-time, on-campus experience with other students and faculty advisors investigating the social sciences.

341. Literary Arts. (6:6:0)

Language, literary forms, times, and traditions, and the values by which literary artistry is assessed.

342. Theatre Arts. (6:6:0)

Visual, auditory, emotional, and spiritual dimensions involved in theatre, motion picture, television, and dance.

343. Visual Arts. (6:6:0)

Developing objective standards for evaluating both traditional and environmental arts.

344. Auditory Arts. (6:6:0)

Increasing involvement with and pleasure in music; increasing perception.

350. Seminar. (3:3:0)

Two-week, full-time, on-campus experience with other students and faculty advisors enhancing appreciation of the arts.

361. Mathematics. (2:2:0)

Significant mathematical ideas, themes, and principles; examining their influences.

362. Physics. (4:4:0)

Physics involving history, reasoning processes, social attitudes, and scientific views.

363. Chemistry. (4:4:0)

Selected discoveries and ideas in chemistry, emphasizing philosophy of this science.

364. Geology. (4:4:0)

Uniformitarianism, geological times, and history and physical composition of our planet.

365. Botany. (2:2:0)

Plants, life and energy, and man's impact on environment.

366. Zoology. (2:2:0)

Environmental stewardship and the science of animal life, including theories of organic development.

367. Biology. (4:4:0)

Critical concepts of biology, with examples of their relevance to modern life and society.

368. Astronomy. (2:2:0)

Broad study of geometry and motions of the earth, moon, sun, planets, and stars in space.

370. Seminar. (3:3:0)

Two-week, full-time, on-campus experience with other students and faculty advisors focusing on biological and physical sciences.

480. Closure Project. (7:7:0)

Using skills and knowledge acquired in various DIS courses to create through research and study an academic project and report.

490. Closure Seminar. (3:3:0)

One-week on-campus experience presenting closure project to classmates before participating in university commencement.

Degrees by Independent Study Faculty

Professors

Bowen (Church History and Doctrine)
Chadwick (Sociology)
Durham (Music)
Griffen (Geology)
Harrison (Physics)
Johnson (Sociology)
Packard (Philosophy)
Palmer (Astronomy)
Paulsen (Philosophy)
Pixton (History)
Wimmer (Economics)

Associate Professors

Anderson (Church History and Doctrine)
Buckwalter (Political Science)
Choi (World Religions)
Hunsaker (English)
Reeve (Ancient Scripture)
Nielson (Psychology)
Scanlon (Theatre and Media Arts)
St. Clair (Botany and Range Science)
Tippetts (Art)
Tolman (Mathematics)

Assistant Professors

Norton (English)
Wood (Chemistry)

Professional Professor

Furniss (Biology/Botany)



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Please report any errors. Updated May 20, 1997, by web_ugrad_cat@byu.edu