Brigham Young University
Back BYU: A Unique Environment

   

Academic Environment | Cultural Environment | Recreational Environment | Religious 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 testimony 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. 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 the congregation of their faith.

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 Religious Education section of this catalog for more information.

Devotionals and CES Firesides

Each Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. throughout the year, University Devotionals are conducted in the Marriott Center with General Authorities, other Church leaders, and selected representatives from the university community as speakers. The timely messages of these devotional programs remind students of the importance of the spiritual dimension in education and encourage commitment, faith, and moral behavior. In addition, Church leaders from among the General Authorities speak to students each month at a Church Educational System fireside for college-age young adults, scheduled in the Marriott Center, usually on the first Sunday at 7:00 p.m.

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 contains a collection that includes over three million volumes, including an extensive collection of pamphlets, titles on microform, and nonprint materials. Numerous electronic databases and indexes, professional journals, and other current serials, as well as local, regional, and national newspapers, are also available. The library is a depository for United States and Canadian government documents and regularly receives publications of state and local governments. In addition, the BYU Regional Family History Library accesses the approximately 100,000 books and more than 800,000 rolls of microfilm contained in the Church's Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

The general collection and subject reference materials are on open shelves on four of the five levels—two below and two above the ground floor. The library's special collections, many of which are confined to specific subject areas, are on the fourth level, and the Manuscripts/Archives Division is located on the fifth floor. To help library users find these materials, an information booklet and library guide leaflets are available at the information desk.
The general library facilities are available to students, faculty, alumni, and other interested persons. Regularly enrolled students present their identification cards to borrow books; others may obtain a permit from the circulation librarian. The library is open during fall and winter semesters from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday. During spring and summer terms the library is open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday.
BYU library patrons may also use the facilities of other Utah college and university libraries and other major research libraries in the United States. These cooperative arrangements were instituted by the Utah College Library Council (UCLC) 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. For instance, advanced scholars may do research in the library of the Church Historical Department. Located in the LDS Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, the library is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Learning Resource Centers(LRCs)

The learning resource centers provide an optimal learning environment for specialized, out-of-class instructional activities, usually on an individual or small-group basis, and thereby offer a wide variety of instructional alternatives to students and faculty. The library LRC serves the campus generally, and other LRCs are located in specific academic areas to serve the areas' particular needs.

University Forums

University Forums, held throughout the year on selected Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m., form an integrative and stimulating part of 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 communicate their insights. Participation in these assemblies (and in the sessions that may accompany them) prompts our inquiry into significant intellectual, cultural, and social issues and extends our understanding of them.

New Student Orientation

The overall purpose of New Student Orientation is to assist new and transfer students to become familiar with the academic, social, and personal challenges and opportunities of Brigham Young University. Similarly, Orientation provides new students several learning opportunities to become acquainted with the resources available to them on campus. Stated another way, Orientation's purpose at BYU is to assist new students to form an identity with the university community.

New students begin their Orientation experience at BYU by attending New Student Commencement, which introduces them to the meaning of a university education and the purpose of higher education. In this assembly students also learn about BYU's unique mission of blending spiritual growth with intellectual development.
In smaller meetings and seminars, new students are informed of academic disciplines and such university resources and programs as the library, academic advising, scholarships, financial aid, and honors education.
New Student Orientation also promotes the interaction of new students with peers, upperclassmen, and faculty. Y Groups, led by upperclassmen, are formed to provide more individualized attention for new students and to introduce them to the university environment. One of the many Y Group activities involves a tour of campus to acquaint new students with university facilities and traditions. As part of the Orientation program, select faculty visit with students at different locations around campus. Mingling with these faculty gives new students insight to the teaching-learning experiences of a BYU education.
Orientation at BYU attempts to balance the social, personal, and academic needs of students by carefully combining appropriate resources, activities, and personnel. It is designed to acquaint, educate, and stimulate the new student regarding the myriad opportunities available at BYU to succeed academically.

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 throughout their degree program. A successful system of academic advising is highly dependent upon a shared commitment of faculty, staff, and students, as illustrated below.

Students are responsible to Ultimately, students are responsible for making their own decisions based on the best information and advisement available.
Advisors are responsible to stay abreast of major and general education requirements, assist students by making appropriate recommendations for registration, and monitor the students' progress. Advisors will be available to meet with students at a specified time, help in establishing and maintaining their academic plan for graduation, assist students with career options, and make referrals to other campus resources when appropriate. Advisors are expected to look for academic potential in students—where they can succeed yet still be challenged—motivate students to take responsibility for their own academic and career goals and decisions, focus on the rewards of education such as fulfillment and achievement, and exhibit trust and confidence in students.
The university pledges to support a campuswide network of faculty, staff, and student peer advisors by providing them with a clear and firm foundation of information regarding policies, procedures, resources, and programs. The university will publish accurate and timely information on general education and major requirements; provide academic and career counseling services; provide the necessary resources to assist students with a plan for graduation; maintain and update MAPs; provide access to a campuswide information system, i.e., ABC Report; and provide registration services through the touch-tome telephone (TTT), AIM, and the kiosk. The university is committed to assist advisors in developing effective advising skills and to regularly evaluate academic advising systems on campus.
Five major components—college advisement centers, the ABC Report, AIM, MAPs, and faculty advisors—form a multidimensional advisement program designed to address the specific academic needs of students, to track and support their progress to graduation, and to enhance their overall experience at BYU.
College advisement centers exist in every academic college. At these centers students receive personal assistance in meeting their educational goals as quickly as possible. Timely advice from the centers can help students avoid complications or misunderstandings regarding major and unversity requirements to graduate; the centers also provide career counseling. Students should contact their advisement center every semester.
Complementing the personal assistance available at college advisement centers is the university's ABC Report, which tracks a student's progress toward graduation. Each semester or term all undergraduate students should review their comprehensive computerized advisement report, which indicates what classes they have completed, where they stand academically, and what courses they have left to complete. Students should carefully review each ABC Report to monitor their own academic progress.
Another computer aid to advisement is AIM. Available at a number of locations across campus, 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 address and phone numbers, access their class schedule, determine course availabilities and instructor schedules, monitor their ABC Report, look at their grades and BYU credit, make PIN changes, check on transfer and AP credit and grades, and handle registration.
MAP, a 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 on general education and major requirements, semester-by-semester recommendations for course selection, and course availability.
Finally, faculty advisors play a key role in BYU's advising program. Students should seek out faculty advisors early in their university experience. Faculty advisors can help students understand the purposes of a university education, explore the expectations of their major, and crystalize plans for a career or further study.

Academic Support Office

(2500 ELWC, PO Box 25548, [801] 378-2723, e-mail address: Academic_Support@byu.edu)

All students admitted to the university are capable of succeeding academically; however, many students have difficulties achieving the level of success required. 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 Student Life to help students resolve most academic problems.

Students with academic problems usually have difficulties in one or more of the following areas: (1) They can experience situations outside the academic realm (i.e., adjustment problems, illness, relationship concerns, etc.) that distract from academic goals and may need help focusing on those goals. (2) Some students come to the university less academically prepared than other students and may need study skills training. (3) At times a student's learning style, which worked for them in high school, will not work in the university's academic environment; learning style assessment and counseling may help identify and use academic strengths more successfully. (4) Many students lack clearly defined career goals and find themselves floundering 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 Planning Services

(2500 ELWC, PO Box 25548, [801] 378-2723)

Many services are available to assist students with the tasks of major and career exploration and decision making. These services include individual career counseling to help explore academic majors, career options, and long-term career development. Interest inventories, computer-guided career assistance, and career workshops are also available. Another significant resource is Student Development (StDev) 117 (Career Exploration), a credit course that allows students to spend a full semester exploring their interests, abilities, and values and gathering information regarding university majors and subsequent careers. This class is designed to assist students in making career-related decisions and articulating a plan for graduation. Printed, audiovisual, and computer-generated information about career options is available in the Career and Learning Information Center (CLIC) in 2590 ELWC, (801) 378-2689.

Cooperative Education and Internships

Cooperative education and 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 field of study. In addition to cooperative education internships within the United States, internships in international settings are also available for students who are pursuing majors that focus on international curricula.

Most departments offer cooperative education and internship opportunities that give full-time students a combination of academic learning with a work practicum. Students desiring to register for cooperative education 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 may range from 1 to 9 semester units. Pass/fail and/or letter grades are based upon academic as well as work performance and course enrollment. In certain circumstances, in addition to or in place of a grade, work performance will be posted in the memorandum section of the student transcript.
Most colleges and departments have cooperative education coordinators. However, for further information concerning the opportunities and benefits of this academic area, contact the university director of Cooperative Education and Internships (110 FOB, [801] 378-3337).

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, doctoral, or professional degree.

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.
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. Integrative examinations, a major culminating piece of written work or performance, and an accompanying oral defense of that work are also required. The professional degree likewise demands a high-level performance of students, blending scholarly insight with technical knowledge and skill.
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. Some departments offer class credit for participation in these projects, and in other situations it is possible to receive remuneration.

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 university offers both recognition and support for undergraduate resarch or creative activities. An annual competition for special research and creative activities scholarships is held each fall semester.

Student Development Course Work

Brigham Young University offers credit course work that applies to the personal concerns and tasks facing college students. Courses cover such topics as study skills, learning in college, major/career exploration, life planning and decision making, career transitions, and individual development. See the Student Development departmental section of this catalog and the current class schedule for course descriptions and meeting times, respectively. For further information, contact the Department of Student Development (1503 ELWC, [801] 378-6021).

Cultural Environment

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

BYU sponsors performance groups in folk dance, ballroom dance, ballet, modern dance, and precision marching. Each year these groups perform major concerts on campus and tour throughout the world.
Popular and classical plays and films, as well as original compositions, are offered by the Department of Theatre and Media Arts, the College of Humanities sponsors a weekly International Cinema Program, and from September through March the Music Department presents several recitals and concerts weekly.

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, Drer, 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 multimedia theatre, a print study room, a library, a didactic gallery, a seminar room, and classrooms. The museum also features a caf and bookstore.

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. 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:

Winter Solstice
James Galway
Wynton Marsalis
Alvin Ailey Repertory Dance Ensemble
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
Chanticleer
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

290 MLBM, PO Box 20200

H. Duane Smith, Director
Douglas C. Cox, Assistant Director

The Monte L. Bean Museum is a fully functional, professional museum. Its vast teaching and research collections include nearly two million arthropods, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and prepared shells, and more than 500,000 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 botany, zoology, 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 462-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 Great Basin 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

Joel C. Janetski, Director (118 ALLN, PO Box 25522)
Marti Lu Allen, Associate Director (105 ALLN, PO Box 23600)

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, and Polynesia. An approved state and federal archaeological repository, the museum holds a noncirculating library and a photographic archive documenting BYU archaeological research and artifactual materials. The Office of Public Archaeology, an archaeological contracting unit, is administered and housed by the MPC. Research space for the New World Archaeological Foundation and Department of Anthropology faculty is provided by the museum as well.

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. MPC staff are adjunct to the Department of Anthropology, and museology classes are normally offered (through approval) each fall and winter semester. The principal objectives of the classes are to provide students the broadest possible range of museum experience (e.g., collections management, registration, outreach, curatorial research) and to advise students in formulating realistic career objectives.
The museum's galleries in Allen Hall accommodate a program of changing student exhibitions, which are normally developed through the curriculum of the graduate museum practices course. The museum also produces occasional satellite exhibits at other university locations, such as the Museum of Art. Free tours of the Allen Hall galleries can be arranged by calling (801) 378-6112. Because scheduling is based on student 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 special instructions.
The MPC has created anthropology teaching kits that are available for loan to classrooms and inbound populations. The kits explore the native cultures of various geographical areas and include replica artifacts, handicrafts, and educational books and videos. For information, or to reserve one of the kits, call (801) 378-6112.
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 are offered free by arrangement. The MPC is closed on holidays and for two weeks between fall and winter semesters. Office and library hours vary according to student schedules but are generally open only half a day.

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 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 talented community choirs 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 sixty 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 through a BYU ward or by forming their own team. In individual events students may enter independently or represent a ward. 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 is a charter member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and both the men's and women's teams participate in it. The schools composing the WAC are: Brigham Young University, University of Hawaii, U.S. Air Force Academy, San Diego State University, Colorado State University, University of New Mexico, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Utah, University of Wyoming, Tulsa University, Texas Christian University, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, San Jose State University, University of Nevada—Las Vegas, and Fresno State University. The men's intercollegiate program at BYU consists of twelve sports: basketball, baseball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, indoor track, tennis, outdoor track and field, swimming, volleyball, and wrestling. Women at BYU compete in ten intercollegiate sports: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, indoor track, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, outdoor track and field, and volleyball. BYU has been nationally ranked in many sports and has won national championships in football, golf, and track. BYU's overall athletic program was ranked sixteenth nationally by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics in 1997.

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 two sports for women (softball and racquetball). Many of the teams have been nationally ranked during the last several years.





Back
Catalog Homepage
BYU Homepage


Please report any errors. Updated 25 March 1998 by web_ugrad_cat@byu.edu