Brigham Young University

"BYU" redirects here. For other uses, see BYU (disambiguation).

Brigham Young University
Former name
Brigham Young Academy (1875–1903)
MottoNo official motto[1]
Unofficial mottoes include:
"The glory of God is intelligence"[2]
"Enter to learn, go forth to serve"[3]
"The world is our campus"[4]
TypePrivate research university
EstablishedOctober 16, 1875;
149 years ago (1875-10-16)
Parent institution
Church Educational System
AccreditationNWCCU
Religious affiliation
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
Endowment$3.08 billion (2023)[5]
PresidentC. Shane Reese
Academic staff
1,264 full-time, 486 part-time
Administrative staff
1,200 full-time, 900 part-time
Students35,074 (fall 2023)[6]
Undergraduates32,221 (fall 2023)[6]
Postgraduates2,853 (fall 2023)[6]
Location
Provo
,
Utah
,
United States

40°15′00″N 111°38′56″W / 40.250°N 111.649°W / 40.250; -111.649
CampusMidsize city, 560 acres (2.3 km2)[7]
Other campuses
NewspaperThe Universe
ColorsNavy and white[8][9]
   
NicknameCougars
Sporting affiliations
MascotCosmo the Cougar
Websitebyu.edu

Brigham Young University (BYU) is a private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

BYU offers a variety of academic programs including those in the liberal arts, engineering, agriculture, management, physical and mathematical sciences, nursing, and law. It has 186 undergraduate majors, 64 master's programs, and 26 doctoral programs. It is broadly organized into 11 colleges or schools at its main Provo campus, with some colleges and divisions defining their own admission standards. The university also administers four satellite campuses, one in Jerusalem, Salt Lake City, Washington, D.C., and London, while its parent organization the Church Educational System (CES) sponsors sister schools in Hawaii and Idaho. The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Almost all BYU students are members of the LDS Church. Students attending BYU agree to follow an honor code, which mandates behavior in line with teachings of the church, such as academic honesty, adherence to dress and grooming standards, abstinence from extramarital sex, from same-sex romantic behavior, and from the consumption of alcohol and other drugs. Undergraduate students are also required to complete curriculum in LDS religious education for graduation regardless of their course of study. Due in part to the church's emphasis on missionary service, nearly 50% of BYU students have lived outside the United States, 65% speak a second language, and 63 languages are taught at the university regularly.[10]

BYU's athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are collectively known as the BYU Cougars. All sports teams compete in the Big 12 Conference except for men's volleyball which is a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. BYU's sports teams have won a total of 12 NCAA championships and 26 non-NCAA championships. On September 10, 2021, BYU formally accepted an invitation to the Big 12 Conference and began Big 12 conference play in the 2023–24 school year.[11]

  1. ^ Walch, Tad (August 4, 2007). "BYU not alone in using motto "Enter to learn"". Deseret News. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
  2. ^ Nussbaum, Martha. Cultivating Humanity. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-674-17949-8. pp. 290.
  3. ^ Worthen, Kevin J. (August 16, 2018). "Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve". BYU Speeches. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019. The Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve sign was erected on campus in 1965 as part of an effort to spruce up the west entrance to campus.
  4. ^ "Campus". About BYU. Brigham Young University. 2007. Archived from the original on September 21, 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
  5. ^ As of December 31, 2023. "Compliance Reports Required under the Single Audit Act Amendment of 1996 for the Year Ended December 31, 2023, and Independent Auditor's Reports" (PDF). Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Brigham Young University. May 1, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Common Data Set 2023-2024". BYU.edu.
  7. ^ "IPEDS-Brigham Young University". Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  8. ^ Nimer, Cory (November 24, 2015). "Establishing school colors". BYU.edu. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  9. ^ "Colors". Brand.BYU.edu. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  10. ^ "Facts & Figures". BYU. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Big12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).