Navigating General Education at BYU Provo: A Comprehensive Overview
Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, has a well-defined general education program designed to provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge and skills. These requirements, combined with the university's religion requirements, are collectively known as the University Core. Understanding these requirements is crucial for all students, whether they are incoming freshmen or transfer students. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of BYU Provo's general education requirements, drawing from the information available and offering clarity for prospective and current students.
Understanding the University Core
The University Core at BYU encompasses both general education and religion requirements. These are designed to ensure that students receive a well-rounded education that aligns with the university's mission. The specific requirements vary slightly depending on when a student was admitted to BYU.
- For Freshmen Admitted Winter 2024 or Later: Specific requirements can be viewed through designated resources.
- For Transfer Students or Freshmen Admitted Before Winter 2024: Specific requirements can be viewed through designated resources.
Students with questions about how these courses fit into their academic plan are encouraged to contact their College Advisement Center. Those who have not yet declared a major can seek guidance from the University Advisement Center.
Religion Requirements
A significant aspect of the University Core is the religion requirement. BYU, as a Church-sponsored institution, emphasizes religious education.
Doctrinal Foundations
Students are required to complete one requirement from each learning area within Doctrinal Foundations, this requirement can be fulfilled with BYU courses or with previously transferred credit from another Church Educational System school or LDS Institute of Religion. The doctrinal foundation consists of two parts:
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- A subject matter requirement.
- A credit-hours at BYU requirement.
The learning areas include:
- Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon
- Christ and the Everlasting Gospel
- Foundations of the Restoration
- The Eternal Family
It is important to note that all students must fulfill the Cornerstone Courses or an approved substitute (for example, one could take Rel A 121 - The Book of Mormon instead of Rel A 275 - Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon) to graduate from BYU, regardless of how many credits a student is transferring. If a student is transferring less than 45 credits to BYU, they will be required to take additional courses beyond the Cornerstones.
Religion Electives
Six credits of religion electives are required for BYU students with no transfer credit. Students may take up to 6 additional elective religion hours as needed.
Important Considerations for Religion Credits
- Maximum Hours: No more than 4 hours of religion credit per semester (or 4 hours during spring and summer terms combined) may be counted toward the religion requirement.
- Transfer Students: Transfer students must fulfill the BYU graduation requirements, including residency hours in religion.
General Education Requirements: A Broad Overview
The general education component of the University Core is designed to provide students with a broad academic foundation. It encompasses various areas of learning, ensuring that students develop critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills.
BYU Foundations for Student Success
All students are required to complete BYU Foundations for Student Success during their first semester.
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The Individual and Society
Students must complete one requirement from each learning area within The Individual and Society:
- American Heritage
- Global and Cultural Awareness
Skills
Students must complete one requirement from each learning area within Skills:
- First-Year Writing
- Advanced Written & Oral Communication
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Languages of Learning
Arts, Letters, and Sciences
Students must complete six requirements from the following seven learning areas:
- Civilization 1
- Civilization 2
- Arts
- Letters
- Biological Science
- Physical Science
- Social Science
Languages of Learning
The Languages of Learning requirement involves studying a foreign language to enhance students' understanding of different cultures and improve their communication skills. Note that all Languages of Learning courses have prerequisites: FREN 101, 102, and 201 are prerequisites for FREN 202; GERM 101, 102, and 201 are prerequisites for GERM 202; JAPAN 101, 102, 201, and 202 are prerequisites for JAPAN 301; JAPAN 301 is a prerequisite for JAPAN 302. Most foreign language prerequisites are not offered through BYU Independent Study.
Double-Counting Courses
†These courses are eligible to double-count for two separate university core requirements. Courses can double-count only once. †These courses are eligible to double-count for two separate university core requirements. Courses can double-count only once.
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BGS Capstone Course
Once formally admitted to the Bachelor of General Studies program, students will have up to eight years in which to complete the graduation requirements. As part of the BGS program, students must complete Student Development 490 (STDEV 490), the BGS Capstone Course, to integrate, synthesize, and reflect on their educational experience.
FERPA Compliance
By an act of Congress, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of educational records. To comply with FERPA regulations, BYU requires a BYU identification number before releasing any personally identifiable or educational information. The university can only provide this information directly to the student. The full provisions of this act can be viewed online at ferpa.byu.edu. Access to the student’s educational records may be granted to a third party if the student provides signed permission granting a specified person rights to access his or her records.
BYU Independent Study
The courses listed to fill the requirements are those offered through BYU Independent Study.
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