Brigham Young University (BYU)
Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah, United States, is a private, coeducational research university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church). It is the oldest existing institution within the LDS Church Educational System, is America's largest religious university, and has the second-largest private university enrollment in the United States. (1,2,3) Approximately 98% of the 34,000 students at BYU are Mormon; two-thirds of its American students come from outside the state of Utah. (4)
BYU students are required to adhere to a strict honor code, which mandates behavior in line with Mormon teachings (including prohibitions on extra-marital sex and the consumption of drugs and alcohol) in addition to academic honesty. Furthermore, the Honor Code requires BYU students to adhere to a dress code. Approximately 97% of male BYU graduates have taken a two-year hiatus from their studies at some point to be Mormon missionaries, and 32% of BYU women graduates have been missionaries as well. (5) Many BYU students obtain a level of foreign language proficiency while being Mormon missionaries, and BYU has many foreign language classes. Over 75% of BYU students have some foreign language proficiency. (6)
The university's primary focus is on undergraduate education, but it also has 68 master's and 25 doctoral degree programs, including a Juris Doctor program. About 70% of student tuition is funded by LDS Church tithing funds, making tuition relatively less expensive than at similar private universities. (7)
Honor Code Forced Upon BYU Students and Graduates
Internet Access Limited for BYU Students
Professors Promote LDS as Distinct From Christianity
Required BOM Course for BYU Students
Students Should Seek Guidance Only From Church Leaders