Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University, private coeducational institution of higher learning in Provo, Utah, U.S. The university is supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has branch campuses in Laie, Hawaii, and Rexburg, Idaho. It is composed of 14 colleges, including the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering, the Marriott School of Business, the J. Reuben Clark Law School, the David O. McKay School of Education, and the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies. In July 2024 the university announced plans to add a medical school. Master’s degree programs are available in most areas of study, and doctoral degrees are offered in 30 programs. Important research facilities include laboratories for mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and condensed matter physics. The university is also the site of the Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture and Food Institute and the Center for Family History and Genealogy. Total enrollment as of fall 2024 is more than 35,000.

The university was founded in 1875 by Brigham Young, second president of the Mormon church, who had led the settlement of the church in Utah. Originally named Brigham Young Academy, the school’s mission was to train teachers for public schools. Instruction began in 1876. The school was elevated to university status in 1903. Notable alumni include inventor Philo Farnsworth, professional athletes Jimmer Fredette and Steve Young, young adult author Stephenie Meyer, Jeopardy! television host Ken Jennings, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, and former U.S. Senators Mitt Romney, Orrin Hatch, and Kyrsten Sinema.