Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University Psychology and Counseling Programs

Brigham Young University appears in our ranking of the Top 25 Most Affordable Master’s Degrees in Counseling in the West.

According to Brigham Young University’s website, psychology is the third-ranked most popular major. The undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree begins with a class on the history of psychology and introduces students to the basic critical thinking skills needed to challenge fundamental assumptions about human nature and behavior. Students will be presented with the major figures and schools of thought that have made significant conceptual contributions to the landscape of psychology. Students will learn how to apply various psychological principles to social, personal, cognitive and interpersonal problems.

Electives include socio-cultural anthropology, which introduces students to the scientific principles of ethnography that are used to understand values, beliefs and ritual practices. Classes on gender theories will train students how to evaluate gender through the contrasting theoretical perspectives of culture, history, and science. All students must take classes on psychological testing and learn how to evaluate psychometric attributes through applied and conceptual measurements. Students will create their own psychological measurements based on target theories and hypotheses and present their findings through recognizable statistical concepts and formulae. Students will be able to recognize and understand basic statistical notation, formulae, and concepts. Research design classes will train students about methodological tools, so they will know how to implement and execute the appropriate means to test the hypothesis.

Brigham Young University’s undergraduate psychology program is popular because it successfully prepares graduates to enter the academic roles of teaching and researching. It also prepares graduates to become clinical assistants and pursue graduate-level counseling degrees. Brigham Young University offers very affordable degree programs, but is also a very open and safe environment. Regardless of the student’s religion, the university strives to maintain a wholesome academic environment. The University offers an integrated and harmonious social, spiritual and educational environment. Brigham Young University has strong athletic and art performance programs, but Provo offers an eclectic food culture and plenty of outdoor activities.

The School of Family Life at BYU offers graduate degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and Marriage, Family, and Human Development.

About Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University, which was founded in 1875, is a church-affiliated college located in Provo, Utah.

Brigham Young University, commonly referred to as BYU, strives to offer academically challenging science and liberal arts degrees while cultivating a faith-based environment. Brigham Young University is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). In this academically rigorous and spiritually centered setting, students experience intensive secular learning and personal growth. While the University is open to all students, Brigham Young University’s school demographics is 98.5 percent Latter-day Saint, or Mormon. Brigham Young University is gaining respect for their distance education program that is reaching out to students of all backgrounds.

The University actually begin in 1875 as a small school located on a one-acre plot in downtown Provo, which is South of Salt Lake City. The original school was called the Brigham Young Academy after the second president of the LDS Church. In 1891, the campus moved to larger facilities on University Avenue and in 1903, the name was officially changed and many recognizable buildings were constructed. With the financial support of the LDS church, the University has grown to become the most popular higher education institution in Utah. The Provo campus hosts more than 27,000 undergraduate students. Because admissions competition is so fierce, sister schools have been opened. These include BYU-Hawaii, BYU-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho and the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City.

Brigham Young University Accreditation Details

• The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation

Brigham Young University Application Requirements

Certain application requirements for Brigham Young University are unique. The basic application includes standard parts, such as educational history, but ethnicity and religious affiliation information are mandatory. An ecclesiastical endorsement from a church official is required on all student applications. Applicants must agree to follow BYU’s exclusive Honor Code and Dress and Grooming Standards. Then, applicants must meet with local church leaders, which includes a bishop and a stake presidency member. Non-LDS applicants are allowed to meet with any upper-level LDS leader to receive the ecclesiastical endorsement. LDS-applicants must show proof of successfully completing four years of seminary, which are daily religious classes attended during high school.

Brigham Young University’s admission review process is very comprehensive. First, they consider the ecclesiastical endorsement because adherence to the Honor Code and the Dress and Grooming Standards is of absolute importance. Next, they review the student’s academic record and external accomplishments. Thus, a high GPA or ACT score will not guarantee admission. Then, the admissions board evaluates school leadership, seminary attendance, community service, individual talents and special factors that validate that the student will strengthen the university community. On their application, students should include details about their high school experiences, such as ACT, SAT or GPA scores. Applicants should also expound on high school activities related to the church, military, athletics, multimedia, employment and performing arts.

Brigham Young University Tuition and Financial Aid

The LDS Church directly subsidizes the tuition prices through tithing donations. An LDS student who takes over six credit hours will pay $1,288, a non-LDS will pay $2,575. LDS students are charged $270 per credit, non-LDS are charged $540 per credit. The average annual tuition is $24,000 for undergraduate students, which is lower than the national average of $29,000. Room and board will cost $7,448, books and supplies $812 and personal $2,200 for two semesters at BYU. Because approximately half the cost of tuition is covered by the LDS church, competition to enter the University is very fierce.

Federal financial aid includes Pell Grants, PLUS Loans, and Direct Loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized. Federal grants are available through the FAFSA application. Most student loans must be repaid, but usually after graduation.
Pell Grants are for undergraduates without a bachelor’s degree and max out at approximately $5,700. There are two types of Direct Loans: subsidized loans, which do not accrue interest while students are still in school, and unsubsidized, which accrue interest. PLUS Loans allow parents to apply for federal loans to help pay for their children’s college expenses. About 25 percent of incoming freshmen receive academic scholarships from the university. There are private and need-based scholarships as well as talent awards in dance, music, theater, and athletics.

Brigham Young University’s social science programs, such as psychology, are cost-affordable academic solutions for students who want a healthy and happy college experience.