and the names of accrediting bodies (other than CEPH) to which the institution responds.)
According to the U.S. Census Bureau State and County QuickFacts, the Utah population in 2013 was over 2.9 million residents with more than a 14% growth rate statewide. The distribution of race or ethnic origin is estimated as follows: 79% not Hispanic, 0.7% Black, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native persons, 2% Asian persons, 1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 13% Hispanic/Latino and 3% reporting two or more races (see http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045214/00,49).
BYU is located in Utah County. It shares similar demographic characteristics to Utah. White not Hispanic, less than 1% Black, less than 1% American Indian and Alaska Native, nearly 2% Asian, 1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 11% Hispanic/Latino, and 2% reporting two or more races (see http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045 214/00,49,49049). The county is ranked second in Utah for number of languages spoken. In Utah County 41 languages are spoken.
Established in 1875, Brigham Young University is located in Provo, Utah, a city of
approximately 115,000 people located 45 miles south of Salt Lake City and 4,500 feet above sea level at the western base of the Wasatch Mountains. Provo sits in the Utah Valley in Utah county, a population of over 550,000, bordered on the west by 23-‐mile-‐long Utah Lake and on the east by 11,750-‐foot tall Mount Timpanogos.
Known for its academically minded and internationally experienced student body, BYU offers courses in 11 colleges and schools, in Continuing Education and Graduate Studies and in three general undergraduate areas of study. Many academic and professional programs are augmented by internships and career-‐related summer jobs. For the 2013 – 2014 academic year, the College of Life Sciences graduated 1,244 undergraduate students – more than any other college on campus. In the 2013—2014 academic school year, BYU awarded 6,404 undergraduate and 1,260 graduate degrees. Public health is one of the top ten majors by enrollment at the university (see http://yfacts.byu.edu/Article?id=305).
The university’s approximately 560-‐acre main campus includes about 300 buildings: 80 for academic programs, 64 for administrative and auxiliary services and 150 for student
housing (see http://yfacts.byu.edu/article?id=133). BYU receives national recognition for its strong undergraduate and graduate programs and its high-‐quality teaching. The
National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago reported that BYU is 5th in the nation in the number of graduates who go on to earn doctoral degrees.
In its 2014 “America’s Best Colleges” issue, U.S. News & World Report gave BYU high marks in several categories, ranking BYU 62nd in the category of “Best National Universities” and 10th in the "Best Value School" category. BYU is also ranked first for accepted students who
enroll, fourth for graduates with the least debt, and fifth for graduates that go on to earn doctorate degrees (see http://yfacts.byu.edu/Article?id=306). The 2015 "Best Graduate Schools" issue of U.S. News & World Report ranked BYU 88th among top graduate education programs.
BYU’s student body of nearly 30,000-‐student body comes from all 50 US states, the District of Columbia and 110 countries. Of the total students, approximately 55% are male and 45% are female. As of Fall 2014, multicultural students compose 16% of the student body; of these students, 1,217 identify as Asian and Pacific Islanders, 755 Hispanic, 181 Black, 108 American Indian and 2,550 other or multi-‐ethnicity.
Over 6% of the student body is from outside the United States. Approximately 1800 international students (4% of the total student body) attend BYU each year, bringing their cultures and experiences to the campus community (see
http://yfacts.byu.edu/Article?id=90). Of these students, 29% are from the Far East, 16% are from Canada, 13% are from South America, 9% are from Central Asia, 9% are from Central America and Mexico, 8% are from Western Europe, 5% are from the Middle East, 4% are from Eastern Europe and Russia, and 7% are from other countries.
Many additional factors contribute to the diversity and depth of language expertise at BYU. More than three-‐fourths of BYU students speak a language other than their native tongue. Additionally, approximately 56% of the students at BYU have served church missions, with many gaining fluency in a second language during that experience. The variety of language skills among the student body allows the university to provide a rich forum for language instruction.
More than three-‐dozen languages are taught regularly, with an additional 30 languages available with sufficient student interest—among the most offered anywhere in the
country. The number of enrollments in language courses at BYU equals 31% of the student body, compared to the national average of 9% (see http://yfacts.byu.edu/Article?id=177). The prior experience of most of the students allows for a higher standard of instruction, using the language to teach other subjects—literature, history, and culture—as well as to enhance their opportunities outside the lab and classroom.
In addition to offering language courses, the College of Humanities provides an opportunity for students to enhance and refine their language skills through its Foreign Language Student Residence program, where students live in university housing while learning one of nine languages. BYU’s Center for Language Studies offers intensive summer language courses and advanced courses in less-‐common languages, such as Finnish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.
BYU recruits students with strong academic and professional abilities. In 2013, 90% of freshman students had an average ACT composite score of 26 or higher (25% had a score of 31 or higher), 54% graduated in the top tenth of their high school class, and the average
high school GPA for freshmen admitted to BYU in the same year was 3.80. BYU consistently receives a national top twenty ranking in the number of national merit scholar awards.
For the 2013–2014 academic year, the College of Life Sciences graduated 1,244 undergraduate students—more than any other college on campus. In the 2013–2014 academic school year, BYU awarded 6,404 undergraduate and 1,260 graduate degrees (see http://yfacts.byu.edu/Article?id=176). Public health is one of the top ten undergraduate majors by enrollment at the university (see http://yfacts.byu.edu/Article?id=305).
BYU full-‐time employees include approximately 1,500 full-‐time instructional faculty, 90% are tenured or on tenure track (CFS), and approximately 2,800 administrative and staff personnel. Part-‐time employees include approximately 1,300 faculty, administrative and staff personnel, and 14,000 students (see http://yfacts.byu.edu/Article?id=135).
BYU faculty members hold advanced degrees from respected academic institutions around the world. Many faculty members are fluent in at least one additional language, and many conduct research and creative works in countries other than the United States.
Accrediting Bodies. The Commission of Colleges and Universities of the Northwest
Association of Schools and Colleges have accredited BYU since 1923. The Council is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education Accreditation as the authority on the quality of institutions of higher education for seven northwestern states.
Other Accreditation. The names of accrediting bodies (other than CEPH) to which the
university is responsible are found in Resource File 1.3.