Overview
Brigham Young University Is a Welcoming, Principled Private Institution
Brigham Young University, with an enrollment of over thirty thousand full-time students, is one of the largest private universities in the United States. Located in Provo, Utah, BYU is sponsored and supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the university is open to students of all faiths who are willing to live by its high standards, which include moral integrity and excellence in academic scholarship as well as abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and other harmful drugs.
BYU's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Offers a High Quality Graduate Education
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, with its outstanding faculty, students, and support staff, is among the leading departments in research at BYU.
The university offers courses of graduate study leading to doctoral and master's degrees in the areas of analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. Both the MS and PhD degrees are designed to provide students with the course work and research experience necessary to pursue professional careers.
A schedule of required courses is established for each student based on his or her needs and interests and the results of proficiency exams administered at the beginning of the first year. Most of this course work, which may include classes from other departments, is taken in the first year, with the remainder generally completed in the second year. The research experience is the major element of all graduate programs in chemistry and biochemistry.
Financial Support, Medical Insurance, and Housing Are Available to BYU Graduate Students
All admitted graduate students who are progressing in their programs are supported through teaching or research assistantships, which are provided on a twelve-month basis. The annual stipend for the academic year 2009-10 is $21,250. The stipend generally increases each year of the program. Also included is complete coverage of all program tuition. The department also provides medical insurance for graduate students and their dependents through BYU health services.
Additionally, university housing is available for both married and single graduate students, although most single students live in private off-campus housing. A wide variety of apartments, rental houses, and condominiums are within walking distance of campus.
Provo, Utah Is Widely Recognized as One of the Nation's Best Places to Live
Brigham Young is located in Provo, Utah, a city with a population of about 100,000. It is within easy access of major freeways and the Salt Lake International Airport, and is serviced by major bus lines.
Provo has consistently been ranked by Money magazine as one of the best places to live in the United States. Spectacular mountains, clear streams, freshwater lakes, colorful deserts, and other scenery of breathtaking beauty surround a wholesome campus environment with abundant recreational and cultural opportunities, making BYU a pleasant and unique place to pursue graduate study.
Research Is Highly Valued at BYU and Faculty Members Display High Levels of Research Achievement
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at BYU has approximately 90 graduate students, most of whom are in the PhD program. Every graduate student has significant opportunity to interact directly and often with the department's 35 professorial faculty members. This personal interaction creates a stimulating environment for learning and growth.
Research achievement is measured several ways, including the number of publications, the citation frequency of those publications, and the level of external funding. By any measure, BYU does very well. For example, the chemistry department's faculty members publish about 130 peer-reviewed papers per year. Furthermore, these papers are highly regarded in the scientific community. Faculty members receive external funding of many millions of dollars per year. In addition, they serve as editors or on the editorial boards of approximately 11 national or international scientific journals.
State-of-the-Art Facilities and Weekly Seminars Contribute to Graduate Education in Chemistry
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry occupies the Ezra Taft Benson Science Building. This 192,000 square-foot complex consists of three wings accommodating all of the research and teaching activities of the department. It includes specially designed laboratories for state-of-the-art equipment and teaching facilities.
In addition, a stimulating environment is fostered by frequent student-faculty interactions via research group meetings and departmental seminars. Weekly seminars are held in which BYU faculty, professionals in residence, or visiting scientists present summaries of their research.
