The BYU College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences is a college located on the Provo, Utah campus of Brigham Young University and is housed in the Spencer W. Kimball Tower and Joseph F. Smith Building. The BYU College of Family Living was organized on June 28, 1951, while the BYU College of Social Sciences was organized in 1970.Wilkinson, Ernest L., ed., Brigham Young University: The First 100 Years. (Provo: BYU Press, 1975) Vol. 4, p. 487 These two colleges merged to form the current college in 1981. The first dean of the college was Martin B. Hickman.Deseret News, Oct. 16, 1991, obituary of Martin B. Hickman The college includes nine major departments: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, the School of Family Life, Social Work, and Sociology. There are 21 different majors and 21 different minors that students can choose from, including 9 majors that have a correlating minor.
Departments Anthropology Through a combination of classroom and field work, BYU's Anthropology Program trains students in current methods and theory while teaching them critical analysis skills necessary for many careers, including further academic work in anthropology. Departmental programs and faculty research areas focus on Sociocultural Anthropology and Archaeology. Department faculty provide a variety of opportunities for students to participate in mentored research in subjects of their interest.
Department Web Page: https://anthropology.byu.edu/
Economics Brigham Young University's first course in economics was taught in 1895 and the Department of Economics was established in 1921. Currently, approximately 28 faculty members are housed in the department. Students study broad range of contemporary policy issues such as natural resource and environmental economics; economic development and growth; international trade and finance; economic history; the organization of industries; the development and efficiency of law; business cycles; labor markets; and public and private finance.
Department Web Page: https://economics.byu.edu/
Geography Geography was originally part of the Geology Department, with a few geology professors teaching courses in geography. In 1955, the independent Geography Department was created, consisting of three full-time faculty, and Elliott Tuttle as chair. Today the geography department offers six major emphases: Global Studies, Environmental Studies, Travel & Tourism, Urban Planning, Geospatial Science & Technology, and Geospatial Intelligence, and five minors: Geospatial Science & Technology, Geography Teaching, Global Studies, Travel and Tourism, and Urban and Regional Planning. They have twelve full-time faculty members and a number of adjunct professors. They work with many different cities and governments on a variety of projects.
Department Web Page: https://geography.byu.edu/
History Established in 1950, the History Department is made up of an average of 450 students and 44 faculty. It offers four majors: History, Family History- Genealogy, History Teaching, and Social Science Teaching, and four minors: History, Family History- Genealogy, History/Social Science Teaching, and Native American Studies. They offer an average of 140 classes each year including courses in African, Asian, European, Latin American, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and United States history. It established its first chair, the De Lamar Jensen Chair of Early Modern History, in 2017.
Department Web Page: https://history.byu.edu/
Political Science The political science department offers a BA in political science and minors in political science, legal studies, international strategy and diplomacy, and political research and data analysis. The department has numerous affiliates, namely the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at BYU,BYU CSED . the Political and Economic Development Labs,BYU Political Economy and Development Lab . and WomanStats Project.WomanStats . The department also sponsors on-campus clubs, such as BYU College Democrats, BYU College Republicans, Women in Politics, Pi Sigma Alpha (Honors Society) and Tocqueville Group. Their alumni society is the BYU Political Affairs Society.BYUPAS .
Department Web Page: https://politicalscience.byu.edu/
Psychology The psychology program offers a bachelor's degree in psychology, a PhD in psychology, and a PhD in clinical psychology. The psychology doctoral program focuses on broad coverage of the discipline of psychology and scientific research skills during the first four semesters. The last two years of the program, students pursue specialized coursework and training in one of three emphasis areas: applied social psychology, behavioral neurobiology, or theoretical/ philosophical psychology. Students complete a master's degree as part of the program and complete a master's thesis by the end of their second year. Degrees in counseling psychology and school psychology are offered through the McKay School of Education.
Department Web Page: https://psychology.byu.edu/
School of Family Life The School of Family Life (SFL) is one of the largest academic programs at BYU. It provides undergraduate emphases in family studies, family social services, human development, biological foundations of human development, and family and consumer sciences education, minors in family life and gerontology, and MS and PhD clinical and non-clinical programs. It also hosts several general education classes taken by a wide range of university students.
School Web Page: https://familylife.byu.edu/
School of Social Work The BYU master of social work program offers two emphases: clinical social work and research. The social work program was ranked 104 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in 2012 2012 US News Grad School Rankings Students are required to complete two internships and most work on faculty-mentored research.
School Web Page: https://socialwork.byu.edu/
Sociology The sociology department offers a bachelor's and master's degree. In the undergraduate program, students select their courses based on their career interests. Possible sequences to follow include research and analysis; public policy/law/criminology; family/social work/public policy; business; liberal education degree; academic sociology; and international or domestic development. The graduate program enrolls approximately two-dozen students.
Department Web Page: https://sociology.byu.edu/
Research & academic support centers In addition to the nine departments, the Family, Home, and Social Sciences oversees twelve research and academic support centers.
Center for Family History and Genealogy Family History has a rich and long history at BYU. The Family History Program at Brigham Young University began in 1962. Various courses dedicated to genealogical research were offered, and students were able to choose either a two-year certificate or a family history minor. In addition, researchers were hired to conduct professional genealogical research for clients. The current Center for Family History and Genealogy was founded in 2000 as a place for students to engage in serious, academically rigorous genealogical/family historical research. Numerous faculty members and campus organizations participate in or supported family history on campus.
Center Web Page: https://cfhg.byu.edu/
Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy (CSED) The Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy (CSED) at Brigham Young University was founded in 1998 as a nonpartisan academic research center seeking to increase knowledge about the practice of American democracy. CSED focuses on the production and dissemination of research that meets high academic standards, is useful to policy makers, and informs citizens. CSED-sponsored research has been published by leading academic journals and presses in the areas of campaign finance, voting technology and election reform, presidential and congressional elections, religion and politics, and democratic deliberation. CSED scholars frequently provide expert commentary on national and local politics in areas related to their research.
Center Web Page: https://csed.byu.edu/
Charles Redd Center for Western Studies Utah ranchers Charles and Annaley Redd established the Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr., Endowed Chair in Western American History in 1972 to promote and honor research, publication and teaching in Western American History. The center offers seventeen different awards to BYU faculty, students, and unaffiliated researchers. The Redd Center regularly sponsors public lectures to allow scholars to share research and invite the people to learn more about the Intermountain West. While the number of lectures presented each year varies, there are three annual named lectures: The Annaley Naegle Redd Lecture, held at the time of the Redd Center annual board meeting, the Howard and Hazel Butler Peters Lecture, and a lecture given by a recipient of a Clarence Dixon Taylor Award.
Center Web Page: https://reddcenter.byu.edu/
Child and Family Studies Laboratory The Child and Family Studies Laboratory was created to train BYU students in appropriate teaching techniques for young children to be used in the home, church, and professional settings by modeling a developmentally appropriate preschool program. It provides summer, STEM, preschool, and kindergarten programs as developmentally appropriate learning experience for preschool children and their parents. The laboratory also exists to aid in, facilitate, and conduct research with your children and families.
Laboratory Web Page: https://preschool.byu.edu/
Comprehensive Clinic The BYU Comprehensive Clinic offers counseling services for individuals, couples, and families in the Utah County community. Since the Clinic is also a research and training facility, counseling is provided by graduate student interns under the close supervision of experienced faculty who are licensed therapists. In addition to therapy, the clinic offers various psychological assessments. The building also hosts the Communication Disorders Department from the McKay School of Education, as well as LDS Family Services. Both organizations provide a wide variety of groups and counseling services and adoption services.
Clinic Web Page: https://comprehensiveclinic.byu.edu/
Family Studies Center The Family Studies Center conducts research that identifies characteristics associated with strong marriages and families, the processes by which they develop, and positive individual and relationship outcomes of healthy family relationships. Historically, the Family Studies Center has supported funding for research on family relationships (e.g., the Flourishing Families Project), conferences on family topics (e.g., Families and Health; Work and Families), and outreach activities (e.g., “Families Under Fire” conference). The center also hosts workshops on research methods used with family data.
Center Web Page: https://familystudiescenter.byu.edu/
Museum of Peoples and Cultures The Museum of Peoples and Cultures cares for the anthropological, archaeological, and ethnographic collections in the custody of the university. The museum provides a professional learning environment for BYU students. It also facilitates teaching and research on peoples and cultures by BYU faculty, staff, students, and by members of the scholarly community in peer institutions. The museum is open to the public to educate visitors about peoples and cultures as appropriate to the museum's holdings and collecting scope.
Museum Web Page: https://mpc.byu.edu/
New World Archaeological Foundation (NWAF)