Church Educational Opportunities

    Provided by the Church Educational System
    students talking

    The Church Educational System (CES) seeks to provide Church members with opportunities for education wherever the Church is organized. Church members may access educational opportunities where they live through online courses, classes from local education providers, and local gatherings. Available educational opportunities are listed below.

    Religious Education

    CES offers religious education opportunities for youth and young adults in seminary and institute programs around the world to help them understand and rely on the teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ, qualify for the blessings of the temple, and prepare themselves, their families, and others for eternal life with their Father in Heaven.

    Secondary Education Instruction and Support

    CES entities offer selected instruction and support on the secondary education level.

    • Brigham Young University (BYU) offers Independent Study courses for middle school and high school students
    • The Church operates a few secondary schools in the Pacific Islands and one in Mexico

    Additional secondary education instruction and support programs are under development and are currently being piloted in selected locations. These programs are intended to help students succeed in local public or private schools.

    English Language Instruction

    CES, Self-Reliance Services, and the Missionary Department are working together to develop and deliver EnglishConnect, a suite of English-language learning courses designed to support spiritual and temporal self-reliance. EnglishConnect will include courses for novice and intermediate-level learners. The intermediate-level course is under development, and the novice courses are currently being piloted in selected locations. More information about EnglishConnect is available here.

    In addition to the EnglishConnect courses, novice through intermediate-level English language instruction is available through a variety of existing course offerings. Some courses are under development, and others are currently being piloted in selected locations.

    PathwayConnect: University Preparation for Higher Education

    PathwayConnect is a low-cost, three-semester educational program for students who would like to pursue higher education or improve their employment opportunities, but require additional academic or vocational education. This program is available wherever a PathwayConnect site has been approved by Church leaders.

    Academic Skills-Based Certificates

    Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-Idaho) and LDS Business College (LDSBC) offer skills-based certificates that can lead to associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.

    Undergraduate Degrees

    All of the Church’s higher education institutions offer on-campus undergraduate degree programs. LDSBC primarily offers associate’s degrees. BYU, BYU–H, and BYU–I offer both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.

    BYU–I also offers a number of online associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. BYU offers a Bachelor’s of General Studies program for former students who left BYU without graduating and want to finish a bachelor’s degree online.

    Graduate Degrees

    BYU offers a number of on-campus master’s and doctoral degrees. BYU may offer online master’s degrees in selected fields in the future.