BYU Independent Study

All the courses needed to complete BGS degree requirements are offered by BYU Independent Study.

How to Contact BYU Independent Study

Website:	elearn.byu.edu
E-mail:	indstudy@byu.edu
Phone:	801-422-2868 (Utah County) or 1-800-914-8931 (toll free)
Address:	BYU Independent Study 120 Morris Center Provo, UT 84602
Office Hours:	Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (mountain time)

How Do BYU Independent Study Courses Work?
Independent Study courses are designed to be equivalent in content and credit hours to the courses taught on campus, and usually are taught by the same instructors. Courses vary from teacher to teacher just like they do on campus. However, while on-campus classes involve lectures and class discussions, Independent Study courses present the information primarily through reading and writing assignments.

Upon enrolling in a course, you will receive access to the course materials. Most courses also have required textbooks, and some require other supplemental materials. Each course is divided into multiple lessons with clearly defined objectives. Lessons include reading, writing assignments, other learning activities, and quizzes. Most lessons conclude with an instructor-graded or computer-graded (Speedback) assignment. Courses may have midcourse and/or final exams that must be administered in an approved testing center or by an approved proctor. The description of each course in this catalog indicates the number of lessons and exams; further information about each course is available in the Independent Study online catalog.

Similar to on-campus classes, Independent Study courses are designed to require about 45 to 50 hours of work per credit hour. Thus, you should expect to spend about 150 hours to complete a three-credit course. However, if you are familiar with the subject, you may be able to complete the assignments more quickly; or if you need a little more time to grasp more difficult concepts, you have the flexibility to take more time to review materials and complete assignments. Independent Study offers free tutoring services for courses in English, literature, reading, spelling, writing, history, geography, government, and statistics. Students in math courses may use BYU’s Math Lab for tutoring.

Important Note: The BYU Independent Study Office handles all matters dealing with Independent Study course enrollments: enrolling you in courses and sending course materials, processing lessons, facilitating questions to your instructors, handling course transfers and refunds, sending exams, posting grades to transcripts, etc. Contact that office directly for help with your individual Independent Study courses. Contact the Bachelor of General Studies office for any matters relating to your degree program.

How Do I Register For a Course?
You may register for a course anytime during the year by enrolling online or by phone (see information above).