BYU-Pathway Worldwide provides “access to spiritually based degrees completely online at an affordable price” for those in the greater Chattanooga area and around the world.
The story begins some 50 years ago when Henry B. Eyring (now a member of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) was inaugurated as the president of Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho). He stated then that Ricks College would “find direct ways to move the blessings of education…from this campus out into the lives of men and women everywhere.” About 30 years later, David A. Bednar (now a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) made similar remarks. In 2009, BYU-Idaho launched Pathway (now called PathwayConnect), which grew from serving 50 students in the US to “serving more than 14,000 in over 60 countries in 2016. In 2017, the First Presidency announced BYU-Pathway Worldwide. “As of 2020, BYU-Pathway Worldwide serves more than 50,000 students annually in 152 countries.”
BYU-Pathway Worldwide offers more than 40 BYU-Idaho and Ensign College online certificates and degrees. According to officials, “BYU-Pathway provides the services, support, and curriculum direction; while BYU-Idaho or Ensign College develop and deliver the courses and grant the degree” (byupathway.org).
Bachelor’s Degrees are available in Applied Business Management, Applied Health, Applied Technology, Communication, Marriage and Family Studies, and Professional Studies.
Associate Degrees include Applied Business Management; Applied Health; Applied Technology; Communication; Family History Research; Marriage and Family Studies; and Professional Studies.
Certificates include Administrative Assistant; Advanced Family History Research; Advanced Marriage and Family Functioning; Agribusiness Management; Auto Services Technology; Basic Accounting; Business Administration; Business Analysis; Business and Leadership Skills; Child and Family Advocacy; Commercial Fundamentals; Communication Core; Communication Fundamentals; Community Health Methods & Evaluation; Community Health Planning & Implementation; Computer Support; Computer-Aided Design and Drafting; Construction Field Supervision; Database; Entrepreneurship; Epidemiology; Family History Research; Graphic Design Fundamentals; Hospitality and Tourism Management; Human Resource Management; Human Services; Marriage, Family, and Human Relations; Medical Billing and Coding Fundamentals; Occupational Safety and Health; Parent and Family Education; Project Management; Social Media Marketing; System Administration; TEFL; Web and Computer Programming; and Web Development.
“We are pleased that BYU-Pathway is available for everyone,” local officials said. “God has always taught that education is an eternal principle. Education helps us develop self-reliance, provide for our families, and be of greater service” (at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/youth/learn/ap/self-reliance/develop?lang=eng). By providing a unique opportunity to pursue education online from anywhere in the world, BYU-Pathway Worldwide blesses individuals both temporally and spiritually. To learn more, recommended degree plans and descriptions for individual certificates and degrees may be viewed at https://www.byupathway.org/degrees/program-list.