Brigham Young University–Idaho is a private university located in Rexburg, Idaho. Founded in 1888, the university is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , transitioned from a junior college to a four-year institution in 2001, and was known for the greater part of its history as Ricks College.BYU-Idaho offers programs in liberal arts, engineering, agriculture, management, and performing arts. The university is broadly organized into six colleges, and its parent organization, the Church Educational System, sponsors sister schools in Utah and Hawaii. The university's focus is on undergraduate education, hosting 18 associate and over 70 bachelor's degree programs; and it operates using a three-semester system also known as "tracks".Students at BYU-Idaho are required to follow an honor code, which mandates behavior in line with LDS teachings . Approximately 99% of the university's students are members of the LDS Church, and a significant percentage of the student body take an 18- or 24-month hiatus from their studies to serve as missionaries. A BYU-Idaho education is generally less expensive than similar private universities, due largely to a significant funding by LDS Church tithing funds, helping keep tuition rates low.
