Brigham Young University, the flagship school for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is changing its religious graduation requirements for students.

Starting this fall semester, students at the Provo campus can no longer count more than six religion credits per academic year. Any additional religion credits would not count toward graduations.

All undergraduate students at the church-owned school must take 14 religion credits to earn a diploma. Eight of these credits must be filled with four required classes, and the other six are religious electives. All religious credits are in addition to general education requirements.

This policy stems from BYU’s concerns about how students were scheduling their courses. Oftentimes, students would double up and take multiple religion classes in a single semester, hoping to finish the required credits early, fast-tracking their graduation.

Officials maintain this can undermine the spiritual aspect of the courses.

The school’s website states that the “integration of spiritual and academic learning” is a vital part of a BYU education. “As such, religion courses are meant to be taken throughout a college experience — not all at once.”

While students can petition for an exception, particularly those whose graduations may be delayed, it is not guaranteed that they will receive one.

BYU student Nora Wosnik said she was sad to hear of the updated policy.

Wosnik said her favorite courses were always the religion classes and that she loved taking multiple credits each semester for her own interest.

“BYU offers so many good classes and only having to take three of them [in a year] — that’s not very many classes at all,” she said. “I was hoping when I came to BYU that I would get more of an in-depth religious education.”

Wosnik said she also worries that future students will no longer be motivated to experience all of the faith-based classes she was able to take for fear of falling behind on their graduation timeline.

Though the updated policy will take effect this fall, it will not change the graduation requirements for students who have been enrolled in religion classes before the coming semester. It will, however, affect the number of credits all students can count toward graduation each year.

BYU junior Ella Paligo believes that the pros of the policy change outweigh the cons.

Every semester, Paligo has included one religion class in her schedule. She said some students don’t often take the time to slow down and see the value in the religious courses.

With the new policy, she said, students can take advantage of a more relaxed schedule — if they plan properly.

“For some other students,” Paligo said. “It will really help them have a more enjoyable experience.”

An added cap on counted credit hours was not the only change Paligo appreciated. She views the update on transfer credits as a win for all students.

While the new policy restricts the scheduling flexibility once available to students, the Provo campus will also allow students to complete these courses at any other Church Educational System institution, including BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, BYU-Pathway Worldwide or, in the heart of Salt Lake City, Ensign College.

Once completed, these credits can be transferred to Provo or between any of the other church-listed institutions.

The previous policy did not allow a transfer of any religious classes from other institutions, including from sister schools such as BYU-Idaho.

“Something that has been hard for some of my transfer student friends is that credits are very difficult to transfer,” Paligo said. “So I’m grateful that this is making it easier for students who start BYU a bit later.”