1970 - 2020
July 1, 2020, marked the 50-year anniversary of the College of Science, comprised of the School of Biological Sciences and the Departments of Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics & Astronomy. By James DeGooyer, Major Gifts Officer, Dean’s Office, College of Science
A brief history When the University of Deseret was founded in 1850 in the Territory of Utah, it was primarily a training school for teachers. The newly formed university taught only a handful of topics, including algebra, astronomy, botany, chemistry, geometry, and zoology. Indeed, mathematics and physical sciences were well represented from the earliest days of the university. By the 1920s, only six organized schools existed at the U: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering and Mines, Law, and a two-year Medical School. Between 1948 and 1958, through two reorganizations, the School of Arts and Sciences expanded to become the College of Letters and Science. However, the
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composition was enormous, including departments of air science, anthropology, botany, chemistry, English, experimental biology, genetics and cytology, history, journalism, languages, mathematics, military science and tactics, naval science and tactics, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, sociology, speech and theater arts, and zoology.
Construction to connect the Widtsoe and Cowles Buildings
