R. Lanier Britsch (b. 1938) was a history professor and academic administrator in Utah and Hawaii.

R. Lanier Britsch was born on November 16, 1938 in Provo, Utah. Britsch attended Brigham Young University from 1958-1964 where he earned his B.A. in Asian Studies and M.A. in History. He then went on to receive his Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate University, also in Asian Studies. His professorship at BYU started in 1966 where he taught history until his retirement in 2002. His teaching career in Provo was interrupted, however when he accepted the position of Vice President for Academics at BYU-Hawaii from 1986-1990 as well as taking other developmental leaves. Britsch has been published in numerous books and magazines as well as writing his own works. In each case his research has been extensive and widely-used by other scholars. Britsch is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has held many different positions therein. In 1961 he married JoAnn Murphy in the Salt Lake Temple. They have six children.