Advising FAQs

For information about general academic advising and academic advisor assignments, click here.

If you have declared a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) major (except Economics), you should be assigned a Faculty Advisor in the department of your CAS major. Your Faculty Advisor assignment should also be listed in your Student Center in LOCUS. If you do not have a Faculty Advisor listed in LOCUS for your CAS major, you may visit your academic department’s office in person and request a Faculty Advisor assignment. If you change your major within CAS, you will need to notify the new academic department to request a new Faculty Advisor assignment for your new major in CAS.

Some departments and programs within CAS also assign Faculty Advisors for their minors. Check with your CAS department or program to inquire whether Faculty Advisors are assigned for minors.

If you have minor questions or concerns to discuss with your advisor, you may call, email, or chat during designated hours via Express Advising. To schedule an appointment with your advisor or use Express Advising, please click here.

Academic advisors are available to meet with students to discuss progress toward completion of the degree.

Students must apply for graduation early in the semester prior to their expected graduation term/semester. For example, if you expect to graduate in May or August, you must apply by October 1. If you plan to graduate in December, you must apply by March 1. The graduation application is available online through LOCUS. Within a few weeks of applying for graduation, students will receive an audit that lists their remaining credits. Students may also schedule a graduation audit appointment.

All students register for classes through Loyola's Online Connection to University Services (LOCUS). For information about classes and course offerings, visit LOCUS for the most current information. If you have questions, you can meet with your academic advisor first before registering for classes via LOCUS.

You can change your course registration (i.e., drop, add, and/or swap courses) through the first week of the regular-session semester during the academic year (and through the first two days of the term during summer sessions or January terms) via LOCUS.

Please refer to Loyola University Chicago's academic calendar.

You can find information regarding degree requirements here.

1. To maintain full-time status, you must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours during the regular Fall or Spring semester. A typical full-time course load is 15-16 credits per semester.
2. Students may take no more than 18 credits in a regular semester.
3. If you are interested in taking more than 18 credit hours during a regular semester, you must have at least a 3.000 cumulative grade point average and junior standing. Please complete the form available here and submit the form to your academic advisor for permission.

If you drop below 12 credit hours, you will be at part-time status, which may have an impact on your financial aid, U-Pass, and on-campus residence eligibility. If you are considering such action, please consult a student services advisor at the Hub or a financial aid advisor in the Financial Aid Office to discuss the possible consequences. You should also meet with your academic advisor to review the effect of the drop on your academic standing. Finally, if you are living in an on-campus residence hall, you are required to maintain full-time status. As such, please also consult with the Department of Residence Life before dropping below 12 credit hours.

The Undergraduate Studies Catalog states that current degree-seeking Loyola students may not take courses at another college or university without previous written consent. You should begin the process by meeting with your academic advisor. If you have compelling reasons for taking a course elsewhere, you should bring a catalog description of the course to your academic advisor and request permission. Typically, only an elective course may be taken elsewhere during the summer if the course is not offered at Loyola. See the Appeal for Permission to Take Courses Elsewhere form for details.

Yes. You may take courses at any of Loyola University Chicago's three campuses as long as the appropriate course prerequisites are met. If you want to take a course offered by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), you must complete a Non-SCPS Student Appeal Form to request permission and ensure that you meet the requirements. If you would like to take a graduate course in a CAS department, you must contact the department office in order to request permission.

Yes, summer and J-Term courses are a great way to catch up or get ahead on progress towards your degree. Currently enrolled students may register for summer and J-term courses via LOCUS. Students are always advised to speak with their academic advisor and/or faculty advisor before registering for classes.

For information about summer sessions, visit the Summer Sessions website.

For more information about J-Term, visit the January Term website.

All CAS forms for topics such as advising, graduation, current student applications, majors and minors, and registration can be found here.

To learn how to grant a parent or guest access to LOCUS and other education records and personally identifiable information, please click here. To learn more about FERPA rights and regulations, please visit the Office of Records and Registration.