Degree Requirements

The University's Core Curriculum plays a key educational role in every Loyola student's undergraduate experience. Designed to provide both breadth and depth to a student’s chosen program of study, the Core Curriculum introduces students to key concepts and modes of thought in a variety of areas of human intellectual endeavors.

The Core introduces students to 10 central Knowledge Areas of university learning, artistic, historical, literary, quantitative, scientific, societal and cultural, philosophical, theological, and religious studies, as well as ethical learning and written communication. To complete the Core Curriculum, students will take 16 courses across the ten Knowledge Areas. Two courses are required in six of these areas (historical knowledge, literary knowledge and experience, scientific literacy, societal and cultural knowledge, philosophical knowledge, and theological and religious studies knowledge). Students will begin their studies in these six areas with a foundational (or Tier I) course that will introduce them to critical ideas and methods of analysis in that area. After completing a foundational course, students will have an array of options to further their studies by taking one of a variety of Tier II classes to pursue their particular interests in more depth. The other four Knowledge Areas (college writing, artistic knowledge and experience, quantitative analysis, and ethics) require one course for each.

Additionally, students will have the opportunity to apply their Loyola education to real-world experiences through the Engaged Learning requirement. This requirement may be satisfied by a course within the Core Curriculum, or in a student’s major or minor, or through an elective course.

Students must earn a 2.00 overall cumulative GPA in Core Knowledge Areas and Engaged Learning courses. To calculate your cumulative Core GPA, use this GPA calculator.

View the guides and worksheets about Loyola's Core Curriculum and Values Across the Curriculum requirements here.

In selecting a major, the student is encouraged to consult the appropriate chairperson or departmental advisor. The dean, in consultation with the chairperson of a department, may refuse the application of a student for or the continuation of a student in a given major if the student has not shown sufficient progress in that particular subject. The specific information and requirements for the major are provided separately by each department.

A student who receives a "D+" or lower grade in a course in his/her major must seek the advice of the department and/or academic dean regarding a decision either to repeat the course or replace it with another course. Whichever option is chosen, the original grade remains on the record. Earned hours for a repeated course will not count toward the graduation requirements. In some departments, students may be dropped from the major if they receive more than one grade below a "C."

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 in their major or minor in order to be certified at graduation. No course in which a student earned credit points of 1.33 or below may count toward fulfillment of the major or minor.

The College of Arts and Sciences' double dipping policy is detailed below:

1. Students may not major and minor in the same discipline.
2. Majors: No fewer than 21 credit hours in the individual student’s transcript must be unique to each major; that is, the courses in question are considered as actually fulfilling requirements of one major, not of more than one major.
3. Minors and interdisciplinary minors: no fewer than 8 credit hours in the individual student’s transcript must be unique to each minor; that is, the courses in question are considered as actually fulfilling requirements of one minor, not of more than one minor or major.
4. General exceptions to Rules 2 and 3 will be made if approved by the chairs/directors of the department(s)/program(s) housing each affected major and minor. A list of standing general exceptions will be maintained by the Dean's office.
5. Individual student exceptions may be made in appropriate cases by department chairs and program directors.
6. Departments and Programs may enforce stricter double-dipping policies than those stated above, which also should be provided to the Dean’s Office.

Adopted: 04/20/16 (CAS Academic Council); Received 08/22/16 (CAS Leadership Council)

All students are assigned a faculty advisor to guide them through their chosen major. Declared students are encouraged to consult their faculty advisor for major-specific course selection and schedule planning. Generally, all students should pace their major and plan to enroll in some major electives during senior year. This strategy allows greater flexibility in scheduling required major and minor classes and also avoids conflict with the pursuit of other non-major courses. Undeclared students should research majors and minors they are interested in pursuing prior to seeking advice from a department faculty advisor. Academic advisors can assist in this process.

If you have already declared your major(s) and/or minor(s), or are simply exploring a possible course of study, you may view each department's academic program brochure for additional information about the majors/minors in CAS.

At the discretion of the department chairperson, courses in the student's major field that are transferred into Loyola may or may not fulfill the major requirements. Departments limit the number of transfer credits given for the major and/or have specified a minimum number of Loyola hours required in the major. At minimum, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for a department's major (excluding ancillary requirements) with Loyola course work. For interdisciplinary majors, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for the major, inclusive of all requirements. Students should consult the department chairperson or program director or seek guidance from their academic advisor. 

A minor field of study option ordinarily consists of six courses selected from a department or interdisciplinary program. Please consult individual departments for specific information and requirements. Grades of "D+" or lower are not counted toward the fulfillment of minor requirements. Most departments and programs limit the number of hours allowed in as transfer credits for a minor. Students should consult with the department chairperson or program director, or seek guidance from their academic advisor in transfer cases. In those departments within the College of Arts and Sciences that offer more than one major field of study (i.e., classical studies, mathematics, computer science, modern languages and literatures), students may choose to major and minor within the same department with the approval of the department chairperson.

Note: With the exception of journalism majors, students do not need to complete a minor in order to graduate.

At the discretion of the department chairperson, courses in a minor field that are transferred to Loyola may or may not fulfill the minor requirements. Departments limit the transfer credit given for a minor and/or have specified a minimum number of Loyola hours required in a minor. At a minimum, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for a department's minor (excluding ancillary requirements) with Loyola course work. For interdisciplinary minors, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for the minor, inclusive of all requirements. Students should consult the department chairperson or program director or seek guidance from their academic advisor.

Students should expect that nearly all of their courses will include a writing component. In addition, the college requirement for writing intensive sections is a means of strengthening the writing of all students throughout their years at Loyola.

Writing-intensive sections are designated courses taught with a special emphasis on writing. They are identified by a "W" in the section number. Students in these course sections will have a variety of writing assignments that will be integrated closely with the learning objectives of the course. Often, students will be able to complete their required writing-intensive courses within their chosen major(s) and minor(s). The purpose of these sections is to ensure students continue to cultivate writing skills as an essential component of education throughout their education at Loyola. 

In order to graduate with a College of Arts and Sciences degree, students must complete three writing-related requirements and earn a C- or better in each writing intensive course in order for the requirement to be satisfied. These requirements include:

• UCWR 110 (three credit hours and a Core Curriculum requirement)
• Two writing-intensive sections (in different academic semesters)

Note: UCWR 110 must be taken in the freshman year and must be completed with a grade of "C-" or better before any additional writing-intensive section may be taken.

To ensure training in writing is spread throughout the undergraduate years, the program specifies that no more than one writing-intensive course per semester may be applied to this requirement.

Transfer students who have taken and passed (with a C- or higher) both semesters of a two-semester requirement in college composition at their previous institutions or who have taken a composition course that is equivalent to UCWR 110 are not required to take UCWR 110 at Loyola. Transfer students with 59 or fewer transfer credit hours (completed prior to matriculation) must take two writing-intensive sections during their undergraduate career at Loyola; transfer students with 60-89 transfer credit hours must take one writing-intensive section during their undergraduate career at Loyola; transfer students with 90 or more transfer credit hours are exempt from taking writing-intensive courses, although some required courses in some majors and minors may have a writing-intensive requirement built into the courses. For further information, transfer students should consult their primary academic advisor.

Competency in reading, writing, and speaking at the 102-level (second semester level) or higher in a language other than English is required for all students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students may complete this requirement in one of two ways:

1. Earn college credit with a C- or better at the 102-level or above in a language (other than English) at Loyola or the equivalent in transfer credit from another college, or by an appropriate score on an Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) examination:

• At Loyola, students may study any language offered through the Modern Languages and Literatures department or study Latin or Ancient Greek offered through the Classical Studies department. Placement examination and/or placement advising is available through the Modern Languages and Literatures department or Classical Studies department.
• If coursework in a language (e.g., American Sign Language, Korean, Croatian, etc.) is not offered at Loyola, a student may review eligibility and seek permission to take coursework at another college or university during the summer in accordance with the Policy on Prior Permission to Take Coursework at Other Universities.
• Eligible scores on an AP exam or IB exam may award credit-by-exam for language coursework. All AP or IB scores must be officially reported to Loyola by the testing agency.

OR

2. Demonstrate competency by passing a 102-level Language Competency Examination. Students are permitted to take only one language competency exam, and the exam may only be taken once. Multilingual students who wish to take a competency exam should request to take a language competency exam in the language they know best in reading, writing, and speaking.

For further details on fulfilling the language requirement, including a list of competency exams available, and language coursework please see here.

Students must complete at least 120 credit hours to graduate from Loyola. By definition, electives are courses not used toward completing the major, minor, or Core requirements, and which students take to complete the graduation requirement of 120 credits. We encourage students to think of the knowledge, values, and skills you hope to gain in exploring a particular academic interest or in anticipation of a career after graduation. General electives also present an opportunity to broaden your liberal arts education, add to your skill set, or simply try a new subject for the joy of it.

In-residence hours refer to the course credit hours taken at any of the Loyola University Chicago campuses, the Rome Center, the Vietnam Center, or taken from any of the Loyola-sponsored study abroad programs through the Office for International Programs.

Students must take their final, uninterrupted 45 hours of instruction or a minimum of 60 hours in residence at Loyola University Chicago.