Student Resources

All Loyola courses that have been approved for Engaged Learning (EL) are clearly designated in LOCUS and on this Engaged Learning webpage.  In rare cases students participate in courses, such as Independent Study, that have the potential to be approved for EL.  In those cases, students should follow the procedure below:

1. Provide an explanation of the engaged learning requirements and activities in the course for which credit is being requested.  Be sure to refer to the required criteria for the category of EL being sought (Academic Internships; Service-learning; Undergraduate Research; Fieldwork or Public Performance), clearly articulating how the course addresses each of the .  Submit this explanation, along with a course syllabus, to the Chair of the Board of Undergraduate Studies (BUS) Engaged Learning Sub-Committee for review for possible EL credit via engagedlearning@luc.edu.

2. The Chair of the BUS Engaged Learning Sub-Committee will notify the student and the student’s academic advisor of the Sub- Committee’s decision 7-10 business days following the original request.

Please Note: Past internships are not considered for Engaged Learning credit. Students with an approved internship must enroll in an academic internship course that has been designated for Engaged Learning by the University’s Engaged Learning Subcommittee of the Board of Undergraduate Studies (BUS). The academic internship course and the internship experience are done concurrently (in the same semester).

Many Loyola students participate in Loyola-sponsored study abroad programs through courses that were previously approved for Civic Engagement (Rome, Casa de la Solidaridad/El Salvador, Santiago/Chile, etc.). Other students participate in study abroad programs through third-party organizations. To support students who are participating in these programs and hope to satisfy their Engaged Learning requirement, there are several possibilities.

If students are planning to satisfy Engaged Learning while studying abroad, some courses for Loyola programs may be listed in LOCUS. For others, check the study abroad Course Approval Database: http://lucweb.luc.edu/Studyabroad/. All study abroad courses previously reviewed and approved for Civic Engagement credit under the previous Core (30 courses) have been approved for Engaged Learning credit.

Students requesting EL credit for non-Loyola Study Abroad courses that are not in the Office for International Programs (OIP) Course Approval Database should follow the procedure below:

1. Download the “Online Course Approval Form” from the Office for International Programs website found at: Approve Study Abroad Courses. 
2. Submit the completed form, along with a copy of the course syllabus, to the Chair of the Board of Undergraduate Studies Engaged Learning Sub-Committee for review as an Engaged Learning course (via engagedlearning@luc.edu).
3. The Chair of the Sub-Committee will notify the student and OIP of the decision 7-10 business days following the original request.

Procedure for Newly Admitted First-Year and Transfer Students (prior to arriving on campus) to request Engaged Learning credit for prior coursework

1. A newly admitted undergraduate student (first-year or transfer student) appealing for Engaged Learning credit may submit a course syllabus and an explanation of the engaged learning component of the course to transfer-credit@luc.edu.
2. The Office of Registration and Records will review the appeal and submit, as appropriate, to the Chair of the Board of Undergraduate Studies Engaged Learning Sub-Committee at engagedlearning@luc.edu. 
3. The Board of Undergraduate Studies Engaged Learning Sub-Committee will review the request for Engaged Learning credit and forward a recommendation to the Office of Registration and Records.
4. The Office of Registration and Records will communicate to the student the decision on course articulation, with regard to Engaged Learning, 7-10 business days following the original request.

Currently enrolled Loyola students wishing to request Engaged Learning credit for prior or current LOYOLA coursework should visit the "Requesting EL Credit" page on this website.

The Engaged Learning requirement supports the mission of Loyola University Chicago by embedding opportunities for students to explore the many different forms of experiential learning as part of their academic coursework.  As of Fall 2012, all undergraduate students are required to complete at least one Engaged Learning course/s totaling at least three (3) credit hours prior to graduation.

Engaged Learning courses are those that provide all of the following:

• A structured learning experience integrated into a course that engages students in learning outside the classroom, such as in a community agency, professional organization, or in a research setting
• Critical reflection on that experience through various assignments in class
• Synthesis of the experience through a final project or portfolio

To learn more about how Engaged Learning courses are assessed, visit this page. 

Loyola University Chicago encourages all students completing an Engaged Learning class to document their site and project information and learning objectives in LOCUS. This information is used for institutional research and documentation; however, most important to you, it is used for risk management/insurance purposes and to substantiate your fieldwork experience. Follow the instructions at this webpage to enter your information. If your organization is not present in LOCUS, please skip to 2:30 in the video tutorial for instructions to request the organization be added. Any Loyola University Chicago departmental work will be present under the department's name.‌ Here is a PowerPoint of the instructions on Entering Engaged Learning into LOCUS, for those that would like a more step by step view vs. a video.