College of Arts and Sciences
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) offers 57 majors and 51 minors, through 35 academic departments and programs, leading to the following undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.). Classes are offered at both the Water Tower Campus and the Lake Shore Campus.Contact Us
Lake Shore Campus
Damen Hall 205
6525 N. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60626
Phone: 773.508.3500
Fax: 773.508.3514
Water Tower Campus
Lewis Towers 900
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312.915.6520
Fax: 312.915.8593
Website: www.luc.edu/cas
Office of the Dean
Dean: Frank Fennell, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Resources and Planning: Paul Gabriel, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Faculty: Arthur Lurigio, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Maryse Richards, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs: Heather Happ, M.Ed.
Assistant Dean for Water Tower Campus: Lester Manzano, M.Ed.
Academic Advising
All students are encouraged to seek academic advising for general program planning and specific academic matters.
First-year and second-year students are advised through the Office of University Advising.
Juniors, Seniors and transfer students are advised by college advisors and faculty advisors in their major.
Faculty Advisors: Students who have declared a major are assigned to a faculty advisor in the appropriate academic department. Students are encouraged to meet with their faculty advisor once per term to discuss progress in the major, career goals and special research or internship opportunities available through the department or program.
College Advisors: Each transfer, junior and senior student is assigned to a college advisor as well as a faculty advisor. College advisors make decisions on administrative advising issues such as transfer credit, part-time and overload course registration, and pass-fail requests, in addition to providing guidance on overall degree completion. College advisors provide comprehensive advising for juniors, seniors and transfer students. Students who have been placed on academic probation are monitored by their college advisors.
Degree Programs
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): This degree may be earned in the following areas: advertising/public relations, Black world studies, chemistry, classical civilization, communication, economics, English, English (creative writing), environmental studies, fine arts (art history, visual communication or studio art), French, German, Greek, history, international film and media studies, international studies, Italian, journalism, Latin, music, philosophy, political science, religious studies, sociology, sociology and anthropology, Spanish, theatre, theology, and (as a second major) women's studies.
Bachelor of Arts, Classics (B.A., Classics) The B.A. Classics is not a major, but a degree. Students major in any department or program they choose; please see departmental advisers for those requirements. The unique distinction of the B.A. Classics is that the degree also comprises four courses above the 100-series in Greek or Latin (Latin 271 or Latin 272 may count, but not both of them); B.A. Classics graduates must also demonstrate elementary-level competence in a second foreign language (potentially though not necessarily the other classical language), amounting to two semesters' credit for college-level work or the equivalent expertise. A student completes a total of 128 course-hours (minimum) to graduate with the B.A. Classics.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.): This degree may be earned in the following areas: anthropology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, communication networks and security, computer science, criminal justice, enterprise information and data management, environmental sciences (chemistry), forensic science, human services, mathematics, mathematics and computer science, physics, physics and computer science, psychology, statistical science, theoretical physics and applied mathematics.
Honors: Students who successfully complete their degree requirements in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program receive one of the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Arts, Classics, Honors
- Bachelor of Arts, Honors
- Bachelor of Science, Honors
Five-Year Degree Programs: The College of Arts and Sciences, in cooperation with other schools at Loyola, offers several five-year programs granting the following degrees:
- B.S. in Biology/M.B.A.
- B.S. Biology/M.Ed. in Secondary Education
- B.S./M.S. in Computer Science
- B.S./M.A. in Criminal Justice
- B.S. in Environmental Sciences/M.B.A.
- B.S./M.S. in Mathematics
- B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science/M.S. in Computer Science
- B.A./M.A. in Political Science
- B.S./M.A. in Applied Social Psychology
- B.S./M.S. in Applied Human Perception and Performance (Psychology)
- B.A./M.A. in Sociology
In addition, the College of Arts and Sciences, in collaboration with affiliated universities, offers a five-year degree program leading to a dual-degree: B.S. in Physics (granted by Loyola), B.S. in Engineering (granted by an affiliate). For information, see the Department of Physics at: http://www.physics.luc.edu/academics/engineering.
Students must apply for admission to each program. Information about each program, including admission criteria, is contained in this catalog in the sections for participating undergraduate departments. Interested students should consult with the appropriate departmental advisors regarding applications and course scheduling.
College Requirements
All students in the College of Arts and Sciences must take two Writing Intensive courses and complete the foreign language requirement. Students also must complete elective courses.
Writing Across the Curriculum: Students should expect that virtually all of their courses will include a writing component. In addition, the college program in writing across the curriculum is a means of strengthening the writing of all students throughout their years at Loyola.
In order to graduate with a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students ordinarily must complete three writing courses. These include:
- Two writing-intensive courses
- UCWR 110
Writing-intensive courses are designated sections of courses that are taught with a special emphasis on writing. They are easily identified online by a "W" in the section number. Students in these courses 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 a writing-intensive course within their chosen major(s) and minor(s). Note: UCWR 110 is a prerequisite for writing-intensive courses.
In order to ensure that 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. Freshmen and transfer students with 60 or fewer hours must take two writing-intensive courses; transfer students with 61-90 hours must take one Core writing-intensive course; transfer students with more than 90 hours are exempt from taking writing-intensive courses. For further information, transfer students should consult their college advisor.
Foreign Language: Competency at the 102-level in a foreign language is required. Students can complete this requirement in one of three ways:
- Earn a C- or better in any 102-level foreign language at Loyola (or the equivalent in transfer from another college); or
- Pass a proficiency test in a foreign language. For information about proficiency testing, students should consult their college advisor.
- Students can also satisfy their foreign language proficiency requirement by earning a grade of 3 or higher on an AP exam in any foreign language.
Minimum GPA for major/minor: A student in CAS must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 in his/her major or minor in order to be certified at graduation.
No course in which a student earned credit points of 1.33 (D+) or below may count toward fulfillment of the major or minor.
A course in which a student earned 1.33, 1.00, or 0.00 credit points does not count toward the major or minor, and therefore may be retaken to count toward the major/minor.
A student may be dismissed from a major or minor if he or she exceeds the department limit on the number of major or minor courses with grades of 1.33 (D+) or below.
University Core Curriculum
For specific information, please refer to the University Core Curriculum section in Academic Rules and Regulations or visit the University Core Curriculum Website at www.luc.edu/core. Specific suggestions on how to fulfill the Core through the College of Arts and Sciences are detailed below.
| Knowledge Areas | School Recommended Courses |
|---|---|
| College Writing Seminar (3 credit hours) | UCWR 110 (Required as a prerequisite for writing-intensive courses) |
| Artistic Knowledge (3 credit hours) | |
| Historical Knowledge (6 credit hours) | |
| Quantitative Analysis (3 credit hours) | |
| Literary Knowledge and Experience (6 credit hours) | |
| Philosophic Knowledge (6 credit hours) | |
| Scientific Literacy (6 credit hours) | |
| Societal and Cultural Understanding (6 credit hours) | |
| Theological and Religious Studies (6 credit hours) | |
| Ethics (3 credit hours) | 1 course from Philosophical or Theological area |
Major Field of Study
Each student must select a department of instruction in which he/she will take extensive and specialized study. The student should make this selection no later than the fourth semester of attendance or at the end of the sophomore year. 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 major field of study is ordinarily a group of 10 or more courses in a single department of instruction. The total number of courses and credit hours required for the major, the specifically prescribed courses and the order in which they are to be taken may vary among departments. The specific information and requirements for the major are provided in each of the department sections.
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. In either event, 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." See General Academic Standards and Regulations (link) on "repetition of courses."
Majors and Program Details
1 This indicates a minor. Only minors without comparable majors are listed. Most Loyola majors have a corresponding minor. For more information about minors, please check with the appropriate school or college.
2 These programs may ALSO be completed at the Water Tower Campus.
3 These programs may ONLY be completed at the Water Tower Campus.
4 This is an interdisciplinary program, which integrates coursework from multiple disciplines so that students may explore converging topics from various viewpoints.
5 This is an emphasis within another major area of study.
Loyola frequently adds new majors to meet student needs and interests. Check this Website periodically for updates.
Minor Field of Study
A minor field of study ordinarily consists of five or more courses selected from a department or interdisciplinary program. Consult individual departments for specific information and requirements. Grades of D+ or lower are not counted toward fulfillment of minor requirements. At graduation, students must also have a C average in the courses they take to satisfy a minor. 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 approval of the department chairperson. Students do not need to complete a minor in order to graduate.
Transfer Credit in the Major or Minor
At the discretion of the department chairperson, courses in the student's major field, which are transferred into Loyola may or may not fulfill the major requirements or the minor requirements. Most departments limit the transfer credit given for the major or minor and/or have specified a minimum number of Loyola hours in the major or minor. Students should consult the department chairperson or seek guidance from their college advisor.
Elective Courses
In all degree programs, in order to complete the minimum number of required credit hours, students must choose elective courses in addition to the courses specifically required for the Core, other college requirements and their major. Electives should be chosen with a definite purpose: to support one's major field of study; to complete a second major or a minor, to assist in preparing for a planned future profession, to bring more liberal arts courses into the program, to attain a balance in courses in the three general areas of knowledge (the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences).