Loyola University Chicago

• Dean's List
• Departmental Honors
• Honor Societies
• Honors Program
• Laudatory Honors at Graduation

Departmental Honors

Honor Societies

Alpha Sigma Nu is the National Honor Society of Jesuit colleges and universities throughout the world. Its purpose is to acknowledge the Jesuit ideals of intellectual excellence, community service and integrity. Invitations to apply for Alpha Sigma Nu are extended to candidates who have demonstrated those Jesuit ideals in their lives.

Honors Program

Since 1936 the College of Arts and Sciences has sponsored an Honors Program for the university's most talented and motivated undergraduate students. It provides an educational environment to inspire the highest level of performance and to create special educational experiences appropriate for the college's most talented students. Students in all undergraduate colleges may be admitted to the program. Honors requirements are adjusted to fit the requirements of each college.

The director of the Honors Program has responsibility for planning and implementing general program policy. In addition, the director serves as academic counselor to all honors students.

All students admitted to the Honors Program are assumed to be candidates for an honors degree; continued membership is therefore based on regular progress toward completion of honors degree requirements. These requirements are compatible with any conventional degree program and with any major available in the university.

As the highest academic distinction awarded by the university, the honors degree commands special acknowledgement. Candidates are identified separately in the commencement program, and the word "Honors" follows the degree citation, e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Honors. The official transcript identifies all honors courses.

Admission: Students are admitted to the program at the beginning of freshman year. The Undergraduate Admission Office identifies potential members through high-school records and standardized test scores. The formal application process includes a brief essay and a faculty recommendation. To download the application, visit the Honors Program site.

Regulations and Definitions: On the certification of the honors director, honors credit is recorded on the student's official transcript and is the basis for the award of the honors degree. Honors credit may be earned in the following ways:

Honors courses: Departmental and inter-departmental courses, designated by the Honors Program as honors courses, automatically carry honors credit if the student earns a grade of "C" or better. Such courses, normally open only to honors students, may correspond to conventional offerings of a department, or they may be courses for which there is no counterpart in the conventional curriculum. Honors courses are marked by small enrollment, distinguished teaching, and intellectual sophistication.

Non-honors courses: In general, a student may "contract" for honors credit, after the first year, in any course of the college curriculum. With the teacher's consent and with the approval of the honors director, a student may arrange to perform a specified kind and quality of course-related work that all participants in the agreement regard as appropriate for honors credit. Honors credit in a non honors course requires a grade of "B" or better.

Honors research courses: These courses have been designed to permit an honors student to undertake a program of study in an area not specifically covered by a regular department and/or in an area which spans several disciplines. To enroll, an honors student must present a detailed plan of study, called a research contract, for approval by his/her honors committee. Authority to approve the proposal rests with a committee made up of the academic advisor in the student's major department, the party or parties who will direct and evaluate the study, and the director of the honors program. The assignment of credit to meet college or departmental requirements must be specifically approved by the appropriate office.

Graduate courses: On the recommendation of the honors director and the student's major advisor, and with approval of the dean of The Graduate School, honors students may enroll in graduate-level courses. On the basis of a grade of "C" or better, honors credit will be awarded for such courses.

Collegiate Honors: The honors degree is awarded on the recommendation of the Honors Council to qualified graduates who meet the following minimum requirements:

• Forty-two credit hours of coursework specifically carrying honors credit
• At least seven designated honors courses distributed throughout the Core Curriculum
• One course carrying honors credit at the upper division level in the student's major field
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.3

For more information about the Honors Program, contact the program director at 773.508.2780 or visit the Honors Program site.

Laudatory Honors at Graduation

Students earning 64 or more graded Loyola credits are eligible to graduate with laudatory standing according to the criteria below. This outstanding accomplishment will be noted on the students' diplomas, transcript, and at the graduation ceremony.

Note: GPA is not rounded for laudatory honors.