Loyola is a student-centered setting with faculty who "practice what they teach." The diversity of Loyola's School of Social Work students and faculty creates a learning community that can be characterized as open-minded, lively and inclusive.

Loyola faculty is actively engaged in ongoing research across a broad spectrum of social work issues, including child welfare, domestic violence, gerontology, health care, international social work, multiculturalism, philanthropy, program evaluation, social policy, spirituality and treatment modalities. At Loyola, research informs practice and policy. It occurs at the micro- and macro-levels, seeking to answer complex questions that will have a direct impact on social work from broad international policy to one-on-one therapy.