Student FAQs
Advising
For information about general academic advising and academic advisor assignments, click here.
If you have declared a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) major (except Economics), you should be assigned a Faculty Advisor in the department of your CAS major. Your Faculty Advisor assignment should also be listed in your Student Center in LOCUS. If you do not have a Faculty Advisor listed in LOCUS for your CAS major, you may visit your academic department’s office in person and request a Faculty Advisor assignment. If you change your major within CAS, you will need to notify the new academic department to request a new Faculty Advisor assignment for your new major in CAS.
Some departments and programs within CAS also assign Faculty Advisors for their minors. Check with your CAS department or program to inquire whether Faculty Advisors are assigned for minors.
Academic advisors are available to meet with students to discuss progress toward completion of the degree.
Graduation Application Process: Students must apply for graduation early in the semester prior to their expected graduation term/semester. For example, if you expect to graduate in May or August, you must apply by October 1. If you plan to graduate in December, you must apply by March 1. The graduation application is available online through LOCUS. Within a few weeks of applying for graduation, students will receive an audit that lists their remaining credits. Students may also schedule a graduation audit appointment.
Registration
The Undergraduate Studies Catalog states that current degree-seeking Loyola students may not take courses at another college or university without previous written consent. You should begin the process by meeting with your academic advisor. If you have compelling reasons for taking a course elsewhere, you should bring a catalog description of the course to your academic advisor and request permission. Typically, only an elective course may be taken elsewhere during the summer if the course is not offered at Loyola. See the Permission to Take Coursework at Another University form for details.
Yes. You may take courses at any of Loyola's Chicago campuses as long as the appropriate course prerequisites are met. If you want to take a course offered by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), you must complete a Non-SCPS Student Appeal Form to request permission and ensure that you meet the requirements. If you would like to take a graduate course in a CAS department, you must contact the department office in order to request permission.
Yes. Currently enrolled students may register for summer courses via LOCUS. Students are always advised to speak with their academic advisor and/or faculty advisor before registering for classes. For information about summer sessions, visit the Summer Sessions Web site.
You can change your course registration (i.e., drop, add, and/or swap courses) through the first week of the regular-session semester during the academic year (and through the first two days of the term during summer sessions or January terms) via LOCUS. During the academic term, this period is known as the Late and Change of Registration period. After the first week of classes (i.e., after the end of the Late and Change of Registration period), you may withdraw from courses through LOCUS, but you may not add any other courses.
Note: If you have a "hold" on your LOCUS account and are blocked from withdrawing in LOCUS, please contact the CAS Dean’s Office for assistance. However, please note that the Dean’s Office only has control over "academic" holds (e.g., probation hold, advising hold, etc.). If you have a Bursar's Office hold (due to an outstanding tuition balance or charges), an immunization records hold which is placed by the Wellness Center, a hold from the University’s Dean of Students Office (due to outdated or missing off-campus address and/or emergency contact information), or a "missing transcript" hold which is placed by the Undergraduate Admission Office or the Office of Registration and Records, you must contact those departments to resolve the hold on your LOCUS account.
All students register through Loyola's Online Connection to University Services (LOCUS). For information about classes, you can view course offerings via LOCUS, which has the most current information. If you have questions, first meet with your academic advisor, then register for classes via LOCUS.
1. To maintain full-time status, you must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours during the regular Fall or Spring semester. A typical full-time course load is 15-16 credits per semester.
2. Students may take no more than 18 credits in a regular semester.
3. If you are interested in taking more than 18 credit hours during a regular semester, you must have at least a 3.000 cumulative grade point average and junior standing. Please complete the form available here and submit the form to your academic advisor for permission.
If you drop below 12 credit hours, you will be at part-time status, which may have an impact on your financial aid, U-Pass, and on-campus residence eligibility. If you are considering such action, please consult a student services advisor at the Hub or a financial aid advisor in the Financial Aid Office to discuss the possible consequences. You should also meet with your academic advisor to review the effect of the drop on your academic standing. Finally, if you are living in an on-campus residence hall, you are required to maintain full-time status. As such, please also consult with the Department of Residence Life before dropping below 12 credit hours.
Note which office has applied the "hold" and follow up with that office. To view your "holds" in LOCUS, log into LOCUS and view the list of "holds" in your Student Center, located on the right side of the screen.
Audits, Repeats, and Pass/No Pass
Only an academic advisor can authorize the repetition of a course. In some cases (for major or minor requirements), you may repeat a course if you earn lower than a C-, but you cannot repeat courses simply to raise your GPA. Authorized repeated courses are noted on your transcript; both grade attempts are listed and calculated in the GPA, but you only receive credit for the course once. If you are interested in repeating a course, please contact your academic advisor.
Yes, however, restrictions apply regarding who is eligible and which courses may be taken on a Pass/No-Pass basis. For example, no course used toward fulfillment of Core or major requirements may be taken on a Pass/No-Pass basis. You should consult the Undergraduate Studies Catalog for details and then speak with your academic advisor. The Pass/No-Pass option must be chosen by the end of the second week in a Fall or Spring semester or during the first week of a Summer Session.
Auditing a course means taking a course without receiving credit. A course which is audited does not count toward graduation, but it does provide you with background in a particular subject area. After consulting the Undergraduate Studies Catalog guidelines for auditing courses, you must register for the course through normal procedures, and then follow up this registration by filling out a Course Audit form in the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office (Lake Shore Campus or Water Tower Campus) within the first two weeks of the semester or the first week of a summer session.
Withdrawing From Courses
Students who are considering a complete withdrawal from Loyola should contact their academic advisor for advising and instructions.
You may withdraw from courses using LOCUS through the end of the tenth week of a regular Fall or Spring semester. (Different deadlines apply for January Term and Summer Session courses.) Any time you withdraw from a course via LOCUS, you should print a new copy of your schedule which should confirm your withdrawal status (course is "dropped"). If you are unable to withdraw, please check to see if there is a "hold" on your account and contact the appropriate office (e.g., Bursar's Office, library, Wellness Center, Dean’s Office). If you are a part-time student, dropping from full-time to part-time student status, or completely withdrawing from the university, you must contact your academic advisor in order to withdraw. For information about the withdrawal policy related to tuition, please visit the Bursar's Office.
Note: Students who officially withdraw after the first week but before the withdrawal deadline receive a final grade of "W" in the course. Students who withdraw after the deadline receive a final grade of "WF," which is calculated into the GPA as an "F".
Students who are dropped for poor scholarship must attend another college or university for at least two full-time semesters before applying for re-admission to Loyola. The CAS Dean’s Office will look for evidence that a student can complete above-average, full-time, college-level academic work. Students who have been dropped for poor scholarship may apply for re-admission to the College of Arts and Sciences after attending another regionally accredited community college, college, or university for at least two full-time semesters. (Note: Summer sessions do not count as semesters.) Above average work is: a “B” average (3.00 GPA) for 12 or more credit hours per semester in college-level transferrable course work, with no withdrawals and no grades below “C”. (If the school operates on a quarter-hour system, comparable achievement is expected across at least three academic quarter terms.)
There are deadlines for re-admission applications and transcripts. When students are prepared to apply for re-admission, they may contact the Undergraduate Admission Office for information on re-admission application procedures. Official transcripts from other schools must be sent to the Undergraduate Admission Office if a student applies for re-admission. Grades from other institutions do not apply toward the computation of a Loyola GPA. Re-admission is not guaranteed, and is subject to review. Note: If a student is re-admitted, it will be under the terms of Academic Probation and/or any other conditions established by the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office.
Students in good academic standing who leave the university for no longer than one semester, and do not take courses elsewhere during that semester, may return to the college without applying for re-admission. Students who take courses elsewhere during their absence, and/or are absent for more than one semester, must apply for re-admission to the university. Students who are dismissed for poor scholarship may be considered for re-admission no earlier than two complete semesters from the date of dismissal and after having completed at least two semesters of full-time course at another college or university. Re-admission decisions for students who are suspended or expelled for disciplinary reasons are made by the appropriate Student Development official(s).
Majors and Minors
Yes. Students interested in pursuing an additional major within the College of Arts and Sciences should declare the new major in LOCUS. Students who wish to add a second major in a different school or college must submit a Multiple-Degree Application. In some cases, declaring an additional major presents the possibility (but not the necessity) of pursuing two degrees—for example, both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science. To complete two undergraduate degrees, students must fulfill all requirements for both degrees, including major requirements and college or school requirements, in addition to the university Core Curriculum. Students considering a double major or two undergraduate degrees should consult an academic advisor about their plans.
Students may declare or change their major or minor through LOCUS. A document with instructions for changing a major/minor is located on the homepage of LOCUS. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences may only change a major within CAS. Students who wish to switch to a major in a different school or college must apply for an internal transfer. Students may not change their major after they have applied for graduation.
To transfer to another school within Loyola (e.g., Institute of Environmental Sustainability, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Quinlan School of Business, School of Communication, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, School of Education, or School of Social Work), you must complete an Internal Transfer Application available through the CAS Dean’s Office. See the Internal Transfer Application for details.
Submit the application to the Dean’s Office of the school into which you want to transfer. Remember that students who are pursuing certification in secondary education will be simultaneously-enrolled in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education. CAS students who wish to add Secondary Education as a major must complete a Multiple-Degree Application and submit it to the School of Education for review.
Many students explore majors and careers by taking a course in the field and by speaking directly with faculty about the major. Internships are also a good way to explore various careers. For assistance with internships, students should consult the Career Development Center and the Center for Experiential Learning, or, for some majors, the faculty internship supervisor in the academic department.
Students should also consider taking the two-credit-hour Career and Life Planning course (UNIV 224) for a structured exploration of self, majors, and careers. Career advisors are also available in the Career Development Center.
Courses
In an independent study course, you examine a particular area of interest under the direction of a faculty member in that area. Independent study courses are typically upper-level courses initiated and designed by the student in consultation with a faculty member. If you are interested in an independent study, you should contact your faculty advisor and the appropriate department chair.
Missing Classes and Exams
Modifications to the final exam schedule are possible only in the case of an individual student who has four final examinations scheduled for the same date according to the official schedule, and only by the authority of the Dean’s Office. If you have four final examinations scheduled for the same date, you may e-mail a petition to the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs to request that one exam be scheduled for a different date.
Contact your instructor immediately to see if an Incomplete is an appropriate way to redeem your catastrophe.
Students should keep instructors informed of absences well in advance if possible. If you will miss one week or more of class because of illness or a personal emergency, contact the University’s Dean of Students Office (DOS). DOS office staff will notify your instructors. Notification of an absence does not excuse the absence; upon returning to classes, you are responsible for contacting instructors, producing appropriate documentation for the absence, and completing any missed work.
Contact your instructor to find out what your options are.
Academic Grievances
First, speak with the instructor about the situation. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of that conversation, make an appointment to speak with the department chairperson. In the event that your instructor is the chairperson of their department, you may email the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs.
Academic Integrity
Per Loyola's Undergraduate Studies Catalog, "Plagiarism on the part of a student in academic work or dishonest examination behavior will result minimally in the instructor assigning the grade of "F" for the assignment or examination. In addition, all instances of academic dishonesty must be reported to the chairperson of the department involved."
Although academic misconduct violations are not noted on students' official transcripts, violations are reported to the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office and maintained as a student record.
For more information about Loyola's policy on academic integrity, please click here.
Miscellaneous
You can update your permanent and local addresses and your phone numbers using LOCUS.
Bring a picture ID and proof that you are a Loyola student (e.g., course schedule, tuition bill) to the Campus Card Office. New students attending orientation are issued a Rambler Card as part of the program's schedule.
Information about the Rome Center is available online and in the Office for International Programs (OIP). Information about other Loyola-sponsored study abroad programs is also available from the Office for International Programs, Sullivan Center 206.
