Major and Minor Requirements

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 separately by each department.

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."

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 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.

Double-Dipping in the Major

Additional Information

All students are assigned a faculty advisor to guide them through the major. Declared students are encouraged to consult their faculty advisor for major-specific course selection and schedule planning. Generally, all students should pace their major and plan to enroll in some major electives during senior year. This strategy allows greater flexibility in scheduling required major and minor classes and avoids conflict with the pursuit of other courses. Undeclared students should research majors and minors they are interested in prior to visiting a department faculty advisor for advice. Academic advisors can assist in this process.

If you have already declared your major(s) and/or minor(s), or are simply exploring a possible course of study, you may view each department's academic program brochure for additional information about the majors/minors in CAS.

Transfer Credit in the Major

At the discretion of the department chairperson, courses in the student's major field that are transferred into Loyola may or may not fulfill the major requirements. Departments limit the transfer credit given for the major and/or have specified a minimum number of Loyola hours required in the major. At minimum, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for a department's major (excluding ancillary requirements) with Loyola course work. For interdisciplinary majors, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for the major, inclusive of all requirements. Students should consult the department chairperson or program director or seek guidance from their academic advisor. [11/14/2016]

Minor Field of Study

A minor field of study option ordinarily consists of six 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. Most departments and programs limit the number of hours allowed in transfer. Students should consult with the department chairperson or program director, or seek guidance from their academic advisor. 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. Note: With the exception of journalism majors, students do not need to complete a minor in order to graduate.

Double-Dipping in the Minor

Transfer Credit in the Minor

At the discretion of the department chairperson, courses in a minor field that are transferred into Loyola may or may not fulfill the minor requirements. Departments limit the transfer credit given for a minor and/or have specified a minimum number of Loyola hours required in a minor. At minimum, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for a department's minor (excluding ancillary requirements) with Loyola course work. For interdisciplinary minors, students must complete at least half of the credit hours required for the minor, inclusive of all requirements. Students should consult the department chairperson or program director or seek guidance from their academic advisor. [11/14/2016]

For a complete list of available majors and minors in CAS, see degree programs.