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Ready to join tomorrow's leaders at the School of Education?

Your career in education begins here. Completing your application is the first step. The process varies by degree and program, and we've outlined the steps for you. 

The School of Education offers a wide range programs at both the Undergraduate and Graduate levels. Below you will find more informaton about all the various programs we have on offer.

Undergraduate Programs

Apply as a New Freshman

We are excited to welcome new candidates to our innovative, field-based teacher education program: Teaching, Learning and Leading with Schools and Communities (TLLSC). This innovative program unfolds over four full years and is unique in Illinois in its structure, learning experiences, and the extensive purposeful fieldwork undergraduates engage in. Undergraduates apply to the university rather than to individual Schools, but you are welcome to explore our School of Education website for information about the various. The Undergraduate Admissions website explains the process of applying to Loyola University Chicago.

For questions about specific majors: Contact the Teaching and Learning Faculty OR email Dr. Adam Kennedy; Undergraduate Program Chair

For general questions: contact Silvia Rodriguez; Undergraduate Program Coordinator

Transfer into Loyola’s Undergraduate Teacher Education Program

Loyola University Chicago undergraduates frequently have completed prior coursework at other institutions. Loyola’s teacher education program is a frequent transfer destination. Often, transfer students will choose to complete their teacher education at Loyola because of the unique features, opportunities, and benefits of our program, which are explained elsewhere on the School of Education website. Our program consists of three phases of preparation which involve extensive field-based learning rather than extensive online or university-based coursework.

Click here for more specific information related to Transfering into Loyola's Education Program.

Documentation Requirements You Must Complete Prior to Entry

Note that if you are accepted into Loyola University Chicago and intend to major in Education, you must complete several documentation requirements prior to beginning your coursework. These requirements enable you to participate in our field-based program and enter our many partner sites across the city of Chicago. No undergraduate student may begin our field-based until they have submitted the required documentation.

Documentation Requirements For Education Majors

Upon entry to the program, you must obtain a set of various forms of documentation and submit them to the School of Education. These documents are examples of the types of credentials you will repeatedly need to obtain and provide in your role as a candidate, a student teacher, a prospective school employee, and also as you move through your career. Schools and other organizations collect and maintain these records as evidence that the children you work with are safe in your presence. Your documentation must be kept up-to-date, and different systems will have different requirements. Be prepared to obtain and share various forms of documentation throughout your preparation and your work as an educator.

As you will be participating in field-based modules as part of this program, you must obtain a set of various forms of documentation and submit them to the School of Education. These documents are examples of the types of credentials you will repeatedly need to obtain and provide in your role as a candidate, a student teacher, a prospective school employee, and also as you move through your career. Schools and other organizations collect and maintain these records as evidence that the children you work with are safe in your presence. Your documentation must be kept up-to-date, and different systems will have different requirements.

What do I need to submit

You must submit the following forms of documentation PRIOR TO YOUR BEGINNING SEQUENCE 1 (TLSC 110, 120, 130) 

  • Certificate of Completion from IL Mandated Reporter Training
  • Certification of Completion of Virtus Training
  • The results of your Background Check. This requires you to complete the CPS background check process. Results will be sent directly to the School of Education and must be received prior to the start of the semester.
    • Include your name, Loyola ID number, and the sequence you are currently taking in your email.
  • If you do not complete all requirements, you will be unenrolled from any School of Education courses/modules

How do I submit my documentation

Send these in an email to to: Silvia Rodriguez, Teaching and Learning Program Coordinator at srodrig@luc.edu. The subject line of your email should be Candidate Documentation. 

How do I obtain these documents?

Virtus Training

This is an online training created to increase participants' awareness of the signs of child sexual abuse, the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and steps one can use to prevent child sexual abuse. Visit the VirtusOnline website to complete this online training (Protecting God's Children), which is required in order for candidates to participate in modules that take place in schools run by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Click on the green First Time Registrant box to begin the registration process and access Virtus Training. When you are asked to select your archdiocese, select Chicago. Note that it is the training titled Protecting God's Children that you need to complete as a non-employee/non-volunteer/contractor. Do not complete any other training, such as that about protecting vulnerable adults. When you have completed the training, you will be issued a Certificate or Verification of Training Completion. This is the document you will need to submit to the School of Education. If you are unsure about how or to whom you should submit this certificate, you may have skipped the instructions for all documentation at the top of this Sakai page.

If you have technical difficulties as you try to complete this training, feel free to contact Dina Garcia at dgarcia@archchicago.org

DCFS Mandated Reporter Training

This is an online training course. The purpose of this course is to help all Illinois Mandated Reporters understand their critical role in protecting children by recognizing and reporting child abuse.  The training includes a pre-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions), 60-90 minutes of self-paced interactive training, and a post-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions).  Click this link to register for an account and begin this online training. Upon completion of the training, you must download and submit the Certificate of Completion. If you are unsure about how or to whom you should submit this certificate, you may have skipped the instructions for all documentation at the top of this Sakai page.

Background Checks and Fingerprinting - this process will cost you $53.00

Start this process by visiting the Chicago Public Schools Student Teaching site. Scroll down this page until you see the list of steps for Field Experiences and for Student Teaching. Your student teaching experience is in Sequence 7-8, so if you are a new candidate entering the program you will need to follow the purple procedures for Field Experiences on the left.  Note that once you have initiated this process, it can take up to several weeks before your results are forwarded to Loyola. Please begin before the end of September so that your results will be received on time.

  1. You must read the Field Experience Guide, which will explain to you the steps involved in completing the background check process.
  2. You must complete the CPS Field Experience Registration Form. If you do not complete this form, you will not receive your clearance. Where the form asks for your University Coordinator, enter the name Silvia Rodriguez. Her email address is srodrig@luc.edu. For candidates starting this process at the 2021 Undergraduate Orientation, the Estimated Start Date for Field Experience Hours is 1/1/21. The end date for these hours is 5/15/24. For candidates who are not in Sequence 1 but are completing this for the first time, the start date is the start of the present semester, and the end date is your estimated graduation date. This does not have to be precise. for "How did you hear about us?" you can check Guidance from University Staff . Make sure you enter all of your required information and click Submit.
  3. Download and complete the Fingerprinting Background Investigation Authorization and Release Form. Complete all fields, and on the line titled Position Title, write Preservice Field Experience Student.
  4. Return to the Field Experience Guide, which will explain how to proceed. You will need to visit an Accurate Biometrics site to be fingerprinted. You can find detailed instructions here. Most candidate visit the location at 134 N. La Salle St., Suite 2060, Chicago, Illinois 60602 in order to complete this process.
  5. The results of these procedures will be sent to CPS and to Silvia Rodriguez, the Teaching and Learning Program Coordinator, who will ensure that your completed check is saved in your student records. 

Graduate Degrees

Undergraduate Programs

Apply as a New Freshman

We are excited to welcome new candidates to our innovative, field-based teacher education program: Teaching, Learning and Leading with Schools and Communities (TLLSC). This innovative program unfolds over four full years and is unique in Illinois in its structure, learning experiences, and the extensive purposeful fieldwork undergraduates engage in. Undergraduates apply to the university rather than to individual Schools, but you are welcome to explore our School of Education website for information about the various. The Undergraduate Admissions website explains the process of applying to Loyola University Chicago.

For questions about specific majors: Contact the Teaching and Learning Faculty OR email Dr. Adam Kennedy; Undergraduate Program Chair

For general questions: contact Silvia Rodriguez; Undergraduate Program Coordinator

Transfer into Loyola’s Undergraduate Teacher Education Program

Loyola University Chicago undergraduates frequently have completed prior coursework at other institutions. Loyola’s teacher education program is a frequent transfer destination. Often, transfer students will choose to complete their teacher education at Loyola because of the unique features, opportunities, and benefits of our program, which are explained elsewhere on the School of Education website. Our program consists of three phases of preparation which involve extensive field-based learning rather than extensive online or university-based coursework.

Click here for more specific information related to Transfering into Loyola's Education Program.

Documentation Requirements You Must Complete Prior to Entry

Note that if you are accepted into Loyola University Chicago and intend to major in Education, you must complete several documentation requirements prior to beginning your coursework. These requirements enable you to participate in our field-based program and enter our many partner sites across the city of Chicago. No undergraduate student may begin our field-based until they have submitted the required documentation.