Special Academic Program Information
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.
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 director of the Honors Program, 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.
Honor Societies
Phi Beta Kappa, one of the most prestigious national honor societies, recognizes academic achievement and commitment to the liberal arts and sciences. Faculty members of Phi Beta Kappa identify candidates who are invited to become members on the basis of GPA and other requirements. Loyola is among only 8% of all American colleges and universities to host a Phi Beta Kappa Chapter.
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.
John Felice Rome Center
The John Felice Rome Center offers Loyola students the opportunity to study and live on a campus of Loyola University Chicago in a European milieu. Located in a residential neighborhood, the campus (including a dining hall and residence hall as well as academic facilities) hosts students from Loyola, and other colleges and universities, for one semester or the full academic year. Classes are taught by Loyola University Chicago faculty and expert Italian (or other European) professionals supplemented occasionally by faculty from affiliated American institutions. Courses include the study of Rome, Europe and the Mediterranean.
The Rome Center adheres to the regulations of the University with a few exceptions; its academic calendar is also at slight variance with the campus calendar. For these exceptions and variations, applications and information about living accommodations, financial assistance, academic programs, and course loads and requirements, contact the Office for International Programs by calling 773.508.3899, emailing rome@luc.edu, or visit us in the Sullivan Center at the Lake Shore Campus.
The Vietnam Center
Loyola’s Vietnam Center provides a unique opportunity for Loyola and visiting students to live alongside Vietnamese students in Ho Chi Minh City while making progress towards their degree with 12-18 credits in a semester. Students will study in English with both local and Loyola professors as they explore the social, cultural, political, and economic dynamics of Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The program includes four regional excursions as well as service learning and internship opportunities. For more information about the Vietnam Center, including accommodations, financial assistance, academic programs, and how to apply, please contact the Office for International Programs by calling 773.508.3899, emailing vietnam@luc.edu, or visit us in the Sullivan Center at the Lake Shore Campus.
Study Abroad Programs
Loyola University Chicago is a partner in exchange programs with Mary Immaculate College of the University of Limerick, Ireland; Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan; University of Birmingham, England; L' Institut d'Etudes Politiques, Aix-en-Provence, France; Universite de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, France; Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico, and more.
Students may attend Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center, Loyola's Vietnam Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; or attend one of its many affiliated institutions around the world.
Loyola University Chicago is a member of the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), API, and theInstitute for the International Education of Students (IES). These study abroad providers offer a variety of programs worldwide including locations in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Students should consult the Office for International Programs and their academic advisors for planning prior to departing for study abroad programs. For applications and information about specific study abroad programs, including options for financial assistance,contact the Office for International Programs by calling 773.508.3899, emailing rome@luc.edu, or visit us in the Sullivan Center at the Lake Shore Campus.
In addition, a number of departments and interdisciplinary programs offer short-term study abroad programs in the summer, in January, and during Spring Break.. For more information, contact the Office for International Programs.
