Overview
Loyola Unique, Diverse Educational Environment Challenges Students to Learn, Think, Serve, Lead, and Respect
Shaped by its vibrant urban setting and our Jesuit Catholic traditions, Loyola offers students a unique educational environment unmatched in its diversity of thought and experience. Loyola challenges students to learn broadly, to think critically, to serve generously, to lead with integrity, and to respect diversity. As the largest Jesuit Catholic university in the United States, it represents and welcomes all faiths and ethnic and economic backgrounds, with a common purpose of building a better society. Loyola's educational experience is transformative. It empowers students to develop their knowledge and skills, find their purpose, shape their identity, and make a difference in their communities. Loyola offers students the tools they need to achieve success in the classroom, their career, their faith, their world-their life.
Loyola Students Encounter Great Academic Opportunities to Expand Their Minds
Students' academic options are plentiful through Loyola's ten schools and colleges, which offer more than seventy undergraduate majors and more than 140 graduate, professional, and graduate-level certificate programs. Courses are taught by distinguished, senior faculty-96 percent hold the highest academic degrees in their respective fields. Major classes emphasize interaction and research, and seldom exceed 30 students.
An undergraduate degree at Loyola takes four years (128 credit hours) to complete and includes the undergraduate major, the Core Curriculum, and electives. Students also may diversify their skills by earning a dual degree, double major, or double minor; or by completing a five-year joint bachelor's and master's degree program.
High-achieving students are invited to apply to the Interdisciplinary Honors Program, which prepares talented and motivated students for today's international community. Through the Loyola Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (LUROP), students engage in hands-on research projects alongside faculty mentors. Loyola is also among only 8 percent of all American colleges and universities to host a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, an academic honor society.
Loyola Students Grow Beyond the Classroom, with a Focus on Experiential Learning
At Loyola, some of the most important learning takes place outside of the classroom. Engaging in and serving the community are central aspects of Loyola's mission, and Loyola's Center for Experiential Learning can help students get involved, give back to the community while exploring their interests, and possibly earn credit for their service. The Center also can help students get your first taste of the professional world through an internship in Chicago. Loyola's Career Development Center ensures that students have the best possible preparation for entering the work force through programs designed to boost career decision-making and job-hunting skills.
Outstanding Housing and Campus Options Embody the Loyola Campus Experience
More than 4,170 Loyola undergraduate students call Loyola's Lake Shore Campus or Water Tower Campus home. Residence life is an important aspect of the Loyola experience, one that graduates remember fondly. Living on campus gives them quick access to all Loyola has to offer-proximity to classes, campus and city events, friends, and more.
The Loyola Experience Encourages Study Abroad and Helps Students Gain a Global Perspective
Students thinking about studying abroad should consider the fact that Loyola's reach extends around the world. Loyola has its own campus in Italy, the John Felice Rome Center, which is the most popular study-abroad destination for Loyola students. They may also choose from more than 100 other study-abroad options in fifty-five countries, including The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies.
Student Activities, Groups, Sports, and Social Options Ensure that Everyone Can Get Involved
Loyola offers more than 175 student organizations. Students participate in activities to enhance their resumes, learn valuable leadership and organizational management skills, make new friends, and enjoy a richer college experience. Loyola competes in more than a dozen men's and women's NCAA Division I sports, including basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball. Loyola also has a women's NCAA Division I softball team, and numerous club sports and intramural programs.
Loyola's Tranquil Campus Setting Sits in the Heart of Chicago
One of Loyola's greatest assets is its location in the world-class city of Chicago. Undergraduate students take classes primarily at the Lake Shore Campus, a tranquil, traditional campus nestled alongside Lake Michigan, and at Loyola's Water Tower Campus, located in the heart of Chicago, just steps from Michigan Avenue. When students aren't in class, they take advantage of the many cultural, recreational, and entertainment opportunities Chicago has to offer.
