Academics

Loyola course information is available on our courses site. Please make sure that you have selected the correct semester to get an accurate listing of course descriptions and schedules. Exchange students at Loyola are required to take a full-time load of courses to maintain the status of the F-1 student visa. Full-time status is officially 12-15 credits. Each course at Loyola is typically worth 3 credits; therefore, exchange students typically take four or five courses per semester depending on the requirements of their university. Loyola recommends taking five courses.

At Loyola, the average class size is around 25 students. The classroom environment tends to be very interactive with a lot of discussion between the students and the professors. Most professors at Loyola will have an attendance policy. The policy is usually outlined in the syllabus and discussed in the first class of the semester. Even if there is no written policy, students are expected to attend class.  In addition, there are many assignments for each course, which may not be typical of your home University. There are weekly readings, and usually papers, group projects and presentations, and exams. Due to the number of requirements, your final grade is comprised of many different parts. This is often standard practice at a small American college.

When selecting your courses, please refer to Loyola's course listings for the semester that you wish to attend Loyola. This course listing allows you to see which courses are available for the semester that you will be attending, and on what days and times they are offered. The fall courses are usually available online in late February, and the spring courses are usually available online in late September.

Please work with your home institution when selecting courses. You should use the block schedule to assure that there are no time conflicts in classes. Once you have been accepted into the exchange program at Loyola, OISS will register you for courses. Once a final schedule of courses has been worked out, we will contact you via email to notify you of which courses you are registered in for the semester. Once you arrive on campus, you will have until the end of first week of classes to make changes to your schedule. After the first week of classes, you cannot add a course and if you drop a course it will show on your Loyola transcript as a “Withdrawal." Remember that you must enroll and remain in at least 12 credits (typically four courses) for the duration of the semester to maintain your legal F-1 visa status.