College of Humanities and Natural Sciences

DEAN: Jo Ann Moran Cruz, Ph.D., OFFICE: 202 Bobet Hall
ASSOCIATE DEAN: Judith Hunt, Ph.D.
WEB PAGE: chn.loyno.edu/

The College of Humanities and Natural Sciences serves as the anchor for all undergraduate study at Loyola. The liberal arts and sciences are key to the cultural and intellectual formation of the individual.

Students in the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences have distinguished themselves in scholarship, research, and service. In recent years, students have been awarded prestigious Rhodes, British Marshall, Mellon, and Fulbright scholarships. The college regularly recognizes the academic excellence of our students through the Dean's List, published at the end of each academic term.

The centerpiece of Loyola's liberal-arts education is the Common Curriculum, housed in the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences and required of all Loyola undergraduates regardless of the college in which they are enrolled. Writing, literature, and mathematics requirements combine with philosophy, history, religious studies, and other courses to afford students the perspective, skills, and knowledge that can enable them to form their convictions, beliefs, and commitments in an atmosphere of study and reflection.

BACHELOR DEGREES

The college offers the bachelor of arts degree in the fields of classical studies, English (with concentrations in literature or writing), history, languages (French, Spanish, Latin American Studies, Classical Studies), philosophy, psychology, and religious studies; the bachelor of science degree in the fields of biological sciences, chemistry, and mathematics. Students who wish to earn a bachelor’s degree through programs not regularly available in the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences may consult the associate dean about the possibility of a contract degree. The college also offers programs in pre-health, pre-dentistry, pre-veterinary, and pre-engineering. Through a special arrangement with the School of Engineering of Tulane University, Loyola students may participate in a program which leads to a B.S. degree from Loyola and an engineering degree from Tulane upon successful completion of both segments of the program. Interested students must consult the associate dean.

COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE

The requirements for the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science are the following:     

1. Successful completion of an approved degree program within the college.
2. At least a 2.0 Loyola cumulative average, major average, and minor average if minor is pursued. (Some departments may have more stringent requirements.)
3. Completion of the Common Curriculum requirements.
4. Completion of the foreign language requirement.
5. Completion of at least one course that meets the college’s Cultural/Environmental/Gender/Ethnic studies requirement.
6. Completion of all course requirements specified by major department.
7. Completion of at least 30 hours in the major. (Some departments require more.)
8. Certification for graduation by the student’s department.
9. Completion of a comprehensive examination in the major for those departments requiring a comprehensive examination. Such departments will establish and publish in advance the nature of the comprehensive examination and the standard for acceptable performance.
10. Completion of the last 30 hours of coursework at Loyola.
11. Residency requirements: a minimum of 30 hours at Loyola University; a minimum of 15 hours in the major and 9 hours in the minor (if pursued); a minimum of 12 hours in the Common Curriculum.

GENERAL STUDIES

Director: Judith L. Hunt, Ph.D., Interim Associate Dean

Many students enter college undecided about the field of study they would like to pursue. For students unsure of their educational and/or career goals, Loyola University offers the General Studies Program. While in this program, students work toward the completion of the Common Curriculum requirements while exploring major courses offered in a variety of disciplines at Loyola.

During their first semester, General Studies freshmen are assigned a General Studies advisor who will continue as their advisor until a major is declared. General Studies advisors are knowledgeable about all the degree programs in the college, and help guide students in determining a major that best suits their interests. Courses taken in this exploration process generally fulfill requirements for the major, adjunct, or general electives once the student selects a particular degree program.

Students may remain in the General Studies Program for a maximum of 55 hours. Since the college does not grant a degree in General Studies, students must officially declare a major by the end of their sophomore year.

CURRICULUM DESIGN

The curriculum is meant to achieve two goals: to give the student a solid and well-rounded preparation in the major and to enable the student to grapple with current convictions, beliefs, and commitments in an atmosphere of study and reflection. The curriculum matches the goals of Catholic and of Jesuit liberalizing education, both of which function best in an open society, a pluralistic culture, and an ecumenical age. The curriculum is divided into five parts.

Part One–Major

Major: that series of courses which leads to a bachelor’s degree in a subject area. The major generally requires between 30 and 40 credit hours of study and is described under each departmental heading.

Part Two–Adjunct Courses

Adjunct Courses: that series of courses in areas allied to the major which leads to a well-rounded person. Thus, mathematics is necessary to a physicist and chemistry to the biologist. Some of these courses are specifically named under degree programs; others are selected in consultation with the student’s adviser or chairperson.

Part Three–Common Curriculum

Common Curriculum: The Common Curriculum complements the major and adjunct courses by providing a broad humanistic dimension to every undergraduate’s program. The program contains introductory and advanced courses.

Introductory Courses (T122 — T129)

Beginning students must take each of the following eight courses (24 cr. hrs.):

^{* A different mathematics course may be designated by the student’s department.}

Advanced Courses (U — Z 130 — 199)

Students elect eight courses (24 cr. hrs.) with two each in philosophy and religious studies, one in behavior/social sciences, one in humanities/arts, excluding philosophy and religious studies, one in natural science, and one more from any of the above areas. Two of the advanced courses must be labeled pre-modern. A student may not take a Common Curriculum course for Common Curriculum credit from his or her major department.A student wishing to check his or her progress against Common Curriculum requirements should check with the academic adviser of record or with the associate dean, College of Humanities and Natural Sciences. Only courses designated as Common Curriculum in registration materials fulfill requirements of the program. The advanced courses are under three major divisions: behavioral/social sciences, humanities/arts, and natural sciences. Courses are either modern or pre-modern within these divisions. The three divisions are as follows:

The advanced courses offered each semester are selected from the courses listed below and additional new courses as they are approved. Course descriptions are found in listings under subject categories.

BEHAVIORAL/SOCIAL SCIENCES

Modern Courses

HUMANITIES/ARTS
Pre-modern Courses

Modern Courses

NATURAL SCIENCES
Modern Courses

Part Four–Foreign Language

All students who enter B.A. or B.S. degree programs (either as freshmen or as transfers) will be required to pass a second-semester course in a foreign language or demonstrate equivalent knowledge by placing into a higher level on a departmental examination. See full explanation under Foreign Language Requirements elsewhere in this bulletin.

Part Five–General Electives

Electives: It is important that the student have considerable freedom to choose those courses or series of courses which interest him or her, for whatever reason, so that the student’s education may be rich and full. The number of hours a student may elect depends to a large extent on the major. See statements below for limitations on elective credit.

CURRICULUM DESIGN for Professional Studies' Students

The curriculum is divided into four basic components, and although all students have the same basic core requirements, each degree program has specific requirements in the major and adjunct areas.

Major courses–are those courses in particular disciplines, which lead to a bachelor’s degree.

Adjunct courses–are those required courses in areas supportive of the major.

Core Curriculum (Professional Studies' Students)

Core courses–are those courses, which, in the liberal arts tradition, ensure the degree-seeking student a well-rounded education. All degree-seeking students have the following core course requirements (42 hours total):

Free electives are those courses chosen from among all offerings, which the student may schedule for enrichment or professional development. 

HUMANITIES AND NATURAL SCIENCES LIMITATIONS ON CREDIT TOWARD DEGREES:

Transfer work:

1. Remedial work taken at Loyola or at other institutions will not apply to Humanities and Natural Sciences degree programs.

2. The dean’s office will determine the applicability of the student’s transfer credit as accepted by the Office of Admissions to the Humanities and Natural Sciences degree programs.

Other:

1. Students may not go back and do freshman-level work in a subject in which they have already successfully completed a more advanced course.

2. No more than 20 hours may be taken in any one semester without the authorization of the dean. No more than six hours may be taken in any one summer term without authorization of the dean.

3. Humanities and Natural Sciences students must obtain prior written permission of their adviser and/or department chair and the dean in order to take courses at another university (summer school, study abroad, etc.). Permission will not be given to students on academic probation.

4. Intensive Weekend courses are not open to Humanities and Natural Sciences degree-seeking students.

5. Courses in physical education will not apply to the degree programs in Humanities and Natural Sciences.

DOUBLE MAJORS

Qualified students who have completed two full semesters of their freshman year and have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 may pursue two majors within the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences. Such students must successfully complete the Common Curriculum requirements of the first major as well as the major and named adjunct requirements for both declared degree programs of study as set forth in the Undergraduate Bulletin.Students must successfully complete the comprehensive examination requirements for both majors if the departments require a comprehensive examination.Students who complete the requirements for two majors will receive only one degree from Loyola. However, the transcript will indicate which bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) was awarded as well as the two majors which were completed.Students interested in pursuing a double major should consult with the associate dean.