Professional & Continuing Studies (PCS) homepage
Professional & Continuing Studies (PCS) Staff
The Office of Professional & Continuing Studies seeks to carry out Loyola’s commitment to serve the educational needs of working adults, and offer flexible study across colleges during Loyola’s Summer Sessions. It is the responsibility of this office to provide the adult student with the information, skills and knowledge necessary to begin or to advance in a variety of professional areas, and to coordinate and manage all processes and procedures involved with Loyola’s Summer Sessions.
The evening undergraduate programs supported by the Professional & Continuing Studies Office require a broad foundation in the liberal arts. This foundation is integrated into the student’s major and allows for the development of a critical position from which the student may judge current events.
The individual majors provide the adult student with the information, skills, and knowledge necessary to begin or to advance in a variety of professional areas. Evening courses are offered in a variety of formats such as online and hybrid, as well as on Loyola’s main campus in New Orleans.
Your admission application includes the following items:
Regular admission cannot be guaranteed without the above.
NOTE: All college, high school and GED transcripts must be received in the original sealed, unopened envelope from all institutions where course work was completed for the transcripts to be considered official.
Each degree-seeking student is assigned both a faculty and staff advisor who will assist the student in achieving his or her educational and career goals by providing quality academic advising which strives to educate the whole person. Students are encouraged to meet with one or both of their advisors regularly during each term and especially prior to registration.
All degree-seeking students are required to demonstrate competency at the ENGL T122 level. Students placed in ENGL A100 (Expository Writing), upon successful completion of this course, will be required to complete ENGL T122.
Transfer students who have completed a course equivalent to ENGL T122 with a grade of C (2.0) or better are not required to take the English Placement Test, as their transfer course will be used to meet the ENGL T122 requirement. Students are required to complete the composition requirement by their third semester of enrollment. It is recommended that the course be scheduled as early as possible in students’ careers at the university.
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.
Common Curriculum courses are those courses, which, in the liberal arts tradition, ensure the degree-seeking student a well-rounded education. All degree-seeking PCS students are eligible to particpate in the following core course requirements (30 hours total):
Introductory Common Curriculum (ICC) courses - 18 Credit Hours
| ICC Section | Course Number & Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English | ENGL T122 Critical Reading & Writing | 3 crs. |
| Math |
MATH T122 Math Models or MATH A115 Finite Math |
3 crs. |
| Science Process | SCIE T129 Investigating Nature | 3 crs. |
Advanced Common Curriculum (ACC) courses - 12 credit hours
In the Advanced Common Curriculum, students will select from a variety of courses that statisfy a specific ACC requriement. PCS students choose any combination of ACC courses for a minimum of 12 credit hours.
| ACC Section | Course Number | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Intro to Philosophy of Reasoning | PHIL R122 - R199 | 3 crs. |
| RELS I Christian Theologies | RELS S200 - S499 | 3 crs |
| HIST I or HIST II | HIST T122 or HIST T124 | 3 crs |
| Creative Arts & Cultures (CAC) | DEPT O200 - O499 | 3 crs. |
| Writing About Literature (WAL) | DEPT N200 - N499 | 3 crs. |
| Social Science | DEPT X200 - X499 | 3 crs. |
| Philosophy of Knowledge & Morality or RELS II World Religions | PHIL U200 - U499 or RELS V200 - V499 | 3 crs. |
Free electives are those courses chosen from among all offerings, which the student may schedule for enrichment or professional development.
Please note: Students not enrolled in PCS programs should view the general Common Curriculum requirements.
Most students attend school on a part-time basis and carry six to nine credit hours. A student may not carry more than 12 credit hours unless he or she obtains permission from the Director of the Office of Professional & Continuing Studies.
(Through the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Graduate & Professional Studies)
Classes are offered in a variety of formats and time frames. Most classes meet once a week, either in an eight-week format or for an entire semester. Loyola also offers video-based, Internet-assisted, and online courses.
It is the student's responsibility to submit written work that demonstrates intellectual originality, appropriate writing style, grammatical correctness, and an ability to research a subject in order for a paper/assignment to be considered worthy of a passing grade.
Some courses offered at Loyola have specific prerequisites, where introductory or survey courses exist. Those courses are required to be completed before any of the higher numbered courses may be scheduled. Students must receive permission from the instructor before enrolling for courses for which they do not have the necessary prerequisites. Otherwise, the instructor may require that they withdraw from the class.
Students not enrolled in degree programs may register for courses without regard to the prerequisites subject to the approval of the instructor.
In addition to the general requirements for graduation as detailed in this bulletin specific requirements for each degree program are set forth in the following pages. A 2.0 or higher grade point average is required for graduation. Unless special permission is granted by the dean to pursue work elsewhere, the last 30 credit hours must be completed at Loyola; the final 24 hours must be successfully completed in in the student’s respective college. Additionally, a student must earn a 2.0 in his or her major. A minimum of 50 percent of the courses in the major must be successfully completed at Loyola University. Students may pursue two majors concurrently at Loyola. Students pursuing a double major must complete the respective college’s core requirements as well as the major and adjunct requirements for both programs of study as set forth in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Students who complete the requirements for two majors will receive only one degree from Loyola. The transcript will indicate which bachelor’s degree was awarded as well as the two majors that were completed.
Students may pursue a minor, provided that the minor is not a discipline included in the major. For example, a criminal justice major may not minor in sociology, as required sociology courses make up a portion of the major. If the minor is not completed by graduation, the minor will not be indicated on the transcript. A minimum 2.0 GPA is required in the minor.
Students interested in pursuing a double major or a minor should consult with their academic adviser and the Office of Professional Studies.
Problems between students and faculty members should be resolved quickly and amicably. If a student believes he or she has been aggrieved by the performance or actions of a faculty member, the student should first consult the faculty member regarding the complaint. If this consultation proves unsatisfactory, the student should then pursue a conference with the director or coordinator of the program/department in which the course is offered. If the student believes that the problem has not been resolved, he or she should consult the dean (College of Arts & Sciences or College of Graduate & Professional Studies) by submitting a written complaint specifying the particular performance or action precipitating the complaint, along with a narrative of remedial steps taken.
If the dean determines that the matter requires consideration, the dean will provide a copy of the student’s complaint to the faculty member involved and will request from the faculty member a written response to the complaint, as well as steps taken to resolve the complaint. The dean will review the student’s complaint and the faculty member’s response and render a final decision regarding how the complaint will be resolved.
NOTE: In the case of a disputed final grade, refer to the appropriate university bulletin under Grade Appeals.
Students whose writing and speaking ability may require enhancement may be, at the recommendation of the instructor, assigned supplementary work, without academic credit, varying in amount commensurate with the needs of the student. If the work prescribed is equivalent to a course, the regular tuition fee is charged. Students may also contact the Writing Across the Curriculum center to access academic resources specifically geared to strengthen their writing capability. The granting of a degree may be delayed for failure to make up a deficiency in English writing and conversation to the satisfaction of the dean of the respective college.