Your academic life at Loyola will be challenging and exciting - and fun! There are many ways we will help you achieve your academic goals. We will provide you with a solid core of courses, help you choose a major with the aid of dedicated academic advisors and provide additional opportunities to get involved with our First-Year Programs and popular study abroad program. By now you have probably heard about the Loyola core, the foundation of a Loyola education. The core is a program that covers basic knowledge and concepts in the humanities, math, science and the social sciences, which can include classes such as Basic Digital Photography, Intermediate Spanish, Effective Writing and Precalculus. The purpose is to balance comprehensive education and specialized study in the major and to challenge you to develop your interests, intellects, outlooks, beliefs and values. Students complete a diversity requirement through one course focusing on substantial issues of global awareness, justice awareness, or domestic diversity awareness. For more on the Loyola core click here. Whether you are a student who has known what you've wanted to be for as long as you can remember or one who is still considering many options, Loyola has resources to help you focus on this important decision. With 36 majors to choose from you are certain to find something that inspires you. First-year students are not required to enter Loyola with a declared major and undecided students usually make up a third or more of the incoming class. It is also very common for students to switch majors in their early college years. Loyola is well-suited to undecided students because the liberal arts program provides options to explore different fields. Click here for more information on choosing a major. In addition, incoming first-year students are assigned an academic core advisor who is a member of the faculty. The core advisor guides you through your adjustment to college life, helps you understand the core and assists you in major and course selection. Learn more about academic advising options at Loyola here. Study abroad offers students of all majors the opportunity to live and study in a foreign country. Loyola sponsors 11 full programs, but there are many exchange and non-Loyola programs which offer academic credit as well. Loyola’s Jesuit mission drives the study abroad program, aiming to inspire in students a global and open-minded vision that highly values and respects the rich cultural and spiritual diversity of the world. Travel to places such as Spain, New Zealand, Thailand, Ireland and England. Meet other international students and enjoy living in campus-sponsored housing, such as dorms, flats or apartment complexes. Or, choose a homestay, where you will live with a host family and experience their customs first-hand. For more information, visit Loyola’s Office of International Programs. back to top | 
