Glossary of University Terms

The Records Office provides a calendar of each semester to help you keep track of important deadlines, registration dates, and University holidays. Be sure to check this calendar at the beginning of each semester, and write down any relevant dates in your own personal calendar or planner.

Important Dates to check:

• Add/Drop deadline
• Withdrawal deadline
• Registration day

AASC provides Academic Worksheets on their website as a reference guide to help you see what classes you need to take for majors or the core. These academic worksheets can be helpful for you to bring to your meetings with your advisor and as you plan your courses each semester.

Add/drop is the period until the end of the first week of the semester in which you can add or remove classes from your schedule without the changes showing up on your transcript.

Once the add/drop period has finished, students may still remove courses from their schedule until the withdrawal deadline. Before this deadline, any course that is removed from the schedule will be marked with a grade of W on the transcript, although this will not affect the student’s GPA. 

Check the ODUGS website or the Undergraduate Academic Catalogue for more information on these policies.

The Bridge is the official campus community platform at Loyola University Maryland. Students can stay up-to-date on all that’s happening on the Evergreen campus with news, group pages, event calendars, and notifications.

The Core is the group of courses that every student must take, regardless of major, in order to earn their degree at Loyola. These courses are generally based in the Humanities, including subjects such as philosophy, history, writing, and world language.

Loyola University is divided into colleges based on related majors: 

• Loyola College of Arts & Sciences
• School of Education
• Sellinger School of Business and Management

At Loyola, a commuter student is defined as any student who is living at home with a parent, guardian, or relative, and is commuting to and from campus. Visit the Office of Student Engagement website for information on Commuter Student Resources.

There may be more than one section of a course available in a single semester.  The course section is indicated by the last two digits of the course number (i.e. WR100.01  — the section number is “01”).

Cura Personalis, or “care for the whole person,” is a Jesuit concept that emphasizes the importance of a well-rounded education.

“Dean” is a title that you may see around campus, although not everyone who is a Dean has the same role or responsibilities. Examples include the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, the Dean of Students, and the Deans of the three colleges that make up the University.

Works within Academic Affairs, the division of the University that handles academics – sends out Dean’s List for first-year students (and students who have not yet declared a major), contacts students who have received mid-term deficiency grades.

When to contact: Available for students to make appointments and discuss any academic concerns, or if the student is considering a medical or personal leave of absence

Works within Student Development, the division of the University that is involved with Residence Life & Housing outside of academics.

At Loyola there are three separate colleges, grouped by related majors, which make up the University. Each college is led by a Dean: Dean of Loyola College of Arts & Sciences (humanities, social sciences, and natural and applied sciences), the Dean of the School of Education, and the Dean of Sellinger School of Business and Management.

At the end of each semester, recognition on the Dean's List of students for distinguished academic achievement is awarded to students who achieve a minimum QPA of at least 3.500 for the term, provided that, in the term they have successfully completed courses totaling a minimum of 12 credits applicable to a degree (excluding pass/fail courses, S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory), and courses assigned a grade of W). 

For first-year students or students who have not declared a major, the Dean’s List is announced by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. For students who have declared their major, the Dean’s List announcement is handled by their major department.

The degree audit keeps track of your degree progress. It is used to confirm that you have satisfied all of the requirements for graduation. You can view your degree audit in Self-Service/Student Planning under My Progress. You can also ask your advisor or an advisor in AASC if you are unsure of your progress.

Department chairs are the faculty members who are in charge of organizing a particular academic department, such as history or writing. The complete list of department chairs can be found in the University Catalogue, or you can check the department website. Students may need to contact the department chair in special situations order to get permission to register for or drop a particular course. 

Rooted in Jesuit practice, ‘discernment’ is a process of reflection, problem solving, and decision making. Students are encouraged to practice discernment in many ways including choosing their major or career path, and in choosing their extra-curricular activities. Discernment is also helpful as students set and work toward their personal goals during the semester and throughout their four years at Loyola. Loyola offers various programs and opportunities that focus on or include active discernment and helping students develop this skill.

A student's grade point average (GPA) can be calculated in for the semester or as a cumulative GPA. See the Dean of Undergraduate Studies Grades FAQ for more information.

Loyola's Honor Code is managed by the Office of Integrity and the Honor Council. It is important to be aware of the Honor Code as a student at Loyola. Knowing how to properly cite sources and knowing your professors’ policies on group work can be helpful to avoid being in violation of the code, which could cause you to receive a failing grade on the assignment or in the class. When in doubt, always ask! The Writing Center offers resources for proper citation, and your professor can likely also refer you to helpful resources and offer guidance.

Latin honors are noted on a student’s diploma and transcript, and indicate a high academic achievement level based on the student’s cumulative Loyola GPA. The levels include Summa cum laude, Magna cum laude, or Cum laude. Visit the AASC website for more information.

Once students have submitted the Major Declaration Form (sometime between the end of your second semester and the end of your third), they will have declared their major. This major is now official and is the major you will work toward. It is okay to change your declared major, but be sure to talk with your advisor about your plans.

Your intended major is the major that students list in their application to the University as a major they are interested in. It is not your official major, but can be used as a guideline in your first year to help you choose your courses, and can help you register for courses that may be limited to students of a certain major. Even if you have an intended major listed, you will still be required to submit the Major Declaration Form before the end of your third semester in order for your major to be officially declared.

“Moodle is Loyola’s Learning Management System which professors use to communicate and share resources with students in their courses." Professors may post their syllabus, assignments, course recordings, and/or your grades in Moodle. Contact your professor if you are not sure where to find your grades, or if you have any questions about the materials.

Office Hours are time that a professor has set aside to be available to meet with students. This is a good time to ask questions about concepts from class or something you’re having trouble with in your homework. Some professors ask students to make appointments, but some professors don’t mind if you just drop in. Check your syllabus or contact your professor to see what they prefer.

A policy that allows you to replace one or two grades of D or F from your first semester or repeat a course taken at any time at Loyola. Visit AASC to discuss your options.

• RA
• GRC
• Assistant Director

For access and support available to all students, the RoomRez Housing Portal allows students to submit various required forms and applications such as confirming emergency contact information, searching for roommates, requesting to remain on campus during break periods where the university is closed (e.g. December Break), securing an appointment time for move-in, and much more!

Self-Service/Student Planning is the software that Loyola uses for students to register for classes, keep track of their academic progress, and make sure they are on track for graduation. Students can also use it to pay bills and manage their student account.

Summer away refers to courses that a student takes over the summer with the goal of transferring credits back to Loyola. Any summer away courses must be pre-approved by AASC. See the AASC website for more information.

A syllabus is an outline of the class content for the semester. It almost always contains practical information including class meeting times, contact information for your professor, due dates of assignments, grading policy, etc.

The Academic Catalogue lists all of Loyola's courses, descriptions, and degree requirements.