We strongly encourage all transfer students to work closely with their academic advisor to plan course selections to maximize the credit received from Loyola.

Loyola University Chicago is a participant in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide agreement that allows transfer students to complete the IAI General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) in lieu of a receiving institution’s core curriculum. For more information on the Illinois Articulation Initiative, please visit their webpage.  

STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE GECC REQUIREMENTS

At Loyola, all transfer students (both in-state and out-of-state) who have received an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree from a public community college, 4-year college, or university will have met Loyola’s Core Curriculum requirements, with the exception of mission-specific courses.  In addition, transfer students who attended an Illinois 2-year or 4-year institution, who enter Loyola without a degree but who have completed the IAI General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) requirements will also have satisfied Loyola’s Core Curriculum requirements and only need to complete the mission-specific and Engaged Learning requirements as described below.

IN-STATE TRANSFER STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE GECC

If you are a transfer student from an in-state school entering Loyola with 30 or more hours of credit but have not satisfied the GECC requirements, you may choose to complete core requirements either by completing the GECC or Loyola’s Core Curriculum.  If you choose to complete Loyola’s Core Curriculum, you can find descriptions of the various Core Areas and courses that satisfy them on this webpage. If you choose to complete your core requirements through the GECC option, you will need to select Loyola courses that articulate with the approved GECC courses from your prior institution(s).  In addition, you will be required to complete the mission-specific courses and Engaged Learning requirement as described below.

If you enter Loyola with fewer than 30 hours of credit your courses will be articulated to Loyola courses on a course-by-course basis.  You will then complete Loyola’s Core Curriculum and Engaged Learning requirements.  You can find complete descriptions of the various Core Areas and courses that satisfy them on this webpage.

OUT-OF-STATE TRANSFER STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT EARNED AN AA OR AS DEGREE

If you are a transfer student from an out-of-state school entering Loyola without an AA or AS degree, your courses will be articulated to Loyola courses on a course-by-course basis.  You will then complete Loyola’s Core Curriculum and Engaged Learning requirements.  You can find complete descriptions of the various Core Areas and courses that satisfy them, on this webpage.

MISSION-SPECIFIC CORE REQUIREMENTS

Transfer students who enter Loyola University having satisfied the general Core Curriculum requirements must complete mission-specific courses that are central to Jesuit education.  These courses are not covered by the IAI/GECC.  These mission-specific requirements may be transferred to Loyola or completed at Loyola, and include courses in the following Core Areas:

• Philosophical Knowledge and Inquiry
• Theological and Religious Knowledge and Inquiry
• Ethical Knowledge and Inquiry

Transfer students who enter Loyola University from either in-state or out-of-state institutions will complete their mission-specific requirements in accordance with the guidelines below:

For Transfer Students Entering with 30 or More Credit Hours

1. Students entering Loyola with 4 or 5 of the mission-specific Core courses will have completed the mission-specific Core requirements.
2. Students entering with 2 or 3 of the mission-specific courses will take the new transfer student course, either PHIL 190 Loyola's Mission: The Philosophical Vision or THEO 190 Loyola's Mission: Ignatian Traditions.
3. Students entering with 0 or 1 of the mission-specific courses will take the new transfer student course (PHIL 190 Loyola's Mission: The Philosophical Vision or THEO 190 Loyola's Mission: Ignatian Traditions) plus one of the mission-specific courses not completed; one of these must be an Ethical Knowledge and Inquiry course if they have not already taken an Ethics course.

For Students Entering with Fewer than 30 Credit Hours

Students will be required to satisfy the same set of Core Curriculum requirements as students who enter as freshmen.

Transfer Credit Policy for New (First Time) Freshman

Students entering as freshman are not transfer students. Please refer to the transfer credit policy for new (first time) freshman administered by the Office of Registration and Records for more information on the credits that may count toward undergraduate degree requirements.