Mar 28, 2024  
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2012-2013 
    
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2012-2013 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Academic Programs and Services



Programs

The University Honors Program

Created in 1958, the University Honors Program at Loyola Marymount University seeks to offer an intellectually creative and rigorous academic community for outstanding students. Not housed inside of any given college or school, the University Honors Program is an interdisciplinary set of courses and activities designed to create life-long love of learning and the intellectual habits required to serve others. Although academic excellence is the hallmark of the program, the University Honors Program is equally committed to the education of the whole person, the service of faith, and the promotion of justice.

Students in the University Honors Program do not take the regular University Core courses. Instead, they participate in a series of interdisciplinary seminars that challenge as well as inform, ask hard questions as well as examine tested solutions, and create new solutions as well as ponder the implications of such solutions. Drawing from faculty from across the University, the University Honors Program provides a creative, demanding, and integrated curriculum for academically excellent students who are seeking a rigorous, multidisciplinary course of study to accompany their major(s) and minor(s).

The University Honors Program also offers co-curricular and extracurricular activities and events, including “The University Honors Program Presents,” a multidisciplinary, campus-wide lecture series featuring speakers and performers from Southern California and the nation. The Honors Summit is a retreat held at the beginning of the academic year that allows Honors students to get to know each other and learn about the program.

The University Honors Program is open to students from any school or college of Loyola Marymount University, regardless of major. The Program is administered by the Honors Director, the Honors Associate Director, and the Honors Program Supervisor with the assistance of the Honors Advisory Council. Faculty members of all disciplines are encouraged to be involved with the University Honors Program.

Students in the University Honors Program must maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA and attend a majority of Honors-sponsored events in order to continue in the program. Graduating students receive an Honors medallion to be worn with their academic regalia at Commencement, which is of lasting personal, professional, and academic value.

Admission to the University Honors Program is open to all incoming and current first year students. The program is interested in students who display a sense of academic adventure, high motivation, academic rigor, personal responsibility, social awareness, and the constant pursuit of excellence. Incoming first year students must complete a special University Honors Program application (in addition to their application for admission to Loyola Marymount). Current first year students must schedule an interview with the Honors Director, presenting a writing sample from a class taken at Loyola Marymount and a letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Only a limited number of students who apply will be invited to join the University Honors Program. Application materials are available at http://www.lmu.edu/honors.

Further details on requirements are continued under “University Honors Program ” in the Bulletin.

Air Force ROTC

Air Force ROTC at Loyola Marymount University provides the opportunity for students to become commissioned officers in the United States Air Force. The program is very flexible and normally requires two to four years to complete. The program seeks to better develop students in the areas of character, leadership, physical fitness, and academic performance. In addition, AFROTC provides a significant opportunity for scholarships and other financial aid. More information can be found under the “Aerospace Studies ” section of this Bulletin.

Individualized Study Program

The Individualized Study Program involves a select number of creative and highly motivated students within all colleges and schools of the University whose educational needs and goals cannot fully be met by individual departments or majors. The program is thus designed to offer each participant greater responsibility in determining the content of his or her major program, based upon the goals to which that major is directed. Students may wish to construct their programs or areas of concentration from interdisciplinary, independent study, field work alternatives, or a combination thereof.

The program is open to freshmen and sophomores who have completed at least one semester in the participating colleges or school. Once accepted into the program by the Dean of the student’s college or school, the student selects a counselor who assists in designing the specific content of the major in line with the student’s objectives.

The student’s program is then formalized into a contract signed by the student, advisor, and Dean. Upon completion of the contracted course of studies, the student is issued a degree in Individualized Studies.

Naval ROTC

Eligible Loyola Marymount University students who wish to participate in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps may do so through a program established with the UCLA University Extension. The program, in conjunction with an LMU baccalaureate degree, leads to a commission in the United States Navy or Marine Corps. Appropriate academic credit for courses accredited by the University of California is given in accordance with the policies governing LMU’s Aerospace Studies program. Further information may be obtained from the Chairperson of the Department of Naval Science, University of California, Los Angeles.

Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program

The Loyola Marymount University Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program is open to both women and men who have received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution in a field other than science, and have completed less than three of the prerequisite courses for admission to medical school. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required, and additional evidence of high achievement, such as appropriate standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, or GRE), is required. The ideal candidate will be strongly motivated and will have had sufficient experience in the medical field, either through volunteer work or previous employment, to serve as a basis for an informed, mature, and committed decision to enter the field of medicine.

Over a 12-month period of intensive, full-time study in the classroom and in the community, our students are thoroughly prepared for the challenges of medical school. Program enrollment is capped at 15 students- small enough to give individual attention and support. As a result, members of our faculty work closely with students in an academic environment that emphasizes learning by mentoring, collaboration and hands-on experience. Also, our Health Professions Advisory Committee gets to know each student as an individual and provides the support, counsel and resources that meet unique interests and needs, from selecting courses to choosing the appropriate medical school.

LMU offers a structured and comprehensive curriculum that fulfills in one year all the requirements needed to apply to medical school. Over a 12-month period, students carry a full-time load of courses in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. This typically involves three laboratory sciences per semester during the academic year and a two-semester laboratory science course during the Summer session.

Individuals interested in applying to this program should submit their applications, including supporting materials, no later than March 1 of the year to be considered for admission to the program beginning in the middle of May. Early submission of materials is encouraged to improve enrollment potential. Once an application is complete, the Health Professions Advisory Committee will review the application to determine whether an applicant will be invited for an interview.

Preparation for a Career in Law

The University offers several curricula that are appropriate for students who plan to enter law school upon the completion of their undergraduate degree. The prelaw student should select a course of study that insures the development of the skills essential to the successful study of law: 1) the ability to use language and communicate effectively and 2) the ability to think critically and creatively. In addition, the prelaw curriculum must provide a broad understanding of basic human institutions and values.

To insure they follow an appropriate course of study, prelaw students are advised to select their classes in consultation with the University Prelaw Advisor. The Prelaw Advisor also serves as a resource person for students during the law school application process.

Preparation for the Health Professions

The Health Professions Information Program provides the student with regular informational meetings. The Director of the Program serves as a resource person and is available for individual consultation. The Director’s Office distributes relevant materials to prospective applicants and maintains their files for the Health Professions Advisory Committee. The Committee assists students in completing the application process to health professional schools.

The University offers pre-health professional curricula for those students who plan to apply for admission to the following programs: Medicine, Dentistry, Optometry, Pediatric Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Medical Technology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Public Health. These curricula are not degree programs, and students who wish to complete the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree before admission to a professional school should select a major within the University. Students usually select a biology, biochemistry, or other science major. Students in other majors should consult with the director early in their college career about blending pre-health profession courses with their chosen major. In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the chosen major, specific requirements of the professional programs should be satisfied. The following lower division courses are usually required: BIOL 101 , BIOL 102 , BIOL 111 , BIOL 112 , BIOL 201 , BIOL 202 ; CHEM 110 , CHEM 111 , CHEM 112 , CHEM 113 , CHEM 220 , CHEM 221 , CHEM 222 , CHEM 223 ; English (6 semester hours); MATH 122 , MATH 123 ; PHYS 253 , PHYS 254 , 255; and PSYC 100 . In addition, other specified upper division biology, biochemistry, and statistics courses and electives from Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and the Sciences may be required.

Students should be aware that many health professional schools do not recognize some AP credits and that alternative coursework may need to be completed to meet admission requirements. Please discuss with the Director.

Services

LMU Extension

Center for Religion and Spirituality

Established in 1989, the Center for Religion and Spirituality is one of Loyola Marymount’s two interdisciplinary centers, and an embodiment of the University’s commitment to serve the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, neighboring dioceses, and religious communities throughout Southern California. The purpose of the Center is to provide educational opportunities for adult learners, which strengthen their religious and spiritual formation as ministers, educators, and leaders who are committed to the pursuit of service and justice in their own communities. In collaboration with University faculty, the local Church, and religious leaders, the Center carries out this purpose in three ways: Continuing education in theology, religion, and spirituality with an emphasis on pastoral leadership; theological research that is interdisciplinary, intercultural, and interreligious; and outreach to individual parishes, religious institutions, and faith-based organizations. The Center for Religion and Spirituality is located in University Hall, Suite 1840e and can be found on the web at http://extension.lmu.edu/crs.

Continuing Education

LMU Extension offers certificates, courses, programs, institutes, conferences, and lectures which provide a variety of educational experiences to members of the community. There are three types of classifications of such offerings.

The first of these is Professional Development courses in a certificate or professional development program with identifiable subject areas or in particular disciplines, e.g., teacher education. These are offered under a departmental rubric and carry University semester hours of continuing education/professional development credit. The second type are those courses with academic content falling outside the normal undergraduate or graduate offerings. Such courses and programs are offered under the rubric CNTX. Credit is recorded in semester hours; 1.0 semester hour represents 10 continuing education contact hours. The third type is personal enrichment programs covering a variety of activities that might include dance, martial arts, or yoga, to name but a few.

Regular Loyola Marymount undergraduate students may enroll in “For Credit” LMU Extension courses with permission of their College or School Dean, at the fees quoted for such courses, above and beyond regular full-time tuition. Enrollment in other LMU Extension offerings is unrestricted unless otherwise specified, also at the fees quoted.

Study Abroad

LMU sponsors several study abroad programs for summer, semester, and full-year.

The Study Abroad Office is located in the Charles Von der Ahe Building. Please visit the Study Abroad website at http://www.lmu.edu/studyabroad for full program details, or contact the office at 310.338.1973.

LMU Semester Programs

LMU currently offers semester programs in:

  • London, England-London Study and Internship Program
  • Bonn, Germany-The New Europe Program/Film and Television European Program/Theatre Arts Bonn-Moscow Program/Engineering Program/Science Program

Semester Study Abroad programs offer an array of unique academic and professional opportunities. Students study with LMU classmates and learn from LMU faculty and local instructors. Semester Study Abroad programs offer a range of core and specialized courses, for which students receive LMU credit and grades.

Participants in an LMU Semester Study Abroad program pay LMU tuition and program fees and keep their financial aid package, including any grants and scholarships already awarded.

LMU Exchange Programs

LMU collaborates with schools in:

  • Melbourne, Australia-Swinburne University of Technology
  • Hong Kong, China-The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Osaka, Japan-Kansai Gaidai University
  • Tokyo, Japan-Sophia University
  • Guadalajara, Mexico-ITESO
  • Mexico City, Mexico-Universidad Iberoamericana
  • Manila, Philippines-Ateneo University
  • Seoul, South Korea-Sogang University
  • San Sebastián, Spain-Universidad de Deusto

Exchange programs allow LMU students to spend a semester or year studying at carefully selected institutions of higher learning in a variety of locations around the world. Reciprocally, students from those institutions may attend LMU for a semester or year. LMU students live and study with students from the host country and international students.

While on the LMU Exchange program, students continue to pay LMU tuition and keep their financial aid package, including any grants and scholarships already awarded. Housing costs can vary.

AJCU Programs

LMU collaborates with Jesuit universities in:

  • Beijing,China-The Beijing Center
  • San Salvador, El Salvador-Case de la Solidaridad
  • Florence, Italy-Gonzaga in Florence
  • Rome, Italy-The Rome Center
  • Manila, Philippines-Casa Bayanihan
  • Madrid, Spain-Saint Louis University Madrid

Loyola Marymount University is a member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, which represents the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. Studying abroad through an AJCU program provides students with an opportunity to continue academic endeavors while developing on a personal level. Course offerings needed to complete core requirements are often offered through AJCU study abroad programs. AJCU programs may also allow students to explore service-learning opportunities.

LMU Summer Programs

LMU offers Summer Programs in:

  • Melbourne, Australia
  • Oxford, England
  • Paris, France
  • Bonn, Germany
  • Spetses, Greece
  • Roatán, Honduras
  • Dublin, Ireland
  • Florence, Italy
  • Rome, Italy

Special Programs

Special Programs are study abroad and domestic programs that provide quality educational opportunities that have been approved by LMU:

  • Washington, D.C.-The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
  • Atlanta, Georgia-Spelman College

LMU Summer Study Abroad programs provide a rich academic experience complemented by cultural excursions over a short period of time, typically three to five weeks.

Summer Study Abroad programs offer core and specialized courses, for which students receive LMU credit and grades. Each program is led by LMU faculty members whose expertise in both country and subject matter will allow students to excel academically and get a true glimpse of the country.

Credit Transfer

All Study Abroad work completed through a sponsoring institution must be documented on an official transcript from a U.S. institution accredited by one of the six regional associations of the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities. Study Abroad work completed at an international institution must be documented on an official academic record from an institution recognized by the Ministry or Department of Education of that country.

Other University Services

Academic Resource Center

The Academic Resource Center, located on the second floor of Daum Hall, is LMU’s tutoring and writing center. Students, faculty, and staff can enlist the help of tutors and specialists to enhance the learning process. Peer tutors work with students one-on-one or in small groups discussing course concepts, reviewing class notes, and preparing for exams. Writing tutors provide assistance with papers across the curriculum. The professional staff also work with faculty and academic departments to enhance student success for requested courses. For additional information on ARC services, please call 310.338.2847 or visit http://www.lmu.edu/academics/Academic_Support_Services/arc.htm.

Basil P. Caloyeras Center for Modern Greek Studies

The Caloyeras Center for Modern Greek Studies provides students with an opportunity to study the culture of contemporary Greece. By means of courses in the language, literature, and the arts of the Greece of today, a doorway is opened to the past, which is thus given a fresh and compelling reality.

The Center has the following goals:

  • To offer courses in modern Greek language, post-classical and modern literature and history, the Greek Orthodox tradition, theatre, cinema, dance, music, and the fine arts
  • To encourage students to pursue a minor in Modern Greek Studies
  • To sponsor lectures on subjects pertaining to Greece which are of interest to the academic community and to the public at large
  • To encourage students and faculty to pursue studies and research projects in Greece.

The Center supports the courses that lead to a minor in Modern Greek. (See “Classics and Archaeology ” in this Bulletin.)

Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles

Overview

The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles was established in 1994 to assist students, the University, and the community at large to become agents for change that leads to social justice. Using Los Angeles as a laboratory for understanding the urban experience, the center has become a university leader in developing mutildisciplinary courses, producing highly regarded applied research, and promoting civic involvement.

Programs

Southern Californians and Their Leaders is one of the only systematic analyses of how our leaders view contemporary Los Angeles, the opportunities and constraints they face, and the conditions that facilitate leadership. Current activities include leadership roundtables, public opinion polls and leadership surveys, leadership internships, and a leadership lecture series. These activities enable students to apply their classroom knowledge in a real-world setting and aim to empower them to serve their community with skill and compassion.

The Community Studies Program gives students the opportunity to examine patterns and trends reshaping Los Angeles from the perspective of individual neighborhoods. Through in-depth neighborhood analyses, this program gives residents a voice on issues facing their communities. Community studies have focused on communities with a strong Jesuit presence: Hollywood, Pico Union, East Los Angeles, Watts, Lennox, Westchester, and Playa Vista.

In a short span of time, the center has established one of the best undergraduate archives in the nation, the Research Collection. The research collection promotes preservation and analysis of historical documents of public officials, post-World War II developers, late twentieth-century Los Angeles reformers and reform movements, and prominent Catholic families. Holdings include a decade’s worth of the original program tapes of KCRW 89.9 FM’s Which Way, L.A.? as well as the papers of Rebuild L.A., Los Angeles Educational Alliance for Restructuring Now (LEARN), Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project (LAAMP), Fritz B. Burns, and Mike Roos, to name just a few. A complete index to the research collection and the contents of individual collections is available online at http://lib.lmu.edu/special/csla/csla.htm.

Disability Support Services

The Disability Support Services (DSS) Office provides specialized assistance and resources that enable students with documented physical, perceptual, learning, ADD/ADHD, psychiatric disabilities and students on the autism spectrum to achieve maximum independence while pursuing their educational goals. Services are offered to students who have established documented disabilities under federal and state law. Staff specialists constantly interact with all areas of the University to eliminate physical and attitudinal barriers. Please visit our website for more details: http://www.lmu.edu/dss/ or contact us at 310.338.4216. Please note that all information is confidential.

Orientation

The Freshman Orientation Program welcomes new students to the Loyola Marymount community. During Orientation, students are introduced to the academic and co-curricular programs of the University, meet with faculty for individual academic advisement, and are assisted in registering for courses. Students also become familiar with all of the services, activities, and resources available to them. Throughout the Orientation Program, students interact in small groups, led by current LMU students. Since Orientation provides a useful introduction to the people, programs, and opportunities LMU offers. All incoming freshmen are required to participate in the program. For additional information, please contact the Orientation office at 310.338.7429 or orientation@lmu.edu.

The Transfer Orientation Program is the best way to acclimate to life at LMU. Orientation helps students become familiar with their new campus, learn about student life, and introduce them to current and other new students as well as helpful and friendly faculty and staff. Some of the activities that take place at orientation include: opportunities to meet faculty and discuss questions about the University; introductions to LMU’s wide-ranging events, clubs, and organizations; discussions with current students about various involvement opportunities on campus; and a chance to speak with representatives from all administration areas (Registrar, One Card, Financial Aid, etc.). For additional information regarding Transfer Orientation, please contact the Transfer Programs office at transferprograms@lmu.edu or 310.338.5252.

University Library

Located on the bluff between the Jesuit Community and the Leavey Residence Halls, the William H. Hannon Library was designed and built by AECOM. It opened in July 2009. Named for long-time LMU benefactor and Distinguished Alumnus William H. Hannon, the library is comprised of 120,928 square feet, with three levels above ground and a two-story basement below ground for high density collections storage. A variety of seating accommodates over 850 students, faculty, and staff. The upper-level stacks hold 250,000 volumes; the basement holds 350,000 less frequently used volmes and has the potential to store up to one million volumes.

A highlight of the building is the Information Commons where students can learn, work, and collaborate on class projects using state-of-the-art information technology. A media lounge and café provides comfortable seating and a casual learning environment.

The William H. Hannon Library contains the collections of the University’s Westchester campus, which totals approximately 485,500 print books, 106,500 bound periodicals, 32,500 media resources including CDs and DVDs, 1,313 current print periodical subscriptions, and access to 163,000 e-books and 39,000 electronic periodicals. In addition to the Library’s online catalog, LINUS, network access is also available to online index databases such as Academic Search Complete and PROQuest Research Library. For a complete listing of available databases, please go to the Library home page: http://www.lmu.edu/library. In addition, the Library is a member of the LINK+ Consortium, an interlibrary lending organization of member libraries with over 4.5 million books. The Library’s Instruction Program offers classroom instruction in information literacy and database searching.

The Digital Library Program, which began in 2008, is a relatively new initiative of the William H. Hannon Library and currently comprises the Digital Collections and Digital Commons at Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School Scholarship Repository. The Digital Collections showcase digitized materials from the Department of Archives and Special Collections. Digital Commons at Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School Scholarship Repository is an initiative of the William H. Hannon Library and the William M. Rains Library. The repository serves faculty and institutional interests by collecting, organizing, preserving, and disseminating faculty scholarship and creative works in a digital, open-access environment. This initiative is consistent with the library’s archival role and responsibility in preserving publications and other artifacts documenting the university’s history and the activities of its faculty, students, staff, and administrators.

The Department of Archives and Special Collections houses collections of art, rare books, manuscripts, and the University Archives. Notable holdings include the St. Thomas More, Oliver Goldsmith, and the Helena and John Weadock Collection of rare English and American first editions. Other important collections are the papers of the motion picture producer Arthur P. Jacobs, best known for the Planet of the Apes series, and the Werner Von Boltenstern postcard collection, which contains over a million cards. The department also houses the Research Collection of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles which collects research materials relating to local public officials, post-World War II developers, late twentieth-century reformers, and prominent Catholic families.

The Library’s Media & Reserve Services Department provides reserve materials for student class work, as well as equipment and materials in various multi-media formats.