Students are held individually responsible for information contained in these pages. Failure to read and understand these regulations will not excuse a student from their observance.
All regulations and rules or procedures contained in this official University Bulletin apply to undergraduate and graduate programs. Questions in individual cases should be presented through written petition to the appropriate dean.
A student is held responsible for academic regulations in effect at the time of entrance, provided the student maintains continuous enrollment. Similarly, a student who changes programs or majors after being admitted to the University is held responsible for the academic regulations in effect at the time the program or major is changed. A student who interrupts academic enrollment is subject to the academic regulations in effect in the University Bulletin at the time enrollment is resumed.
For non-academic matters, all students are governed by the Loyola Marymount University Student Conduct Code found in the Community Standards booklet. The booklet can be found on MyLMU (http://my.lmu.edu).
Students are assigned a faculty academic advisor within their major or college. LMU offers an advising model based on a close student/faculty advisor relationship. This relationship offers assistance to students in achieving educational, career, and personal goals through the use of the full range of institutional resources.
In order to make the best of advising appointments, students are encouraged to become familiar with the degree requirements, coursework within the major, and other information about academic policies. LMU students must be pro-active in understanding the academic requirements, policies, and procedures which affect their studies and path to graduation. Students are further encouraged to come with well-developed questions for the advisor.
As part of the registration process, students meet with their advisors, who may conduct degree audits to assess progress toward completing degree requirements. Exceptions to University policy and changes to established degree coursework must be approved as exceptions by the Chairperson of the Department or Director of the Program and documented on a degree audit adjustment form (change to the student’s degree audit). This form must then be signed by the student’s Associate Dean’s Office and submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
The University offers two fifteen-week semesters plus a week of final examinations for each semester and two six-week summer sessions that include final examinations.
An academic program is a combination of courses and related activities organized for the achievement of specific learning outcomes as defined by the University. This includes programming at the undergraduate and graduate levels and consists of degrees, majors, minors, concentrations, and certificates.
A degree program is an academic program of study leading to a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree. All degree programs require a minimum number of semester credit hours in addition to the requirements of the University, College, or School, and the academic major Department. (See Degree Requirements.)
An academic major indicates a particular curriculum which leads to a degree. Students must complete the requirements for a primary academic major, including the University Core Curriculum and college or school requirements, to be eligible for a degree. Requirements for academic majors can be found under the departmental listings in the chapters for each respective college or school. Some academic majors have concentrations which are a sub-set of a discipline, organized in clusters, of focused courses taken within a major.
Students normally declare a major at the time of application to the University. If a student is unsure about choosing a major, some colleges may allow for an undeclared status within that College. This option is at the discretion of the College or School. Under normal conditions, an undergraduate student has decided on a particular major prior to earning 60 semester hours of credit.
Students may declare a second academic major in addition to their primary major by obtaining the approval of the department chair of the major and the Associate Dean in that college.
A second academic major may be earned only while the student is concurrently completing the requirements for the baccalaureate degree in the primary academic major. A student must successfully complete all requirements for the second academic major prior to, or in the same term as, the primary major. A second major may not be granted after a degree has been posted. If a student decides to drop a second academic major, the student must submit a Change of Program to the Office of the Registrar.
Undergraduate students may declare an academic minor from among the LMU departmental minors. Students who wish to declare an academic minor must obtain the approval of the department chair or program director of the minor and submit a Change of Program to the Office of the Registrar. Some minors may require an application process and are limited based on space available; some may also require the signature of the Associate Dean of the College or School.
To earn an academic minor, a student must complete all requirements of the minor as prescribed either before or at the time of the awarding of the degree in the primary major. Minors may not be earned after the awarding of the primary degree. If a student decides to drop a minor, he or she must submit a Change of Program with the relevant signatures to the Office of the Registrar.
In addition to the requirements of the department of the minor, a student must also meet the following for an academic minor:
Good Standing
A student must maintain in each semester the stated minimum cumulative grade point average for each of the requirements in the degree program and may not be on academic probation or subject to disqualification. The calculation of standing is based on all courses taken at LMU:
Undergraduate students must maintain a C average (2.0) in term, major, program, and cumulative GPA. The calculation is based upon courses taken in Fall and Spring semesters only.
Graduates must maintain a B average (3.0) in term, major, program, and cumulative GPA. The calculation is based upon courses taken in Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.
Undergraduate and graduate students are subject to academic probation if their term, major, program, or cumulative grade point average on all courses taken at LMU is lower than the following:
Academic probation constitutes a serious warning to students that their academic performance is unsatisfactory and continued failure to improve this record may result in being disqualified from the University. Additionally, a student who does not make satisfactory progress in the course of study is subject to probation. Academic probation does not prohibit the student from returning as an enrolled student for the subsequent semester, nor does it necessarily prohibit the student from participating in University-sanctioned events. However, the Dean or Director may impose restrictions on students on probation regarding the program of study and their participation in extracurricular activities at LMU.
Undergraduate and graduate students are subject to disqualification if, in two consecutive semesters on probation, their term, major or cumulative grade point average on all courses falls below the stated career requirement. The first semester in which an undergraduate or graduate student is placed on probation is the first of the consecutive semesters used to determine the student being subject to disqualification.
Disqualification terminates a student’s relationship with the University for a minimum of one year. A disqualified student may not register in any division or session of the University and is denied all privileges of the University and of all organizations or activities in any way connected with it.
Disqualified undergraduate and graduate students are not eligible for readmission to the University until one calendar year has elapsed since the disqualification. Undergraduate and graduate students who wish to return to LMU after disqualification must make an appointment with their Dean. The Dean will determine if a student is eligible to return and either grant or deny permission to seek readmission to the University. If allowed to attend LMU after a disqualification, the student must submit an application for admission through the appropriate Admission Office.
Class attendance expectations and consequences for absences from class are left to the discretion of individual instructors and shall be announced by the faculty member at the first class meeting or listed on the class syllabus. Students are accountable for all course assignments, whether or not the assignments were announced during an absence.
In order for a student to earn academic credit for a course, he/she must be enrolled officially in the course. Students who are not registered in a class are not allowed to attend a course, submit coursework, or take an exam including the final exam.
Entering first-year and transfer students are admitted to the University in their academic major of choice at application. A change of academic major or emphasis/concentration in the major within the same school or college may be limited by the availability of space within the requested major and requires the approval of the department chair and the Associate Dean of the College or School.
A student must also be signed out of the current major by obtaining the approval of the department chair of the current major as well as the Associate Dean of the College or School. If a student decides to change an academic minor, he/she must submit a Change of Program to the Office of the Registrar.
Changes in majors, which involve the changing of a School or College, may be limited by the availability of space within the school and/or the specific academic major. Students wishing to change colleges or schools must meet the respective admittance criteria and complete the application process specified by that College or School. The decision of the Associate Dean of the College or School is considered final. Upon acceptance into the new major, emphasis, or minor, the student must submit a completed Change of Program to the Office of the Registrar.
Graduate students are admitted to a specific program consisting of a degree and major within a College or School. Graduate students who wish to change a degree program must apply for the new program through Graduate Admissions. A student who wishes to change from one emphasis/concentration to another within a program before completing a degree must request approval from the Program Director. Students must submit a completed Change of Program to the Office of the Registrar.
Students may change their permanent, mailing, and billing addresses through PROWL. Students must update their emergency contact information through PROWL. International students are required to notify the Office of International Students and Scholars if wishing to change their permanent address. The University assumes no responsibility for materials sent through the mail or email not received.
The University awards degrees three times per year. The award dates are the last day of finals for each term; Summer, Fall, and Spring. LMU celebrates its Commencement Ceremonies only at the end of the Spring semester.
LMU honors at the Commencement Ceremonies its newest graduates with a celebration of achievement for family and friends. Participation is granted to those students who will be receiving their degrees in one of five terms: the previous Summer and Fall as well as Spring, Summer, and Fall of the Commencement year. Students who are ready to graduate must submit an application for degree in PROWL to identify the semester in which they expect to complete their degree and graduation requirements. Undergraduate students must have 85 completed credits to apply for degree conferral. Graduate Program completed credits needed to apply vary by program. Participation in the honorary ceremony does not mean that a degree has been awarded.
The classification of undergraduate students is determined by the number of semester hours completed at LMU with passing grades and, if applicable, accepted transfer work.
Lower-division students are considered:
Upper-division students are considered:
Concurrent Enrollment, defined as taking courses during regular sessions (fall and spring terms) for credit at LMU and, at the same time, at another institution is not permitted and no credit will be awarded. During LMU’s summer term(s), students may concurrently enroll at LMU and at another institution.
This section contains a list of symbols for all courses offered at the University.
Only students accepted into the Graduate Division may register for these courses.
After the registration period and space permitting, enrolled students may be permitted to register as auditors only for exceptional reasons and with the authorization of the Dean of the college or school of the course. Not all courses are open to auditors. Auditors are not held responsible for the work expected of regular students and receive no grade or credit for the course. Regular attendance at class is expected.
A student who has previously enrolled as an auditor may not take the course for credit in the subsequent term except by special permission of the Dean of the college or school in which the course is offered. Individuals may not be formally admitted to the University to audit courses only. Enrolled LMU students may not enroll as auditors in a regularly scheduled LMU course through LMU Extension.
A student may request credit by examination for selected courses provided that the student meets all eligibility requirements of the course. It is the responsibility of the student to arrange for a credit by examination, including a faculty member willing to administer the challenge, as then approved by the course Chairperson and student’s Dean. A course may be challenged only once.
In a Fall or Spring semester, the normal load for full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students in good standing from the previous semester is 15-18 semester hours. For summer, undergraduate students in good standing may register for up to eight semester hours per session; six semester hours is considered full-time for summer.
A cross-listed course is one that carries credit in more than one department or program. Students may not enroll in more than one section of a cross-listed course and may receive credit in one department only.
Courses whose numbers have as the last two digits “98” are Special Studies. These courses have a special syllabus and description not listed in the Bulletin. They can be held in a lecture, discussion, or seminar format at a specified or arranged time and place for a group of students. Each department sponsoring Special Studies courses maintains these course descriptions.
Courses whose numbers have as the last two digits “99” are Independent Studies. This is an individualized study arranged by a student with a full-time faculty member and approved by the Chairperson of the Department and the Dean. An Independent Studies course is considered part of the student’s semester program. Registration for such courses takes place only during the regular registration periods.
These courses are for the educational enrichment of the student particularly qualified for the kind of experiences that are beyond the scope of a regular course. Under the supervision of a faculty member, the work will be of research or similarly creative nature and will normally culminate in a project or examination. First-year, first-semester transfer students, and part-time undergraduates are not eligible.
Most graduate programs will allow graduate students to take no more than two classes as independent study. Consult the individual Program Director for future information and limitations.
A course tutorial is an option to register for an LMU course which is not otherwise offered in the term. Students may individually arrange with a faculty member to take the course as a tutorial. The tutorial must be based on an existing LMU course and all arrangements for the tutorial are the responsibility of the student. A tutorial course is considered part of a student’s semester program. Registration for it takes place during the regular registration periods. Only full-time students are eligible, and approval will be given for only one tutorial course per semester. First-year and first-semester transfer students are not eligible. Approval of the Department Chair and Dean’s Office is required.
The Dean’s List is an honorary academic acknowledgment for undergraduate students which is printed on the transcript at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters. The list consists of full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students who must have in a term:
Candidates for an undergraduate degree at Loyola Marymount University must complete all requirements for a bachelor’s degree as set forth by the University, their college or school, and academic departments or programs. Failure to understand those requirements does not relieve a student of his or her responsibility.
All candidates for a baccalaureate degree at LMU must fulfill the following requirements:
The date of degree posted on a student’s diploma is the one by which all graduation requirements are completed or documents are submitted. The degree dates are the last day of finals for each term; Summer, Fall, and Spring.
All candidates for a second baccalaureate degree at LMU must fulfill the following requirements:
Candidates for a graduate degree at Loyola Marymount University must complete all requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree as set forth by the University, their college or school, and academic departments or programs. Failure to understand these requirements does not relieve a student of his or her responsibility. All candidates for a graduate degree at LMU must fulfill the following requirements:
The date of degree posted on a student’s diploma is the one by which all graduation requirements are completed or documents are submitted. The degree dates are the last day of finals for each term: Summer, Fall, and Spring:
Diplomas are granted and mailed to students who have completed all academic degree requirements and who have no outstanding financial obligations to the University.
Students must be officially registered via PROWL for all classes in accordance with the regulations, procedures, and dates published in the Schedule of Classes and the University Bulletin. Registration is subject to full payment of tuition, room and board charges, and other fees associated with enrollment. The University reserves the right to deny registration to any student for reasonable cause.
Students are required to take all scheduled examinations. Final examinations are to be held at the time published by the Office of the Registrar. No student is allowed to take a final examination before the scheduled time.
An undergraduate student enrolled for 12 or more semester hours in a Fall or Spring semester or 6 or more semester hours in a Summer session is considered a full-time student. Students taking fewer than the stated amount above are considered part-time and may not qualify for all University activities and benefits, such as eligibility for financial aid, on-campus housing, and intercollegiate athletic competition.
A graduate student enrolled for 6 or more semester hours in a Fall, Spring, or a single Summer session is considered a full-time student. Graduate students taking fewer than 6 semester hours are considered part-time. Doctoral students completing the dissertation are full-time with at least 2 semester hours per term.
Please refer to the Financial Aid full-time/part-time standing for an explanation of how that department defines full-time standing and the impact on financial aid awards.
Students may take courses which are offered on a Credit/No Credit basis for up to 20% of their total semester hours requirement for graduation. For undergraduate courses, a grade of CR may be given for performance equal to or greater than a grade of “C.” A CR/NC course will not affect the grade point average. Courses offered on a CR/NC basis will count toward fulfilling requirements of the academic major, academic minor, or University Core. Courses offered on a graded basis which a student elects to take on a CR/NC basis will not fulfill the above requirements. Students may change their grade option through the last day of the twelfth week of classes during the fall and spring semesters.
If a course is offered on a CR/NC basis only and the student wishes to receive a standard grade, the student must petition the instructor for that standard grade before the end of the third week of the semester. After submitting an approved form to the Office of the Registrar requesting a standard grade for a course, the student may not rescind the request.
Graduates may take courses on a CR/NC basis only with the permission of the Program Director and/or Dean of the College or School.
The final course grade is how a faculty member communicates to the student and the University about a student’s overall achievement in the course. Final course grades are not negotiable. Any grade appeal should therefore be limited to procedural issues, such as a computational error or a failure to follow grading policies as set forth in the course syllabus.
Any student who wishes to appeal a final course grade must first discuss the matter with the faculty member, preferably in a face to face meeting. The grade appeal must be initiated by the student prior to the end of the third week of instruction in the semester subsequent to the term in which the disputed grade was earned.
As part of the appeal, students should provide all graded assignments to the faculty member and also refer to the course syllabus so that they are prepared to discuss all aspects of the grade. The course syllabus will serve as the guideline for this discussion. If the faculty member agrees that an error was made, the faculty member will file a Correction of Grade form and the grade appeal process concludes.
If the dispute is not resolved between the student and the instructor, the student may appeal to the Department Chair in which the subject area resides. If the course is a First Year Seminar or Rhetorical Arts class, the Core Director acts as the Department Chair for the purposes of this policy. The Department Chair/Core Director will discuss the case with the faculty member and student in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
If the dispute is not resolved at the department level, the student may file a written appeal to an Associate Dean in the School/College of the subject area or to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education in the case of First Year Seminars and Rhetorical Arts classes. The written appeal must be submitted prior to the end of the sixth week of classes. The Associate Dean/Associate Provost, upon receipt of the written appeal, may appoint a committee of three faculty members to investigate the matter and make a recommendation to the Dean/ Associate Provost. The Dean/ Associate Provost will normally follow the recommendation of the committee; however, the decision of the Dean/Associate Provost is final. The Dean/Associate Provost will inform the student, the faculty member, and the Department Chair/Core Director of the decision in writing.
The work of all students at LMU is reported in terms of grades. Instructors are required to assign a final grade for each student registered in a course. The Office of the Registrar via PROWL issues a grade report to the student at the end of each term.
The following grades are used to report the quality of undergraduate student work at LMU:
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Superior |
| B | Good |
| C | Satisfactory |
| D | Poor |
| F | Failure |
| CR | Credit–Equivalent to grade of C or higher |
| NC | No Credit–Equivalent to grade of C- or lower |
| NR | Not reported by instructor |
| AU | Audit |
| I | Work incomplete |
| W | Official withdrawal from course |
A grade of A may be modified by a minus (-) suffix, and grades B and C may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (-) suffix. Grades A, B, C, and CR denote satisfactory progress toward the degree, but a C- or D grade must be offset by higher grades in the same term for students to remain in good academic standing. An F or NC grade yields no semester hour or course credit. Note that a “C-” grade is not a passing grade in courses requiring a minimum grade of “C.” A student must maintain a 2.0 GPA in order to remain in good academic standing.
The following grades are used to report the quality of graduate student work at LMU:
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Superior |
| B | Satisfactorily demonstrated potential for professional achievement in field of study |
| C | Passed the course but did not do work indicative of potential for professional achievement in field of study |
| F | Failure |
| CR | Credit–Equivalent to grade of B or higher |
| NC | No Credit–Equivalent to grade of B- or lower |
| NR | Not reported by instructor |
| AU | Audit |
| I | Work incomplete |
| IP | Work in progress (A grade assigned to the first semester of a scheduled two-semester course. The final grade is posted to the second semester of the course.) |
| W | Official withdrawal from course |
A grade of A may be modified by a minus (-) suffix, and grades B and C may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (-) suffix. Grades A, B, and CR denote satisfactory progress toward the degree, but a B- grade must be offset by higher grades in the same term for students to remain in good academic standing. Courses in which a grade of B- through C- is received may be applied toward graduate degrees unless otherwise prohibited by the program requirements. A student must maintain a 3.0 GPA in order to remain in good academic standing. Graduates may only take courses on a CR/NC basis with approval from the Dean.
Grade points are a measure of the quality of the academic work completed, just as semester hours are a measure of the quantity of this work. The University uses a letter grade to indicate the level of individual student achievement. Each letter grade has a point value assigned for the grade achieved. The point value assigned to each letter grade is as follows:
| Grade | Grade Points |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 |
The LMU grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of LMU grade points by the number of LMU semester hours completed with a letter grade.
The grades of AU, CR, NC, I, IP, and W have no point value and are not used in calculating the grade point average.
Grades, once submitted to the Office of the Registrar, will be changed only in case of error. An instructor desiring a change of grade must present a written explanation to the Chairperson and the Dean with a Correction of Grade form from the Office of the Registrar. No grade changes will be made after the fourth week of instruction of the next full term.
A student’s permanent record reflects the coursework upon which the University awarded the degree or recommended a credential. Therefore, no grade or other changes are permitted either after awarding the degree or recommending the credential.
An incomplete grade may be assigned by the professor only if a student has completed at least 80% of the coursework.
The student must speak to the professor prior to final exam week to determine if the completed course work meets the minimum requirement for a grade of Incomplete and to discuss what further work is required to complete the course. The professor may or may not agree to the assignment of a grade of Incomplete. If the professor agrees to assign the grade of Incomplete, s/he will enter a grade of “I” on the Final Grade Roster.
The student’s deadline for submitting all outstanding coursework for undergraduate level courses is three weeks after the first scheduled class day of the next full semester. Graduate students who received a grade of Incomplete in graduate level courses have one academic year to complete and submit all outstanding coursework, unless an earlier deadline is set by the professor.
An incomplete grade not removed by the deadline will default to an “F” or to the default grade as submitted by the instructor on the Final Grade Roster.
If a student requires an extension to the deadline, the student must petition to obtain an extension to the deadline for removal of the grade of Incomplete. The petition, approved by the instructor, must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Graduate students carrying any grades of Incomplete are not permitted to take a comprehensive examination until all “I” grades have been removed.
Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate level courses and who have received a grade of Incomplete in the undergraduate level course must submit outstanding coursework no later than three weeks after the first scheduled class day of the next full semester.
Mid-term deficiencies are assigned to students whose work thus far in the semester has been evaluated by the instructor as unsatisfactory. Notifications are sent to undergraduate students who are performing at the level of C- (1.7) or less; to graduates who are performing at the level of B- (2.7) or less. These notices, advisory in nature and sent to the student’s LMU email and posted to PROWL prior to the last day to withdraw in a term, are not used in any calculation and do not appear on either Degree Works or the University transcript. Students who receive a mid-term deficiency are advised to speak to the instructor and/or their advisor.
A Leave of Absence (LOA) may be granted to a student who applies for a temporary break from studies for up to two years or four semesters. A student on a processed LOA retains their admitted status; however, they do not have the rights and privileges of registered students as they are currently not attending classes. A student on a LOA may complete course work for which the grade of Incomplete was submitted in the prior term and must comply with the policies, including all deadlines, concerning a grade of Incomplete.
A Withdrawal (WD) from the University is the permanent termination of the academic program, course of study, and the rights and privileges offered to currently registered students. A student who wishes to return to the University must reapply to the appropriate Admissions Office. A student who withdraws is responsible for outstanding financial obligations with the University. A student who used deferred payment plans to secure student loans during their attendance at the University must clear their financial obligations with the Financial Aid and Student Financial Services Offices.
A student has four options when considering a LOA or WD from the University:
When returning from a LOA and prior to registering:
Loyola Marymount University is a community dedicated to academic excellence. Academic honesty in scholarship and creative work stands at the center of LMU’s academic life, and is essential for true learning and creation of knowledge to take place. As a university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, this community expects its members to act in accordance with the highest standards of honesty and ethics at all times. Violations of academic honesty undermine the fundamental educational mission of the University and cannot be tolerated. Students are responsible for understanding the standards of academic honesty and determining how they apply to their academic work and behavior. Students are responsible for contacting their instructor(s) before assignments are due to proactively resolve any questions they may have.
Academic honesty requires that all members of the LMU community act with integrity, respect their own intellectual and creative work as well as that of others, acknowledge sources consistently and completely, act honestly during exams and on assignments, and report results accurately.
Academic dishonesty is any violation of the standards of academic honesty. Examples of academic dishonesty are defined below. These examples are intended to provide guidance but not to constitute an exhaustive list of the forms that academic dishonesty might take.
Examples of academic dishonesty: Academic dishonesty may include, but is not limited to, the following examples:
Factors to be considered in applying sanctions for determinations of academic dishonesty under this policy shall include the nature and severity of the violation and whether there is a pattern of violations. Sanctions for violations of the Academic Honesty Policy may include the following:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (“FERPA”), is a Federal law which governs student privacy and confidentiality of student education records. Loyola Marymount University (“LMU”) recognizes, abides by and enforces the confidentiality of student records under FERPA.
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:
Student–any person who attends or has attended LMU.
Education records–any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, electronic, or other medium) maintained by LMU or any agent of LMU which is directly related to a student, except:
A personal record kept by a staff member if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record and is not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.
An employee record of an individual whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he or she is a student, provided the record is used only in relation to the individual’s employment.
LMU Department of Public Safety records created and maintained by LMU’s Department of Public Safety for Department of Public Safety purposes.
Counseling records which are created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional, acting in his or her professional capacity or assisting in a paraprofessional capacity, used solely in connection with the provision of treatment to the student and not disclosed to anyone other than individuals providing such treatment, so long as the records can be personally reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional of the student’s choice. “Treatment” in this context does not include remedial educational activities or activities which are part of the program of instruction at the institution.
Health records maintained by the Student Health Center, if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those persons providing the treatment.
Alumni records which contain information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at the University and which do not relate to the person as a student.
Current students are notified annually of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by publication in the University Bulletin and by posts on the LMU website.
Students may inspect and review their official academic or other education records (with certain limited exceptions) within 45 days of the day LMU receives the student’s written request for access. A student should submit any such request in writing, identifying the record(s) the student wishes to inspect, to the appropriate LMU official or department. LMU will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
LMU reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records:
Unless required by FERPA or other law, LMU reserves the right to deny a student’s access to academic transcripts or copies of records in any of the following situations:
The student has any unpaid financial obligations to LMU.
There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student. Copies of disciplinary records will only be made available when a student is unable to come to the office to inspect the record.
LMU will disclose information from a student’s education record only with the written consent of the student, except:
LMU is permitted under provisions of FERPA to release “Directory Information” upon request to anyone within the LMU community and to the general public without a student’s consent. Students who wish to have their directory information withheld must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing each semester by the close of official registration. (Please note that such withhold notification will prevent LMU from providing your directory information to friends, prospective employers, organizations and others with whom a student may wish to share such information, so a student should make any withhold notification carefully.)
Directory Information consists of a student’s:
Students have the right to ask to have records corrected that they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights. A student should submit any such request to LMU in writing, clearly identifying the records that the student believes are inaccurate and specifying the reasons the student believes them to be inaccurate. LMU will notify the student of its decision, and if the decision is negative, of the student’s right to a hearing regarding his or her request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided at that time.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. 1232g) (“FERPA”) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:
The days of registration are listed in the University Calendar. All students must follow the registration procedures as established by the Office of the Registrar. A student is not considered registered until official clearance has been obtained from the Controller’s Office and successful registration has been processed in and posted to PROWL. The student’s official academic program consists of the courses in which the student is enrolled at the close of official registration.
Students register for classes via PROWL during the times assigned by the Office of the Registrar. Through the first week of each term, students may register or change their registration schedule by adding and dropping classes without a grade of “W” in accordance with the procedures established by the Office of the Registrar. Registration for a term or registration changes are not accepted after the last day of the registration period.
Students may withdraw from a course (and receive a grade of ‘W’) until the date published in the Academic Calendar. Students who do not complete a course and/or do not withdraw from a class in accordance with the required procedures will receive an appropriate grade in the class as assigned by the instructor.
LMU does not allow a student who is not registered for a course to attend the class. Registration must be completed in accordance with the regulations, procedures, and dates in the University Bulletin. Sitting in a class or obtaining an instructor’s signature on a petition form does not constitute enrollment.
The University does not remove courses for those students who stop attending a course. It is the sole responsibility of the student to ensure that his/her class schedule is correct, including dropping or withdrawing from any courses prior to the respective deadlines in the semester. Failure to withdraw officially from a course will result in a grade of “F” or other as assigned by the instructor.
Courses may have registration restrictions, and students wishing to register for these courses must have met the criteria of the restriction. Restrictions and other registration considerations are enforced in PROWL and are identifiable in the Schedule of Classes.
Students who have not earned 60 units, including transfer credit, may not enroll in upper division courses without the approval of the instructor and the chair of the department of the course. This restriction does not apply to upper division foreign language courses for which a student has demonstrated sufficient proficiency.
Any holds on the student’s record for academic, financial, student conduct, or other reasons may inhibit eligibility for registration. A student is not considered registered until official clearance has been obtained from Student Accounts and successful registration through PROWL has been processed by the Office of the Registrar.
Loyola Marymount University will transfer credits listed on the Joint Services Transcript with ACE recommendations of lower- or upper-division as elective credit. Courses whose recommendations are listed as vocational credit will not transfer. LMU will transfer a maximum of 20 credits from the JST for elective credit only. JST credits will be included in the student’s total number of transferable units and will count towards the following maximums: 60 semester hours for undergraduate course work from community colleges, or 90 semester hours allowed for undergraduate course work from four-year institutions.
Certain courses such as special studies and performance courses are repeatable for credit. Please consult the University Bulletin and your advisor in order to confirm that a given course may be repeatable for credit.
Students may repeat a non-repeatable LMU course once, including withdrawals, in order to improve academic performance in that course. The prior occurrence is excluded from the cumulative grade point average and earned hours but remains on the transcript. The grade of the latest occurrence of the repeated course will be the one calculated into the GPA and earned hours. The third and final time a course is taken requires approval from the Dean of the offering College and the Dean of the student's College.
Undergraduate students are limited to enrolling in a maximum of 18 semester hours up until the second week prior to the first week of classes. Beginning the second week prior to classes and running through the first week of the term, undergraduate students are eligible to enroll in 18 or more semester hours with the approval of their Dean’s Office.
In order for an undergraduate student to enroll in 19 or more semester hours, the following criteria must be met:
The maximum load for graduate students during a Fall or Spring semester is 15 semester hours.
Transcripts show all Loyola Marymount University work completed as of the transcript print date. Work in progress is noted on the transcript. Transcripts will not be issued when a student has outstanding financial obligations to the University. Official transcripts of courses taken at the University are issued only with the permission of the student concerned. Unofficial or partial transcripts are not issued.
Transcripts from other institutions, which have been presented for admission or evaluation, become a part of the student’s permanent academic file and are not returned to the student. Students desiring transcripts covering work attempted elsewhere should request them from the appropriate institutions.
Credit for work completed at institutions accredited by one of the six regional associations of the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities may generally be accepted toward the satisfaction of degree and credential requirements at Loyola Marymount University.
Course work completed at non-U.S. institutions must be documented on an official academic record from an international institution recognized by the Ministry or Department of Education of that country. A foreign credentials evaluation may be required. International transcripts submitted without appropriate evaluations may not be considered for eligible transfer work to LMU.
The articulation services at LMU help undergraduate students to identify courses completed at other academic institutions that are transferable to LMU degree programs. Courses taken at other academic institutions may fulfill University core requirements, Program (academic major/minor) requirements or transfer in as electives. LMU has established articulation agreements with its major feeder community colleges.
View these transfer agreements on the Registrar’s website, and click on “Transfer Agreements.”
Graduate students should consult their Dean’s Office in their College or School.
Only LMU semester hour value is granted to transfer courses. LMU does not list grades from transfer courses nor does it use those grades in calculation of the LMU GPA.
Any undergraduate student regularly enrolled as a degree candidate who elects to take courses at a college or university other than Loyola Marymount University must submit a Transfer Course Review form to the Office of the Registrar prior to enrollment. The Office of the Registrar will review the course(s) for general transferability and possible fulfillment of a Core requirement. Courses taken with the intention of fulfilling a major or minor requirement must also be reviewed and approved by the Associate Dean of the student’s College or School prior to enrollment in such courses. Courses taken without this approval may not be counted toward the degree. Entering transfer students generally receive credit after admission to LMU for courses from other colleges and universities.
LMU degree-seeking students may not enroll at another institution while enrolled at LMU during the fall and spring semesters with the purpose of transferring credits. This is known as Concurrent Enrollment. Requests to transfer courses taken at another institution while enrolled at LMU will be denied. During LMU’s summer term(s), students may concurrently enroll at LMU and at another institution.
Open-learning courses will only be transferred as elective credit. Courses completed through an open-learning program cannot be used to fulfill Core, Major, Minor, Concentration or requirements other than elective credit.
Approved undergraduate courses with a grade of C (2.0) or higher may be counted for LMU credit. Credit will not be accepted for courses which,
At the time of admission to a program, and if approved by his/her Department, Program Director, and/or Dean of the student’s college or school, a student may transfer a maximum of two applicable courses of approved graduate credit, six (6) semester units total, from an accredited institution for work completed no more than five years ago.
LMU participates in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students may be granted credit at the time of entrance into the University for subjects in which they have completed the AP examinations with minimum score of 4. When official scores have been received from the College Board, applicants will be notified of the advanced placement and course credit in accordance with the following table.
A maximum of 2 AP exams can be used to fulfill Core Exploration requirements.
Note that an essay is required for all examinations offering optional essays.
| AP Exam | Number of Semester Hours Awarded | Equivalent LMU Course(s) | University Core Fulfillment |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | 4 | AFAM 1XXX | none |
| Art History | 8 | ARHS 2000 and ARHS 2002 | Historical Analysis & Perspectives (EHAP) |
| Biology | 6 | BIOL 1XXX | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Calculus AB | 4 | MATH 131 | Qualitative Reasoning (FQTR) or Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Calculus BC | 8 | MATH 131 and MATH 132 | Qualitative Reasoning (FQTR) or Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 1XXX | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 8 | CHIN 2101 and CHIN 2102 | none |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | POLS 1400 | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Computer Science A | 4 | CMSI 1XXX | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | CMSI 1600 | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | ENGL 1XXX | none |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | ENGL 1XXX | none |
| Environmental Science | 3 | ENVS 101 | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| European History | 4 | HIST 1200 | Historical Analysis & Perspectives (EHAP) |
| French Language and Culture | 8 | FREN 2101 and FREN 2102 | none |
| German Language and Culture | 8 | GRMN 2101 and GRMN 2102 | none |
| Human Geography | 4 | GEOG 1000T | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Italian Language and Culture | 8 | ITAL 2101 and ITAL 2102 | none |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 8 | JAPN 2101 and JAPN 2102 | none |
| Latin | 8 | CLAR 1115 and CLAR 1125 | none |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | ECON 1200 | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Microeconomics | 4 | ECON 1100 | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Music Theory | 3 | MUSC 1XXX | none |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | PHYS 1100T | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | PHYS 2100T | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Physics 1: Algebra-based | 4 | PHYS 2500T | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Physics 2: Algebra-based | 4 | PHYS 2550T | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Precalculus | 3 | MATH 120 | Qualitative Reasoning (FQTR) |
| Psychology | 4 | PSYC 1XXX | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 8 | SPAN 2101 and SPAN 2102 | none |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 8 | SPAN 1XXX | none |
| Statistics | 3 | MATH 104 | Qualitative Reasoning (FQTR) |
| Studio Art: Drawing | 6 | ART 1XXX | none |
| Studio Art: 2D Design | 3 | ART 1XXX | none |
| Studio Art: 3D Design | 3 | ART 1XXX | none |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | POLS 1200 (fulfills Understanding Human Behavior, EHBV) | none |
| United States History | 4 | HIST 1300 (fulfills Historical Analysis & Perspectives, EHAP) | none |
| World History | 4 | HIST 1050 (fulfills Historical Analysis & Perspectives, EHAP) | none |
LMU may award up to 6 semester hours (up to 8 for lab-based science courses) for higher level passes for which a student scores a 5 or above. Not all higher level examinations will yield advanced-standing credit. The IB chart shows IB examinations that have been approved for transfer.
| IB Exam | Number of Semester Hours Awarded | Equivalent LMU Course(s) | University Core Requirement Fulfillment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic B | 6 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Arabic Literature A | 8 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Biology | 6 | Score of 5: BIOL 1XXX; Score of 6+: BIOL 101 and BIOL 102 | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Business & Management | 6 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Chemistry | 8 | CHEM 110, CHEM 111, CHEM 112, and CHEM 113 | fulfills Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Chinese A Language & Literature | 8 | CHIN 1XXX | none |
| Chinese Literature A | 8 | CHIN 1XXX | none |
| Chinese Mandarin B | 6 | CHIN 1XXX | none |
| Computer Science | 6 | CMSI 1XXX | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Dance | 6 | DANC 1XXX | none |
| Design Technology | 6 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Dutch B | 6 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Economics | 8 | ECON 1100 and ECON 1200 | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| English A Language & Literature | 8 | ENGL 1XXX | none |
| English B | 6 | ENGL 1XXX | none |
| English Literature A | 8 | ENGL 1XXX | none |
| Film | 6 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| French B | 6 | FREN 1XXX | none |
| French Literature A | 8 | FREN 1XXX | none |
| Geography | 6 | GEOG 1000 and GEOG 1XXX | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| German A Lang & Lit | 8 | GRMN 1XXX | none |
| German B | 6 | GRMN 1XXX | none |
| Global Politics | 8 | POLS 1XXX | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Hindi B | 6 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| History-Africa & Middle East | 8 | HIST 1XXX | Historical Analysis & Perspectives (EHAP) |
| History-Americas | 8 | HIST 1XXX | Historical Analysis & Perspectives (EHAP) |
| History-Asia & Oceania | 8 | HIST 1XXX | Historical Analysis & Perspectives (EHAP) |
| History-Europe | 8 | HIST 1XXX | Historical Analysis & Perspectives (EHAP) |
| Indonesian A Language & Literature | 8 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Indonesian B | 6 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Indonesian Literature A | 8 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| IT in a Global Society | 6 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Italian B | 6 | ITAL 1XXX | none |
| Japanese B | 6 | JAPN 1XXX | none |
| Korean A Language & Literature | 8 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Korean Literature A | 8 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Math: Analysis & Approaches | 6 | MATH 1XXX | Qualitative Reasoning (FQTR) |
| Math: Applictns/Interpretations | 6 | MATH 1XXX | Qualitative Reasoning (FQTR) |
| Modern Classical Language | 8 | MDLG 1XXX | none |
| Music | 6 | MUSC 1XXX | none |
| Philosophy | 6 | PHIL 1XXX | Philosophical Inquiry (FPHI) |
| Physics | 8 | PHYS 2500 and PHYS 1XXX | Nature of Science, Technology, & Mathematics (ESTM) |
| Portuguese A Language & Literature | 8 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Portuguese Literature A | 8 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Psychology | 8 | PSYC 1XXX | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Russian Literature A | 8 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Social/Cultural Anthropology | 6 | SOCL 1XXX | Understanding Human Behavior (EHBV) |
| Spanish Literature A | 8 | SPAN 1XXX | |
| Spanish B | 6 | SPAN 1XXX | none |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science | 6 | HHSC 1XXX | none |
| Swedish B | 6 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Theatre | 6 | THEA 110T and THEA 1XXX | none |
| Turkish B | 6 | LOTE 1XXX | none |
| Turkish Literature A | 8 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Vietnamese Literature A | 8 | ELCT 1XXX | none |
| Visual Arts | 6 | ART 1XXX and ARHS 1XXX | none |
Note: Students studying for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies do not follow the regular University Core pattern.
IB credit does not count for most graduate Health Professions and Dental schools. Students intending to pursue pre-medical studies should fulfill major requirements at LMU.
Students must apply for educational benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Qualified students will receive from the VA a Certificate of Eligibility indicating the educational benefits to which they are entitled. Once committed to LMU and registered in classes, students must submit their Certificate of Eligibility to the Office of the Registrar for enrollment certification processing. Enrollment certification will be performed prior to each semester of enrollment until the University is notified that benefits have been exhausted or the student is no longer enrolled at LMU.
The Office of the Registrar acts as liaison between the student and the Veterans Administration. Any student eligible to receive educational benefits under one of the various Veterans Administration programs must, at the beginning of each term for which he or she is registered, complete and/or submit the appropriate application for certification of educational benefits. Information or consultation regarding Veterans educational benefits is available at any time during regular office hours. For more information regarding how to apply for Veterans’ educational benefits, visit https://registrar.lmu.edu/veteranandmilitaryeducationbenefits/.
LMU participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program; which is a Post-9/11 GI Bill® enhancement program for students who qualify for 100% of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This program allows institutions of higher learning in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that may exceed the higher of the actual tuition and fees for a private school. The number of students sponsored for Yellow Ribbon Program benefits is limited. For additional information on this and other Chapter financial considerations, please see the Financial Aid website.
Federal Law requires that educational assistance benefits to Veterans and other eligible persons be discontinued when the student ceases to make satisfactory progress toward their degree objective. Individuals who qualify, and wish to receive veterans’ educational benefits, must meet the published academic standards and requirements of the University in order to be certified for Veterans educational benefits.
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