Emphasizing Loyola's Jesuit, Catholic mission of knowledge in the care and service of others, coursework focuses on laying a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences while sharpening students' applied skills. Located near numerous human services organizations and professionals, the program takes full advantage of Chicago's many resources for students.

In keeping with Loyola's principles of values-based education, students take two service-learning courses. These classes, which pair classroom learning with active service in the community, may be selected from the list of basic, concentration or elective courses, or from courses outside the major.

Students obtain hands-on experience through two required fieldwork courses. A three-hour course introduces students to the operations of human services agencies, the mechanics of service delivery and the fundamentals of client contact. A six-hour course immerses students in agencies for more extensive and in-depth skills training and direct client contact