Loyola Marymount University is a private university with a main branch in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1911 as Long Angeles College, it competed directly with a small college operated by the Jesuits. Each of the two schools later adopted the names Loyola and Marymount, which eventually led to the two schools merging and becoming one large college. The campus admitted both men and women equally and added programs designed for theology students and those with an interest in religious studies. Though the school was a junior college and then a full college, it became a university in the late 1970s.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Loyola Marymount University, also called LMU, as a highly selective or most selective college because it only admits around half of the students who apply. The Wall Street Journal and Forbes both rank LMU as one of the country's best colleges. U.S. News & World Report ranked it as the third best university in the western regional, while Washington Monthly ranked its graduate school as one of the nation's best. Princeton Review included the university on several of its own lists like the happiest college students and the most beautiful campuses. The university also has a strong reputation for accepting minority students.
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Loyola Marymount University Accreditation Details
LMU has both program accreditation as well as regional accreditation, which is extremely helpful to those who may want to transfer to or from the university at a later date. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), which granted it regional accreditation, requires that LMU maintain this accreditation and apply for a renewal too. Program accreditation is helpful because it comes from professional organizations within certain fields of study and can increase the number of opportunities available to students studying those subjects. LMU has program accreditation from nine different groups that include:
- National Association of Schools of Music
- National Association of Schools of Dance
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- American Bar Association
- Accrediting Board of Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET)
- Loyola Marymount University Application Requirements
The way in which students apply to LMU depends on whether they want to start an undergrad program or enroll in the university's graduate school. LMU has an online application available but also uses the Common Application, which is a website that allows students to create a single account and use that account to apply for admissions to any of the colleges that work with the site. There is an application fee of $50 that students must pay online. The university asks for a letter of recommendation, an official ACT/SAT test score and an official high school transcript. Students can use the university's website to check on the status of their applications.
Those hoping to enroll in the LMU graduate school must also complete an online application and pay a small application fee. Requirements vary between programs, but most programs ask for one or more letters of recommendation that should come from professors and others who are familiar with the student applying. Some programs may ask for a student's resume, a writing sample, a response to an essay question or a GRE test score. Its counseling programs may ask for proof that students have a degree in psychology or a similar field and/or that they have some practical experience. Practical experience is especially helpful for students enrolling in the school psychology program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The estimated cost of attending Loyola Marymount University is around $55,200 a year. This includes a tuition rate of just over $44,000 a year, which allows students to take up to 18 credits each semester during the school year. LMU estimates that undergrad students will pay between $12,000 and $14,000 a year extra for a meal plan and a room in one of its residence halls. Students are also responsible for their own transportation costs as textbooks and miscellaneous supplies. The average cost of attending LMU as a graduate student is around $26,200 a year. Graduate students can live on-campus in a residence hall or dormitory for an annual fee. LMU charges a per credit rate for graduate students who enroll part-time.
LMU offers the same financial aid that other colleges do and requires that students submit the FAFSA to see if they qualify for any aid. Grants are available from both the federal and state government, and the federal government offers student loans. The university has its own work study program that allows students to earn a regular paycheck while in school. Students can apply for funding through several special programs like those who served in the military, were in foster care or work for the university. LMU offers nearly 20 different scholarship programs that award cash prizes to athletes, female and minority students and those who study specific subjects.
Psychology and Counseling Programs
Loyola Marymount University offers a major in psychology that requires students take four classes before taking any advanced classes, including general psychology, statistical methods for psychology, research methods and brain and behavior. They must then take 24 credits of psych courses at the upper level. They take a class on cognition and one on social psychology before taking some electives. LMU requires that students maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to remain in the program and that they receive a “C” or better in a psychology for the student to pass. Anyone who scores below this grade must take the class again. Psych students must also take a capstone seminar and go through an assessment.
The university also offers several counseling programs at the graduate level that help students meet the requirements for becoming a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) in California. This program allows students to pick a concentration in school counseling, mental health counseling or guidance and counseling. Most programs require that students take a minimum of 37 credits. The mental health counseling program prepares students for working with patients suffering from mental disorders and emotional conditions, while the school counseling program prepares them for working in public and private schools. Loyola Marymount University offers a guidance and counseling program for those who want to work in counseling at the college level or in another academic field.
See also: The Top 25 Low-Cost Online Master’s Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling