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Apply Online at: graduate.lmu.edu/apply
Our program specific webpages, as well as our online application, detail program specific requirements. Generally speaking, the most common application requirements are:
- Bachelor's Degree completed or expected from Regionally Accredited Institution
- GPA Requirements or Request for Exception with supporting documentation
- Personal Statement of Intent, answer program specific application questions
- Professional Resume
- Letter of Recommendation(s)
- Verification of Employment or Experience (select programs)
- California Commission on Teacher Credential Requirements for applicable credentials (Includes, when applicable, Basic Skills and Certificate of Clearance plus for teacher preparation programs, subject matter and U.S. Constitution.)
In addition to the program specific website and application, we offer a detailed information packet for more in-depth FAQ program-specific answers, available via an inquiry request for more information.
We're all here to help! Please do not hesitate to reach out and ask for further assistance.
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For programs where pursuing a credential without an M.A. is an option*, we encourage you to weigh the decision carefully. The benefit of completing a Master of Arts degree alongside the credential provides you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge and skills in your selected focus area of concentration, further enriching your personal experience at LMU.
- For elementary and secondary, the M.A. in Transformative Education is 16 additional units beyond the credential coursework, and for mild to moderate support needs, the M.A. in Special Education is 12 additional units. The M.A. provides an opportunity to build upon and deepen your knowledge and skills offering further specialization in the field.
- Candidates have a total of five years from beginning of first credential course until completion of last M.A. course to complete the degree. After five years, a new program would need to be started.
- Federal loan limits for financial aid are higher for M.A. degree programs than credential only programs, if that is a consideration. Candidates are responsible for exploring financial stipulations for their individual situation affected by program selection.
- Candidates that choose to pursue a credential program without Master of Arts are required to reapply to LMU if/when they choose to add the degree program at a later date.
- Most school districts and educational institutions provide higher placement on a salary scale (ranging from an additional $4,000-$10,000 year) and the M.A. provides more leadership opportunities within organizations.
- Candidates wishing to pursue a doctorate degree later in their careers are frequently required to hold a master’s degree.
*Eligible credential only elementary and secondary programs include Intern Field Experience Pathway and CAST Partnerships. All candidates in the Education Specialist Credential in Mild to Moderate Support Needs program are also eligible.
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We review a number of factors that we believe make for a successful candidate. They include:
- Bachelor's Degree from a Regionally Accredited Institution
- Personal Statement of Intent for the Program
- Commitment and openness to Social Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Understanding of the respective field that relates to the program you are applying to
- Life experiences related to your program’s field
- Expressed motivation
- A curious stance towards learning
- Undergraduate GPA and/or a Request for Exception to GPA based on life experiences as an undergraduate. Graduate level coursework of 9 semester units or more can also be used in lieu of a lower undergraduate GPA.
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Yes, the online Graduate Application fee for a School of Education program is $50.
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Yes. We require one official transcript from each college and university from which you have previously completed transfer coursework towards, as well as from where you received (or will receive) a Bachelor's Degree. This includes an official transcript that transferred into the college or university where you ultimately earned your Bachelor's degree. If you have earned a Master’s and/or Doctorate degree, please also submit transcripts from that/those institutions.
All official transcripts are to be delivered to the Graduate Division as follows:For quick electronic transcript delivery direct from the college or university use this email:
For postal or express mail delivery direct from the college of university of official transcript, use this address:
Graduate Admission Office
1 LMU Drive, Charles Von der Ahe Building, Suite 235
Los Angeles, CA 90045 -
If you are still in school and will not complete your studies before our application deadline, please still submit your most current, official transcript for admission purposes. We will process your admission file using those transcripts. Simply alert your current college or university to send your transcripts NOW, without the grades from your current semester of enrollment and without your degree posted.
Should you be admitted to one of our programs, you will then be required to submit an updated, final official transcript that reflects final grades as well as shows that you now hold a Bachelor's degree, prior to issuance of an intern credential for candidates that require one, and no later than the end of the first semester of enrollment for all other candidates/programs.
Your final official transcript reflecting your Bachelor's Degree will need to be submitted to the Graduate Division as follows:
For quick electronic transcript delivery direct from the college or university use this email:
For postal or express mail delivery direct from the college of university of official transcript, use this address:
Graduate Admission Office
1 LMU Drive, Charles Von der Ahe Building, Suite 235
Los Angeles, CA 90045 -
The School of Education takes a holistic approach to admission and reviews candidates on the diverse experiences and strengths that you bring to the field. We encourage all to apply. Please note that in higher demand programs or fields (doctoral, School Psychology, Counseling), candidates with lower GPA's may wish to increase their visibility and commitment through recent prerequisite coursework and/or a combination with direct experience in an applicable field.
For candidates who do not hold a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 overall, or 3.05 in your last 60 semester (90 quarter) units of undergraduate work at a regionally accredited institution, or a 3.0 in 9 semester units of graduate level work, we ask that you submit a form, "Application for Exception to the GPA Requirement," along with an accompanying statement as detailed on the form. An SOE Admissions Consultant will provide you with the form after you've submitted your application.
Throughout the duration of their graduate program coursework, candidates are required to maintain a “B” average.
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If you do not meet the undergraduate GPA requirement of 3.0, you are still encouraged to apply to the School of Education.
If an analysis of your previous undergraduate degree coursework and/or subsequent graduate level coursework doesn't meet the GPA requirement, we will ask that you submit additional information. This includes a form, "Application for Exception to the GPA Requirement," along with an accompanying statement along with instructions on completing a statement that speaks to your educational journey and what led to the lower GPA, along with career and academic growth post-undergraduate completion. An SOE Admissions Consultant will provide you with the form after you've submitted your application.
In higher demand programs or fields (doctorate, School Psychology, and Counseling), candidates with lower GPA's may wish to increase their visibility and commitment through additional recent prerequisite coursework and/or a combination with direct experience in support of their "Request for Exception to the GPA Requirement."
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At the time of admission to a program, and if approved by your department, program director, and/or dean, you may transfer a maximum of two graduate-level courses (six semester units total), towards an M.A. degree, from a regionally accredited institution for work completed no more than five years ago.
For coursework transferring into a credential only program, please consult with an academic advisor as transferability considers program subject competency course by course. For each course of requested transfer, you will need to provide a syllabus and course catalog from the appropriate college or university for each course being reviewed. Coursework for credential-only program is required to be from a regionally accredited institution for work completed no more than seven years ago.
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As part of the application process, the School of Education admissions team does review your transcripts and will happily consult with you on questions you may have regarding their applicability for the graduate program of study you wish to pursue.
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Letters of recommendation should be submitted from professors, instructors, or professionals within your field of study with whom you have worked or been supervised, who can comment substantively on your academic ability and potential to perform graduate-level work.
Letters of recommendation from friends or relatives are considered “character recommendations” and are not acceptable.
During the online application experience, you will provide the name, title, and email address for each recommender. It is advised to begin this process as soon as possible in order to allow ample time for your recommender to submit a letter. You may start your graduate application and list your recommender(s), so that they may receive an email with further instructions to securely upload their recommendation for you. You can begin this process right away early in your application process. You do not need to submit the application in order to initiate this process.
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Yes, you are welcome to visit and observe a class. Your visit will be coordinated by the respective program coordinator and/or Director. Be advised that candidates are limited to one class visit. For online programs, the visit will be coordinated and attended via zoom platform. An admission counselor will serve as a liaison to get you connected with an appropriate faculty member to foster this request.
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LMU is a semester-based university, offering course enrollment for fall, spring, and 2 summer sessions. Each fall and spring semester is 15-16 weeks long (including holidays and breaks). Summer sessions are 6 weeks in length. In the fall and spring, 3-unit courses generally meet once per week for 2.5 hours each. In the summer sessions, 3-unit courses generally meet twice per week (3 hours each) for a total of 6 hours per week. Please refer to LMU's Academic Calendars for start and end dates, as well as holidays, student free days, and other important dates for all upcoming semesters.
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Per Federal Regulation 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v), all LMU School of Education credential/licensure programs meet the California state requirements as specified by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) and for the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences as appropriate.
LMU (the institution) has not made a determination as to whether these credential, licensure, and professional preparation programs meet the requirements of states outside of California.
If you are interested in practicing outside the state of California, it is recommended that you contact the respective licensing entity of that state to seek information or guidance regarding their licensure and credential requirements (sometimes called "reciprocity") in advance to allow for appropriate planning.
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All communication is conducted via email so please do provide an email address that you review regularly. We don't want you to miss out on important or exciting information!
After submitting the online graduate application, you should expect some, or all of the following:
- an immediate auto-generated submission confirmation email
- an email from the Graduate Admission office, providing you with a status update (login to review)
- an email outreach from an SOE Admission Counselor should anything further be needed
- additionally, you can always log back into your application to review a list of missing items and/or application status updates
- Once an SOE Admission Counselor has determined that your application is complete, your file is forwarded electronically to the appropriate SOE department to begin the official review process.
- For programs requiring interviews, you will then be contacted to schedule a individual or group zoom interview with the director of the applicable program
- After the interview, the department renders a final admission decision and forwards this to the Graduate Division for processing.
- Within a week, you should receive an email that states "Application Status Update" - this is where your admission decision letter will reside. Login to the application system for viewing.
Accepted candidates will then have access to our accepted applicant portal, further emails detailing next steps for financial aid, academic advisement, enrollment timeframes, and all the exciting pieces of starting your program journey!
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Yes, absolutely. We pride ourselves on personalized attention from inquiry to application to enrollment to credential completion and degree graduation! Each candidate is assigned an academic advisor that remains with you throughout your School of Education program. They help keep you on track with credential requirements (if applicable), appropriate coursework and sequencing, and serve as your general resource person throughout.
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The most up-to-date graduate tuition rates. To determine your program’s estimated overall cost, you will multiply the current School of Education’s graduate tuition rate by the program’s overall unit count, acknowledging that each year tuition does increase slightly.
Be sure to check out the School of Education Scholarship opportunities, as well as scholarships from external organizations you may be aware of. Many School of Education programs also offer generous grants so do be sure to consult program specific website or information packet information to research all available financial assistance options.
For questions pertaining to billing, payment options, and other student costs, please refer to Student Accounts.
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A variety of School of Education programs and partnership programs offer grants to admitted students. Additionally, there are specialty scholarships that meet your needs you may wish to apply for. There are also a variety of graduate and research assistantship job openings available across campus. Graduate and Research Assistantships are on-campus, flexible, part-time employment opportunities for our graduate student body.
Graduate students usually also qualify for Student loans (private, state, and federal), Golden State and TEACH grants, as well as for Departmental Scholarships. As with your undergraduate studies, most every form of graduate student financial aid starts by completing and submitting the FAFSA or DREAM Act Application.
Some of these opportunities require students to first be admitted and also sometimes enrolled in order to apply. For instance, departmental scholarships are available beginning in your second semester of study. Graduate and Research Assistantship listings, are available at our student job portal, available in Workday, after acceptance, via Student Employment Services.
For very specific financial aid questions please feel free to direct your inquiries to the Graduate Financial Aid Office. You may also call them at 310.338.2753.
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Yes! LMU does offer off-campus housing options for graduate students at neighboring community, Playa Del Oro, as well as at "The Graduate House" a block from campus. For more information on housing options, please click here.
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As Loyola Marymount University is a private institution, international students have the same tuition rates as domestic and out-of-state students. International applicants however, may potentially be asked to submit additional admission requirements in order to meet student visa requirements.
Please note that, due to United States federal regulations, LMU is not able to issue F-1 student visas for programs offered in an online format.
Upon being admitted to a on-campus, in-person, graduate program, international candidates are required to abide by certain criteria outlined by the Office for International Students & Scholars (OISS). For further details and information, please refer to OISS.