FAQs

Clinical Art Therapy is a discipline within the field of mental health. It is a psychotherapeutic method for gaining awareness, reality testing, problem solving and revealing unconscious material. Art Therapy is also a process for working with family systems and interpersonal relationship issues. The clinical art therapist offers the client a variety of techniques with consideration to subject matter, and media specifically designed to meet the needs and therapeutic goals of the family or individual.

Loyola Marymount University does considerable public relations about family art therapy for the mental health community. Students in their field placements have shown institutions the benefit of Art Therapy. In addition, faculty and alumni are part of a Speaker's Bureau which provides professional Art Therapy presentations to staff members of various institutions and academic settings. The reputation of our program is outstanding. Institutions often contact the school requesting our graduates to fill new positions which are being created. Finally, the department sponsors an Alumni Job Line which is frequently updated with art therapy job openings.

Yes. In l979 this procedure was instituted. The American Art Therapy Association has granted our program "Approval." It was one of the first schools in the United States to be awarded this status. 

Tuition is $1,385 per unit beginning August 2020. Tuition is subject to change. (We are a 60 unit program).

We highly recommend that our students engage in personal therapy.  The program places a great emphasis on this form of experiential learning. Students have reported the value of gaining a greater understanding of how they function and their reaction to other people. Oftentimes, the psychotherapist will act as a quasi-supervisor when the student begins her/his field placement since countertransference and other difficulties may be tied into previous perceptions and experiences. The program will list clinics and competent psychotherapists who are willing to treat our students at a reduced fee.

Yes. The program is purposely sequentially designed. Each course builds upon the foundation of a previous course. This gives the student a progressive and total education.

The university allows for a maximum of two courses for a total of six semester units from an accredited institution taken within the last five year to be transferred; however, the class names must exactly match the course names in the LMU program and course description must include both the art therapy and MFT content.

The Financial Aid Office at LMU provides graduate students with access to financial resources to assist them in achieving their educational goals.

Typically students utilize several forms of financial aid and scholarships. More info.