I am interested in becoming a therapist in los angeles, california. I
want to know what the differences are between the LCSW license and the
MFT license. Specifically, how might the course work differ, and why
would a person choose one over another?

This might be helpful:

Marriage and Family Therapist Degree: Usually MS or MA (Masters Degree)
Designation: LMFT  
Marriage and Family Therapists typically have a masters degree in
Marriage and Family Therapy. It is one of the most specific and
clinically focused trainings. MFT''s are usually trained from a
theoretical approach identified as "systems theory". One advantage of
"systems theory" is it's focus on relationships, therefore, MFT's
often focus on marriage, family and group dynamics. MFT has one of the
highest standards for clinical training when it comes to supervision
of new therapists.
 
Social Workers Degree: Usually MSW
Designation: LCSW  
Social Workers are one of the oldest helping professional groups.
Training for Social Workers is varied with the focus of most training
focused on agency work (government or helping organizations). Others
have clinical training that better prepares them for counseling and
therapy. Like MFT's, social workers are often trained from a systems
perspective (see MFT description for a brief description).

http://www.intimatemarriage.org/html/whatsthediff.html

Hello schmoobelah-ga!

You have some wonderful career aspirations there! I'm posting my
remark as a comment as it is highly subjective. I'm biased, because I
have an MSW (a Master's Degree in Social Work). Once you get an MSW,
you can go on and get licensed to become an LCSW (Licensed Clinical
Social Worker) or the equivalent (the title can vary state to state).
Before graduate school, I also considered 2 different degree programs.
I debated whether to get an MSW or an MC (Master's in counseling). My
interest in the field, like yours, lies in therapy.

I personally recommend getting an MSW for this reason--it is much more
marketable. There is a great demand for social workers and that demand
is growing. With an MSW, you can do therapy and you can also do so
much more. With an MFT, you are more confined to simply doing therapy.
Therefore, even when the end goal is to be a therapist, in my opinion,
since both routes will get you there, you may as well go with the one
that has many, many options. Study out the different graduate programs
available to you--most will allow you to tailor it (through electives
and internships) to fit your personal career goals. I took courses in
psychotherapy, behavioral health, and the like and also interned
facilitating individual and group therapy. I was also able to
participate in different activities through my internships that helped
me know what I *didn't* want to do and that's not a bad thing!

You may also want to speak to professionals in both fields and ask
them what made them choose their particular degree, pros and cons, and
things like that to help you better decide. I wish you much
success--it's a very rewarding field.

Sincerely,
Boquinha-ga