Overview

Overview

Deep respect for individual integrity; strong conviction about the healing dimension of the creative process; a commitment to helping people—these are the qualities of a successful art therapist. The Adler School’s Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy (MAT) program will help you develop them.

The program combines traditional counseling theories and techniques with an understanding of the psychological aspects of the creative process. The program prepares graduates to work in a variety of clinical, educational, and social service settings with diverse populations. These settings include medical and psychiatric hospitals, primary and secondary schools, wellness centers, children’s agencies, correctional facilities, geriatric settings, drug and alcohol treatment programs, community mental health centers, and violence shelters.

Art therapists choose materials and interventions appropriate to their clients’ needs and design sessions to achieve therapeutic goals and objectives. They use the creative process to help their clients increase insight and judgment, cope with stress, work through traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, have better relationships with family and friends, and achieve greater self-fulfillment.
 

Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree earned from a college or university regionally accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or an equivalent degree from an international college or university
• A grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate and graduate coursework
• Completion of the following 15 semester credit hours in psychology with grades of "C" or better: 
  • General or introductory psychology, abnormal psychology, theories of personality, and research methods or statistics. In addition, a course in lifespan development or child and adolescent development is required to meet AATA education standards. Equivalent coursework in other social sciences may also be considered. 
  • 18 semester credit hours, or 27 quarter credit hours, in studio art are required to demonstrate proficiency and disciplined commitment to visual art in 3 or more media
• A portfolio of original art work: 15 examples in three or more different media demonstrating competence with art materials
• Applicants who meet the admission standards will be invited for an interview with faculty

Degree Requirements

• Satisfactory completion of all required credit hours, including all required courses
• Satisfactory completion of at least 200 clock hours of community service practicum
• Satisfactory completion of 700 minimum clock hours of art therapy practicum/internship, with 350 of those hours in direct client contact
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and no more than two grades or six credit hours of  "C"
• Successful completion of the Master's Clinical Qualifying Examination
• Successful second year portfolio review
• Completion of graduation application and full payment of all outstanding tuition and fees
• Faculty approval for graduation and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for the conferral of the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy 

Licensure

Upon completion of the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy program, you will be able to apply for registration as an art therapist and sit for the Licensed Professional Counselor examination in Illinois. With additional supervised experience, you can sit for the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors examination in Illinois.

Note: The American Art Therapy Association has approved this program.