Vancouver | Master of
Adler University’s Master of Counselling Psychology: Art Therapy program prepares students to work as counsellors, art therapists, and educators in a leading-edge field that combines the arts and psychology to improve physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Our unique degree offering trains graduates to be socially responsible practitioners who work with both words and images to treat individuals facing trauma, stress, and other life transitions.
The innovative program aligns with the requirements set forth by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association to become a Registered Clinical Counsellor in the province of British Columbia or a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Canada. It is also designed to meet the registered art therapist requirements of the British Columbia Art Therapy Association, the Canadian Art Therapy Association, the American Art Therapy Credentials Board, and the American Art Therapy Association.
Graduates are prepared to be counsellors and art therapists that serve diverse populations in a range of settings including clinics, correctional facilities, private practice and more.
The Master of Counselling Psychology: Art Therapy is a 60-credit hour program. Successful completion of this program includes the courses listed below.
Find course descriptions and more information in the Adler University course catalog here.
Doing is learning. A unique and proven program designed to give students real world experience throughout their time at Adler University, the Social Justice Practicum is a required 200-hour internship that spans four courses (or terms for online programs). Every student is given a number of civic-minded categories to choose from. They submit their desired areas of interest. After which, they are assigned a specific and aligned community outreach site where they will work 8 to 10 hours per week.
Our groundbreaking program is designed to prepare counsellors and art therapists to serve diverse populations in a range of settings, including:
Gain the knowledge and skills to facilitate real change in individuals’ lives through words and art. Our diverse faculty brings together rigorous classroom learning with individualized mentorship, artistic guidance, and hands-on professional experience.
We offer extensive training in the field, including a 700-hour clinical practicum focused on learning the skills of art therapy and counseling by working in settings such as hospitals, criminal justice systems, nonprofit organizations, school systems, mental health organizations, addiction services, and private practice.
To be considered for admission, an applicant must meet the following criteria:
Applicants are required to submit the following items to be considered for admission:
Approved applicants will be invited to complete an interview with faculty. Please submit all application materials to the Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline.
International applicants are also required to submit the following:
Adler University in Vancouver has been, like Canada itself, born and built with an open mind. Located in the midst of one of the world’s most exciting and breathtaking cities, Adler University reflects a true Canadian spirit.
You’ll find multiple collaborative areas with the absolute latest technology. Learning areas and class windows have deliberately been situated to stimulate thought. These things do matter. If students are given the space, opportunity and technology to achieve their goals, they are more likely to rock the boat of conventional thought.
Studying in Vancouver does have its added advantages. They are the land, sea and call of the wild. All of which, we encourage you to experience. This is the great outdoors and a very different school of thought. You’ll want to experience it all.
Vancouver Campus graduate Melika Mirilavasani, MCP-AT ’19, is using her Master of Counselling Psychology: Art Therapy degree to help residents at the Phoenix Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society build relationships and find healing, recognition, and connection through art making.
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Vancouver Campus graduate, Linda Lin, M.A. '18, shared her experience as a racial trauma counsellor as her practice experiences an increase in patients seeking counselling in the midst numerous attacks on the Asian community.
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