Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counseling: Art Therapy
Chicago, Online
The Adler University Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy integrates creative expression with clinical practice to foster emotional healing and growth. CAAHEP-accredited, the program blends Adlerian psychology, art therapy, and clinical training to prepare practitioners who advance care in every setting.
- 66 credits
- 2-year program, full-time study
- CAAHEP accredited
- Part-time opportunities
- Dual-licensure preparation
- Pathway to doctorate
Admission Deadlines
| Term | Priority | Final |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | 12/1/2025 | 2/15/2026 |
Program overview
Through counseling, neuroscience, trauma studies, and studio practice, students learn to integrate art-based interventions with clinical approaches, guided by faculty who bring deep professional expertise into the classroom.
Creative approaches are redefining mental health practice, opening new possibilities for how counselors foster resilience and growth. Graduates of Adler’s art therapy master’s program are prepared to meet this need by integrating the expressive power of art with the science of counseling to support healing and personal transformation.
Why choose the master’s in art therapy at Adler University?
- Nationally accredited: The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and recommended by the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE), affirming the program’s rigor and commitment to excellence in art therapy education.
- Career readiness: Graduates are eligible for dual credentialing as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Registered Art Therapists (ATR).
- Advanced interdisciplinary curriculum: Combines Adlerian psychology, neuroscience, counseling theory, and studio art.
- Applied training: Practicum and internship placements in hospitals, schools, community agencies, and mental health centers.
LEARNING modalities
The Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy (MACAT) program can be completed in one of two modalities: on-campus in Chicago or online. Both offer a comprehensive and engaging educational experience, with the flexibility to meet the diverse needs of students.
On campus
In the on-campus modality, students attend weekly in-person classes at our Chicago campus. This format is ideal for students who prefer face-to-face interaction and are in the region, providing a traditional classroom setting where students can engage directly with professors and peers.
Online
Designed for those who prefer the flexibility of distance learning, this format allows students to complete the program entirely online, with no residency requirements. All courses are delivered through Adler University’s learning management system (Canvas) in 15-week cycles.
The online program combines asynchronous learning — where students engage with weekly assignments, readings, and discussions on their own schedule — with scheduled live virtual class sessions held several times throughout the semester. These virtual class times typically occur eight times per class within the 15-week semester, providing opportunities for live discussions, feedback, and real-time interaction with faculty and peers.
PATHWAY TO licensure
Graduates of the art therapy master’s program are eligible to apply for these licensure exams.
Registered Art Therapist (ATR)
The credential of Registered Art Therapist (ATR) through the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), may be attained upon completing all necessary post-graduate training.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Students are eligible to take the exam for the Licensed Professional Counselor exam (LPC) credential in the state of Illinois, and the National Counselor Examination (NCE) may be attained upon completion of the program.
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
The Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) credential in the state of Illinois may be attained upon completing all necessary post-graduate requirements. Students interested in applying for licensure elsewhere should work with their appropriate state licensing boards and faculty advisors to plan their curriculum accordingly.
The path ahead with an Adler degree
Our practice-driven art therapy program is designed to prepare counselors and art therapists to serve diverse populations in a range of settings, including:
• Clinics
• Mental health centers
• Children’s agencies
• Nursing homes
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Correctional facilities
• Violence shelters
• Residential treatment centers
• Private practice
*Data is from BigFuture’s Career Directory
Admissions requirements
Eligibility
Applicants to the MACAT program must meet the following requirements:
- An undergraduate/baccalaureate degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution.
- A grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate and graduate coursework. Exceptions may be made for applicants who demonstrate improved academic performance or academic ability in other ways.
- The equivalent of 12 semester credit hours in psychology with grades of C or better. These courses need to include general or introductory psychology, abnormal psychology, and life span development. All prerequisites should be completed by the end of a student’s first semester at Adler University.
- Eighteen semester credit hours or 27 quarter credit hours in studio art that demonstrate proficiency and disciplined commitment to visual art in three or more visual art media.
- Portfolio.
Application Requirements
- Completed application submitted via the online portal.
- Application fee.
- Statement of Intent.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae.
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended (U.S. and Canada).
- Unofficial transcripts may be accepted for any schools in which a degree was not received.
- International transcripts must be evaluated by a transcript evaluation service.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- These should be from someone who can specifically speak to your academic and professional abilities.
Approved applicants will be invited to complete an interview with faculty.
Statement of Intent
Applicants are required to provide a statement of intent answering the following questions. They should be 2-3 pages, double-spaced.
- Why are you interested in your chosen field and program?
- Why is Adler University’s program a good fit for you?
- Adler University’s mission is based on strengthening global health and well-being by transforming systems, co-creating solutions, and advancing community wellness through research, scholarship, and partnerships.
- Share your perspective on Adler’s mission and your commitment to strengthening global health and well-being.
- What are your career goals and interests?
Portfolio
Applicants must submit a portfolio of 15 original works in three or more media, demonstrating competence with art materials, to be presented during the admission interview.
How to Apply + Submit Transcripts
- Visit Adler University’s online application portal, create an account, and submit your application, fee, Statement of Intent, resume/CV, and references’ details.
- Have official transcripts sent directly from each issuing institution or approved service to the Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline. Do not upload official copies to the portal.
Official electronic transcripts should be sent to admissions@adler.edu.
Physical transcripts should be sent to:
Adler University – Office of Admissions
17 N. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Curriculum | internships | practicums
The Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy is a 66-credit program that combines coursework with extensive field experience. Students complete more than 700 hours of supervised counseling and art therapy practicum, applying clinical principles across diverse settings such as schools, mental health centers, and community organizations.
Completion of the program includes the courses below, along with additional requirements outlined in the Adler University Course Catalog.
CORE COURSES
Professional Development Seminar
This one-hour, once-a-week seminar is required of all students in their first term. This course will provide students opportunities to meet in small groups with peers and one faculty member who will also serve as the students’ Faculty Advisor.
Professional Development, Issues, and Ethics in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychopathology
This course is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for the ethical practice of art therapy and of counseling. Students will learn the codes of ethics of the American Art Therapy Association, the Art Therapy Credentials Board, and the American Counseling Association.
Intersectionality and Community Psychology
Students learn theory and research on the role of community psychology in treating problems related to a range of pervasive social justice issues that impact the health of individuals and communities. Community Psychology takes an ecological approach to human functioning, locating health and dysfunction in the interaction between individuals and larger social systems.
Advanced Counseling and Adlerian Psychology and Psychopathology
This course introduces and integrates advanced methods of historical and theoretical approaches to counseling along with the principles of Alfred Adler’s theory and philosophy of communities and human kind as a basis for understanding the development of an individual’s unique style of living or personality. These principles include the purposiveness of behavior, the indivisible self, goal-directed behavior, and the role of social interest in mental health and social progress.
Introduction to Addictive Disorders
This course provides an introduction to substance use and the treatment of addictive disorders. Assessment of substance use disorders and current treatment models for substance use, misuse, abuse, dependence, and concurrent disorders are discussed.
Biopsychosocial Bases of Health and Dysfunction for Counselors
This course provides an overview of the major disorders in the current edition of the DSM. A range of mental disorders, from adjustment disorders to serious psychopathologies, is discussed.
Basic Skills for Psychotherapy and the Use of Art Therapy
This course teaches art therapy and counseling students basic and in-depth relationship micro- and macro-counseling and psychotherapy skills that use role-plays, artwork, art-making, art directives, and other experiential activities to demonstrate these concepts. The course covers counseling skills (e.g., attending, active listening, building rapport), intake interviewing, and self-reflection/self-assessment procedures and other experiential activities to prepare for clinical work on practicum.
Research Methods in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy
This course is an introduction to approaches to research design, data collection methodology, and data analysis, with a focus on the field of art therapy. It emphasizes the importance of evidence-based research in advancing the field of art therapy and counseling.
Historical and Theoretical Perspectives of Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy
This course introduces the history, philosophy, theory, and practice of art therapy, counseling, and psychotherapy within the fields of counseling, mental health, and psychology. The fundamental elements of the history and theories of art therapy, counseling, and psychotherapy are addressed with attention to the theoretical foundations of each field of study.
Sociocultural and Trans Multicultural Approaches in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy
This course provides a basic foundation of knowledge, awareness, and skills needed for providing more effective counseling services in a trans-multicultural society. The course covers theories, research, and practices associated with trans-multicultural competence with emphases on both between-group and within-group differences and the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, country of origin, disability, and socioeconomic status.
Neuroscience in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Special Populations
This course addresses the relationships among counseling, neuroscience, biology, art, creativity, perception, and memory as they relate to the application and practice of counseling, psychotherapy, and art therapy, including Adlerian Theory.
Studio Art in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy
This course provides studio time to gain skills, develop visual art techniques, explore artistic creativity via materials and media in art therapy through visio-spatial and perception skills as they relate to counseling and psychotherapeutic health and wellness goal setting for clients. Students explore personal creativity in relation to the art therapy and counseling profession.
FIELD TRAINING
Practicum Seminar in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Consultation and Supervision I
Clinical practicum in an approved agency or institution requires 700 hours onsite with at least 350 hours in direct client contact.
This course has prerequisites and requires consent of Chair and Director of Training.
Internship Seminar in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Consultation and Supervision II
Along with the field experience, students receive individual supervision by faculty and attend group supervision in seminar. The seminar is designed to be responsive to students’ practicum experiences and concerns for their clients and sites.
This course has prerequisites.
Internship Seminar in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Consultation and Supervision III – 1 Credit
Along with the field experience, students receive supervision by faculty and attend group supervision in seminar. The seminar is designed to be responsive to students’ practicum experiences and concerns for their clients and sites.
This course has prerequisites.
Practicum in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Consultation and Supervision I
This clinical practicum in an approved agency or institution requires a minimum of 700 hours onsite, with at least 350 hours in direct client contact.
This course has prerequisites.
Internship in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Consultation and Supervision II
Clinical practicum in an approved agency or institution requires a minimum of 700 hours onsite, with at least 350 hours in direct client contact.
This course has prerequisites.
Internship in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Consultation and Supervision III
Clinical practicum in an approved agency or institution requires a minimum of 700 hours onsite, with at least 350 hours in direct client contact. Practicum also provides supervision, peer support, and consultation that instills an understanding of the process of psychoeducational consultation with emphasis on theories and strategies that are used to provide services to individuals, groups, and organizations.
Internship Continued in Art Therapy, Counseling, and Psychotherapy: Consultation and Supervision
Extended practicum course is offered in Summer II and is for students in need of additional practicum hours. This clinical practicum in an approved agency or institution requires a minimum of 700 hours onsite, with at least 350 hours in direct client contact.
SOCIAL JUSTICE PRACTICUM
Your opportunity to create lasting change on local and global systems, almost from day 1.
The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) at Adler University is a first-year, non-clinical, community-based experience that reflects Alfred Adler’s concept of social interest. The practicum places students with mission-driven organizations where they complete a minimum of 200 approved hours across two semesters, typically 8–10 hours per week. Alongside their placements, students participate in required workshops. Each practicum is evaluated through midterm and final supervisor reviews, student self-assessments, and feedback on the site and project, with grades of High Pass, Pass, Remediation, or Fail. The experience culminates in a campus-wide presentation of outcomes, assessed by multiple evaluators, offering students both applied training and the opportunity to contribute to meaningful community change.
“As an Adler graduate, advocate of the arts in the community, and a witness to urban revitalization through the arts, I value self-expression, self-reflection, critical thinking, and arts advocacy. As a fourth generation Chicagoan, my roots in neighborhood support, social responsibility, unity in diversity, and activism run deep.”
– Jennifer LaCivita, Psy.D.
Program Director
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