Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counseling: Art Therapy

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.